beautiful object, and since the days when John Westlock courted Tom Pinch's sister has become public property.

The Inner Temple new clock tower and clock are in keeping with the new hall and library, and are real additions to the many objects of interest to visitors to the Temple.

Every lawyer is anxious to know whether we are to have any sweeping changes in law or procedure during the forthcoming session. The High Court of Justice Bill of 1870 was for some reason or other omitted last year. We understand that it is to be reintroduced, and that it is not unlikely that the Commissioners may report in favour of a considerable extension of the jurisdiction of the County Courts, and in favour of an alteration in their status. If it is again brought forward some kind of organized action on the part of the profession would be desirable. There is a strong feeling among barristers, at least, that in the recent changes their interests have been altogether overlooked. Of course, where these interests conflict with those of the public it is right that they should go; but that the Bar should come to hold a lower position than it does would be a misfortune every way, and between the rigid exactions of Bar etiquette on one hand, and the extension of County Courts, the contemplated fusion of Common Law and Equity, and new changes on the other, there is a danger lest the Bar should seriously deteriorate. Why should not a committee of each Inn be formed to consider the proposed changes? The Law Amendment and the Juridical Societies too may possibly render useful service in forming themselves a general committee.

At the last moment we regret to hear that the differences of opinion among those who form the Judicature Commission are so great that it is not probable that any general measure, based on any report of theirs, will be introduced during the ensuing session.

The many solicitors and barristers who had the pleasure of knowing the late Edwin Field, will be glad to learn that a life of him is in course of preparation, and will soon be ready. We have, through the kindness of its author, been permitted to place before our readers in this number a sketch of the leading incidents in his life. He was a man of singular energy; not merely one of the very ablest of our solicitors, but a man of great versatility. He usually spent his vacation in sketching in water colours, and if he had not been one of the greatest lawyers in England, might have been one of the greatest painters. The present writer remembers well when he met Mr. Field for the first time. A committee had been sitting for nearly an hour, and with but very little result. Mr. Field entered, and in ten minutes he had shown every one the right thing to do, and the right way of doing it. On expressing afterwards, to one who knew him well, admiration at the clearness of insight and decision which Mr. Field had shown, it was mentioned that he was a descendant of Oliver Cromwell, and his friend added-"I never understood until I knew Field, how it was possible that Cromwell could have made himself Protector."

The site of the new Law Courts is now almost ready for building. The contract taken some months ago for the preparation

of the foundations is nearly completed. The houses and other property in St. Clement's Danes have nearly all been vacated. The Vestry, which received 10,000l. for its premises, including almshouses, and the old burial ground, has given up possession. These premises are to be taken down; the bodies in the churchyard to be removed under the faculty granted by the Bishop of London. The object of purchasing these buildings is rather for the sake of better. light and air, than for the enlargement of the plans, though the Daily News asserts that Mr. Street has a plan by which a block of buildings might be placed on that portion of the ground, and room be left at the east end for the grand clock tower, which the Government have struck out of the plans, in order that accommodation may be provided for the Lunacy Commissioners, but which the architect of course parts with reluctantly. By-the-bye, our readers must have observed a curious instance of parsimony in allowing the wretched barber's shop attached to Temple Bar to remain. By an accident it was omitted from the Bill authorizing the purchase of the site of the Courts, and, though it might be had now for a small sum, there seems some hesitation about its purchase. Possibly Mr. Ayrton intends to keep it as a monument to himself.

Sir Robert Collier's recent appointment to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was the subject of an animated discussion on Tuesday evening, the 23rd ultimo, at a meeting of the Union Society of London, which numbers some 150 members, principally of the legal profession, and holds its meetings at the rooms of the Social Science Association every Tuesday evening. The general opinion was very much that since expressed by Lord Hatherley, Audi alteram partem. The Law Amendment Society held a meeting on the 18th ultimo, under the presidency of Mr. Joshua Williams, Q.C., to hear a paper from Mr. Jacob Waley, Q.C., on "Suggestions for Facilitating the Transfer and Disposition of Land." The paper and the discussion which followed were full of practical suggestions, almost every speaker being an authority, and the concluding speech of the Chairman was admirable.

We regret to hear that Mr. Dickenson, Q.C., of the Chancery Bar, continues to be still very seriously ill. Sir William Jenner was called in on the 24th and the report then given was of a very alarming character. Since that day however some improvement has taken place. The absence of Mr. Dickenson is greatly felt in the Court of V. C. Wickens, where his practice is of the most extensive description.

We understand that Mr. De Longueville Giffard, one of the reporters to the Law Reports in the Court of V. C. Wickens, has received leave of absence for two years. His duties are discharged in the meanwhile by Mr. H. R. Young, reporter to the Law Journal in the same Court.

It appears that there is no arrear of cases in the Appeal Court in Chancery, but the very reverse is the case in some of the courts below. In the Court of V. C. Malins there is a heavy arrear. The Vice-Chancellor has been sitting de die in diem for many days past to hear nothing but motions; and only succeeded at last in closing the

Seal at five o'clock on Wednesday evening, the 24th, the next Seal commencing at ten o'clock the next morning. His Honour has said that whenever the motions shall be finished, he proposes to sit in the same manner de die in diem to hear adjourned summonses. As these are numerous, there appears little chance of many causes being heard in this branch of the Court for some time.

