and butter involved. Properly attended to, fuller justice is done to both
lawyer and client. An exorbitant fee should never be claimed. As a
general rule never take your whole fee in advance, nor any more than a
small retainer. When fully paid beforehand, you are more than a common
mortal if you can feel the same interest in the case as if something was
still in prospect for you, as well as for your client. And when you lack
interest in the case the job will very likely lack skill and diligence in
the performance. Settle the amount of fee and take a note in advance.
Then you will feel that you are working for something, and you are sure
to do your work faithfully and well. Never sell a fee note--at least not
before the consideration service is performed. It leads to negligence and
dishonesty--negligence by losing interest in the case, and dishonesty in
refusing to refund when you have allowed the consideration to fail.

This idea of a refund or reduction of charges from the lawyer in a failed
case is a new one to me--but not a bad one.




1851
LETTERS TO FAMILY MEMBERS
TO JOHN D. JOHNSTON.

January 2, 1851

DEAR JOHNSTON:--Your request for eighty dollars I do not think it best to
comply with now. At the various times when I have helped you a little you
have said to me, "We can get along very well now"; but in a very short
time I find you in the same difficulty again. Now, this can only happen