Akram Youth Common Sense | May 2016 | Akram Youth | Page 8

Glimpses of Great Souls

Common Sense - The Knowledge of Human Nature.
Once, when Lincoln was pleading a case, the opposing
lawyer had the law in his favour. The weather was
warm, and his opponent, as was admissible in frontier
courts, pulled off his coat and vest as he grew warm in
the argument.
At that time, shirts with buttons behind were
unusual.
Lincoln took in the situation at once.
Knowing the prejudices of the primitive people
against pretension of all sorts, or any affectation of
superior social rank, arising, he said: "Gentlemen of
the jury, having justice on my side, I do not think you
will be at all influenced by the gentleman's
pretended knowledge of the law, when you see he
does not even know which side of his shirt should be
in front." There was a general laughter, and Lincoln
won the case.
08 | May 2016

Gentlemen of the
jury, having justice
on my side, I do not
think you will be at
all influenced by the
gentleman's
pretended knowledge
of the law, when you
see he does not even
know which side of
his shirt should be in
front."