[11]
For the opposing
counsel have a way of making a witness lose his head
or of leading him into some trap; and once a witness
trips, he does more harm to his own side than he
would have done good, had he retained his composure
and presence of mind. The advocate must therefore
put his witnesses through their paces thoroughly
in private before they appear in court and must
test them by a variety of questions such as may
well be put to them by his opponent. The result
will be that they will not contradict themselves
or, if they do make some slip, can be set upon
their feet again by a timely question from the advocate who produces them.
Quintilian. With An English Translation. Harold Edgeworth Butler. Cambridge. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1921.
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