text:  He spoke with an air of unusual decision and entirely _extempore_ without the assistance of a single memorandum or note or law-book: yet the greater portion of his speech consisted of very masterly comments on a great number of cases which had been cited in doing which he was as familiar and exactly accurate in stating not only the principles and distinctions involved but the minutest circumstances connected with them as if the cases had been lying open before him! His very first sentence put an end to all doubt as to the conclusion at which _he_ had arrived