A client of his, having put some buildings on a piece of ground that did not belong to him, had been suddenly and most irritatingly warned to take them off again. After carefully going into the facts, however, Soames had seen his way to advise that his client had what was known as a title by possession, and that, though undoubtedly the ground did not belong to him, he was entitled to keep it, and had better do so; and he was now following up this advice by taking steps to⁠—as the sailors say⁠—“make it so.”

He had a distinct reputation for sound advice; people saying of him: “Go to young Forsyte⁠—a long-headed fellow!” and he prized this reputation highly.