An Essay on Professional Ethics Second Edition

About this book

George Sharswood’s An Essay on Professional Ethics (Second Edition, 1860) is a scholarly treatise that grew out of a series of lectures delivered to the University of Pennsylvania Law Class in the mid‑1850s. The work opens with a Latin‑tinged preface that frames the lawyer’s role as a bridge between legislation, “the making of law”, and jurisprudence, “the science of what the law is.” Sharswood proceeds to argue that the dignity of the legal profession rests on its influence over both the creation and interpretation of statutes, invoking theological and philosophical analogies to underscore the moral weight of legislative power. The introductory material, complete with a dedication to his mentor Joseph R. Ingersoll, sets a tone of earnest reflection on the responsibilities of lawyers to society, while the subsequent sections develop a systematic discussion of legislative purpose, the limits of governmental authority, and the ethical foundations of private property.

The essay is written in the formal, rhetorical style typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century American legal scholarship, replete with classical references and dense, clause‑laden sentences. Its voice is that of a seasoned jurist addressing aspiring attorneys, blending moral philosophy with practical counsel. Readers who appreciate historical perspectives on legal theory, law students interested in the evolution of professional ethics, or scholars of American legal history will find Sharswood’s measured arguments and rich prose both illuminating and intellectually rewarding.