working of the law-the actual operation of those great principles which so often become the subjects of parliamentary discussion? Could a twelvemonth thus spent have been better spent?

The young legislator will see, in a lawyer's chambers, the noble system of our Constitution in all its vast, intricate, and "perfect working;" coming home to the business and bosom of every individual,—regulating all the transactions of society," the very least as feeling her care, the greatest as not exempted from her power." Our physicians dare not attempt to administer the simplest physic, our surgeons to perform the commonest operations on the human body, without having first learned the difference between diseased and healthy structure and function-without having seen and studied all its inward parts, devoting to the most secret and minute, their profoundest attention; but our state physicians will administer the most potent medicines, our state surgeons perform the most capital operations, without having even affected to learn the plainest principles of state medicine, pathology, or surgery, or devoted a single moment to dissection! What, then, can they be, in plain terms, but most impudent and presumptuous quacks? And what is to become

of the state patient? *

* Long after this paragraph had been written, the author happened to meet with the following passage in the writings of Lord Bacon :—

"And for matter of policy or government, that learning should rather hurt than enable thereunto, is a thing very improbable: we see it is accounted an error to commit a natural body to empiric physicians, which commonly have a few pleasing receipts, whereupon they are confident and adventurous, but know neither the causes of diseases, nor the complexions of patients, nor peril of accidents, nor the true method of cures ; we see it is a like error to rely upon advocates or lawyers, which are only men of practice, and not grounded in their books; who are many times easily surprised when matter

Well, indeed, would it be a cheering and noble spectacle to the people of this kingdom-if not only our hereditary legislators, but all who are members of, or likely to obtain seats in, parliament, would set themselves more earnestly about acquiring a practical insight into the working of our laws. It is sought not to make them lawyers to weary and disgust them with details—though it would be well for them, even in these matters, to know, if not the law, at least where it is to be found; but call upon them to cultivate an early and enlightened acquaintance with that constitution of which they are the natural guardians, and whose provisions they will be so soon called upon to administer.

To the Justice of the Peace a much more accurate knowledge of legal principles and practice is manifestly indispensable. To him it is not so much a credit to know the law, as a high disgrace to be ignorant of it. How can he administer, who does not understand, the law?—called upon, too, as he frequently is, to decide very difficult questions promptly! An ignorant, can scarcely fail of being an unjust judge; and unless the magistrate be well grounded in the principles of law-especially of evidence, as well as moderately skilled in applying them, he must reckon on being often placed in the most mortifying position;-on being puzzled and ridiculed by an impudent pettifogger, and set at defiance even by a criminal.

A sound legal education is almost indispensable, indeed,

falleth out besides their experience, to the prejudice of the cause they handle: so, by like reason, it cannot be but a matter of doubtful consequence, if states be managed by empiric statesmen, not well mingled with men grounded in learning. But contrariwise it is almost without instance contradictory, that ever any government was disastrous that was in the hands of learned governors."—Advancement of Learning-Works, vol. ii. pp. 16, 17.

to magistrates, whose jurisdiction has, in late years, been extended so very far beyond the bounds originally assigned to it, and adhered to for centuries. They have now to decide on a great number of facts, civil as well as criminal, which must formerly have been decided before a jury, and in a superior court. They are now, in almost all cases, unconnected with contract (and even in many matters of contract, viz., between masters and their apprentices and servants in particular trades, members of Friendly Societies, fixing the amount of salvage, &c.), clothed with power to hear and determine-combining in themselves the several powers of a judge, a jury, and a court of equity and the manner in which their arduous duties are discharged, is watched by the public with unfaltering vigilance-supplying a powerful stimulus to a zealous and able exercise of their important functions.

Let, then, the distinguished individuals of whom we have been speaking, enter our profession, with cheerful resolution to undergo its honourable discipline. They will find it not only the true and only source of constitutional learning, but the finest school for talent, perhaps, in the world. Infinite pride, conceit, and pedantry, are rubbed off in a single month's friction of its fearless rivalry; and a volatile temper may have here its best, and perhaps latest chance of being sobered and settled into business habits. "Goe now, yee worldlings," says old Bishop Hall, "and insult over our palenesse, our needinesse, our neglect. Yee could not be so jocund, if you were not ignorant; if you did not want knowledge, you could not overlooke him that hath it: for me, I am so farre from emulating you, that I professe I had as leive be a bruit beast as an ignorant rich man. How is it, then, that

those gallants which have privilege of bloud and birth, and better education, doe so scornfully turne off these most manly, reasonable, noble exercises of scholarship? An hawke becomes their fist better than a booke: no dog but is a better companion."*

The profession, it is repeated, opens wide its arms to receive the visiters of whom we have been speaking; but reasonably, confidently, expects them, in return, to exalt it in public estimation, not by the bare fact of their having belonged to it, but by exhibiting proofs of the high culture they have received,—of their having left it wiser and better men than they had entered it. Should, however, any aristocratic idler now enter our profession, with a view of finding thereby only a ready access to place and sinecure, we may pretty confidently assure him that he will find himself mistaken.

The time for this sort of speculation is gone by. Whatever disposition may have existed at any time, to create and dispense such patronage as is sought for by these gentry, the vigilance of the Bar, and fearless surveillance of the press, render success in such attempts a task of daily increasing difficulty. Legal office, of any kind, can now be rarely obtained, or at least kept, by any one who is not able personally to discharge its duties; and in order to do so, the candidate must

"Doff his sparkling cloak, and fall to work,

With peasant heart and arm,"

must forget, for a while, splendid connections, fastidious tastes, and fashionable life, and enter himself in the number of those who constitute our third class. Nor let him fancy that in doing this, he is "condescending to

* Epist. to Mr. Matt. Milward.

men of low estate." No, indeed, he is entering a stern republic in coming to the Bar. Nothing will suffer, in its perpetual collisions, but that preposterously shortsighted pride that leprosy of "exclusiveness," which blights like a disease some of the inferior and more recent members of the aristocracy; as the hem of a splendid garment is generally the part most liable to be tarnished and defiled! No magnificent airs of puppyism and presumption will be tolerated at the Bar; in vain are their half-closed eye and curled-up lip brought into play; they are laughed at, and their luckless absurd exhibitant unceremoniously thrust aside! "I confesse I cannot honour blood without good qualities; nor spare it with ill," quoth the same stern old bishop already quoted. "There is nothing that I more desire to be taught, than what is TRUE NOBILITY: what thanke is it to you that you are born well? If you could have lost this privilege of nature, I feare you had not been thus farre noble: that you may not plead desert, you had this before you were; long ere you could either know or prevent it; you are deceived if you think this any other than the body of gentility: the life and soule of it is, in noble and vertuous disposition, in gallantnesse of spirit without haughtinesse, without insolence, without scorneful overlinesse: shortly, in generous qualities, carriage, actions. See your error, and know that this demeanour doth not answer an honest birth." *

III. The third class, and for whose use this volume is chiefly designed, comprises all those who come to the Bar in search at once of a livelihood, and of distinction; and this class it will be necessary to subdivide.

* Ep. vi.—“ A Complaint of the Mis-education of our Gentry.”