Mr.Plumer was a man of cool and excellent judgment, and he thought that Mr.Webster on this occasion was too excursive and declamatory.

He also deemed him better fitted by mind and temperament for politics than for the law, an opinion fully justified in the future, despite Mr.Webster's eminence at the bar.

In another case, where they were opposed, Mr.Plumer quoted a passage from Peake's "Law of Evidence." Mr.Webster criticised the citation as bad law, pronounced the book a miserable two-penny compilation, and then, throwing it down with a fine disdain, said, "So much for Mr.Thomas Peake's compendium of the 'Law of Evidence.'" Such was his manner that every one present appeared to think the point settled, and felt rather ashamed of ever having heard of Mr.
Peake or his unfortunate book.

Thereupon Mr.Plumer produced a volume of reports by which it appeared that the despised passage was taken word for word from one of Lord Mansfield's decisions.

The wretched Peake's character was rehabilitated, and Mr.Webster silenced.