The Law as Literature

By: Oliver Wendell Holmes

Holmes started this portion of his essay by saying that unlike many that came before him who wrote about legal education, he did not mention the most usual subjects talked about, namely textbooks and case systems. He says that he is more focused on the theory, rather than the practical details, comparing himself to an architect who takes part in building a house. Legal education is much more than what is practiced. Instead, he insists that theory is the most important part of the dogma of the law. Understanding the theory surrounding law should not be found to be unpractical, since if a person is competent, it simply means going to the bottom of the subject.

This is the reading where Holmes exclaimed that Money is the most immediate form, and is a proper object of desire. This includes the object of ambition and power, where they usually present themselves in the form of money alone. However, given the elucidation of both Rachel andHegel, the most far-reaching form of power is not money; it is the command of ideas. This is obvious when we examine the works of Descartesand Kant, whose works still lives and linger until today. Happiness, in the end, is our goal, and this cannot simply be had by being counsel for large corporations or having great incomes. Success cannot be the sole purpose in living the life in the field of law. It should be coupled with things that Holmes characterizes as the remoter and more general aspects of the law. It is only through them that one can not only master his or her calling, but also catch a hint of the universal law.