Rica to Usbek, at * * *.
The other day I dined at the house of a magistrate, who had often invited me. After we had talked of a variety of things, I said to him, “ Sir, it appears to me that your profession is very laborious.” “ Not so much as you imagine,” he rejoined'; “ as we prosecute it, it is only an amusement.” “ But how! is your head not always full of other people’s business ? are you not always occupied with matters that do not interest you ? ” “ You are right; these matters do not interest us, because we take not the least interest in them; and that is how our profession is not so fatiguing as you supposed.” When I saw that he took the matter so carelessly, I continued, and said, “ Sir, I have not seen your study.” “ I believe you; for I have none. When I took this post, lacking the money to pay for it, I sold my library. The bookseller who bought it, out of a vast number of volumes, left me only my account-
>63 book. Nor do I regret them: we judges have no need to stuff our heads with useless knowledge. What have we to do with all these legal volumes ? Almost all the cases are questions of fact, and outside the general rule.” “ But, sir, may it not be because you make them so P For, in short, why should all the peoples of the world have laws, if these laws are not to be applied ? And how can one who does not know them, apply them?” “If you were acquainted with the courts of justice,” replied the magistrate, “ you would not speak as you do. We have living books, the advocates: they work for us, and take upon themselves the task of instructing us.” “And do they not also sometimes take upon themselves the task of deceiving you ? ” I retorted. “ It would not be a bad thing to guard yourself against their wiles. They have weapons with which to attack your justice : it would be well if you were in a condition to defend it: you ought not to rush into the midst of the fight, thinly clad, among people armed to the teeth.”
Paris, the 13th of the moon of Chahban, 1714.