He dressed informally and quietly, but his appearance was striking. His lean, ascetic face, shock of white hair falling across his fine, high brow, his dark eyes, and strong jutting jaw drew attention in any gathering. His writings were clear and forceful. His law professor at Columbia University said of him: "He writes the most powerful English since Alexander Hamilton."
Justice Cardozo had an amazing memory and a genius for seizing upon essentials, no matter how involved and obscure, and propounding them in brilliant,' fluid and lucid language. He had an obsession for being exact.
Few men in public life had more warm, personal friends. He had the knack of making and holding friends. Until her death a few years ago, he lived with his sister, Nellie Cardozo.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.