The reprieve of Miss Edmunds has led again to the public discus sion of the question of how far insanity is an excuse for the commission of a capital offence. A good deal of confusion arises in the public mind from the non-recognition of the fact that legal insanity is one thing, what the mad doctors and the public understand by the term insanity another. The points to be determined by a court are, Did the prisoner know whether he was doing that which would bring him under the sanction of the law, and was the evidence tendered sufficient legal evidence of insanity? In this case, the legal evidence was insufficient. But there seems to have been abundance of moral evidence to raise a presumption in favour of her insanity, and unless we are prepared to adopt Whateley's view, and make no exception in favour of the insane, no one can regret the decision at which Mr Bruce has arrived.

One Mr. Jarvis, residing at Walthamstow, has had to pay 51. and costs under sentence from the Ilford Petty Sessions for having used armorial bearings without a licence. The facts are so curious, that at the risk of wearying our readers with a thrice-told tale, we must repeat them. The defendant is a clerk in the City. Having to write to the Commissioners of Taxes appealing against their assessment he found himself without an envelope. He stepped across the street to the office of a solicitor and borrowed two. These he used without observing, as he alleges, that they had a crest on them. The chairman admitted to the full the hardship of the case, reduced the fine to the lowest in his power to inflict, and wished it to be represented to the Commissioners that the magistrates believed the defendant had no intention to evade the law, with a view to a further mitigation of the penalty. But surely the magistrates were not bound to convict. The use of crests for which duty has to be paid is not of this casua kind. Does any one suppose that it was ever intended, for example, that a visitor in the house of a friend by using his paper should be liable to the duty? And yet this would be a more glaring case than the one punished. As well might a man be fined for taking his friend's dog with him for which his master only had a licence; or for using his carriage for an evening. Or supposing Brown borrows a dozen forks with Jones's crest on them, is Brown liable? It may be said, no doubt, that in these cases the ownership does not pass, but this does not affect the argument, for the question is one of use, not of property. At the last moment we are glad to learn that the Commissioners have remitted the whole of the fine.

We have received a letter from Mr. Charley, M.P., calling attention to what he regards as the existing unsatisfactory state of the legal profession. The rest of the letter speaks for itself:-" Public opinion needs to be enlightened upon the subject, and, with that view, organization is requisite. I shall be happy to receive the

names of any of your readers, who may feel disposed to assist in forming a Legal Practitioners Society,' for the following (amongst other) objects:-(1.) To revise the rules of the legal profession, and reduce them to a written code. (2.) To readjust the relations of the existing branches of the legal profession. (3.) To place the government of the legal profession on a sound representative basis. (4.) To secure the legal profession against the depredations of unscrupulous, non professional persons. I have already received letters from members of both branches of the profession expressing approval of this movement."

If anything were wanting to urge on the construction of the new law courts, it might be found in the complaints which are continually arising as to the accommodation and ventilation of the existing courts of the metropolis. As a rule, the courts in the country are far superior. Manchester, Leeds, and York, are conspicuous examples. Compare these which are used during only a few days in the year with the courts at Westminster, or with such wretched places as those at Kingston, and we see at once how far London is behind. The crowds who are attending at the Tichborne trial may amuse themselves by asking whether they believe it possible that any other country in the world would permit one of its highest courts to be lodged even temporarily in such a place. A few days ago, the Bench, the Bar, and the reporters, at the Court of Queen's Bench, joined in complaining of the ventilation of that Court. Mr. Manisty, having to apologize for the loss of his voice through a severe cold caught in the Court, Mr. Justice Blackburn wished that matters might be arranged so as to give the Bench a little of the air of which the Bar appeared to have too much.

We are informed that an effort will be made in the ensuing session to alter the law, so far as the actual owners of mines are concerned, in two points of special interest to Common Law lawyers. The first relates to the liability of the master when an injury is caused to his servant by the act of a fellow servant. As our readers know, a series of decisions during the last few years have held that the negligence or other tortious act of his fellow servant will exempt the masters from liability, and this, even though the master may himself have contributed to the injury. Thus, for example, if a man is killed through an explosion caused by the carelessness of his fellow servant, the sufferer's family have no redress even though the owner has neglected precautions prescribed by law for keeping the mine well-ventilated. The second point relates to contributory negligence. A man, for example, partly by his own negligence, suffers injury. The injury, however, notwithstanding this negligence, would not have happened but for an illegal omission or act of the master. compensation can be claimed by him, or in case of his death, by his relations under Campbell's Act. In both these cases it is sought to change the law rather with a view to making masters take proper precautions than out of sympathy with the sufferers. In both cases, where the master has violated the law he ought, as it seems to us, to be liable.

No

The Royal Commissioners of Victoria, concerning the establish

ment of a Court of Appeal for the Australian Colonies, have reported in favour of the constitution of such a court. They deal with the objection that it is not competent for a colony to establish a Court of Appeal which may exclude the appeal at Common Law to the Queen in Council. Of course not; but Parliament might doubtless remove this obstacle. The suggestion that England would view any attempt in that direction with great jealousy has more in it. There is a strong feeling here that cases may occasionally happen, when, in the interests of the colonies themselves, it is important that there should be an appeal from local jealousies to a court free from them. We ourselves look also to the establishment of a High Court of Appeal for the whole empire as the means of keeping or of obtaining a uniformity of law throughout the empire, and therefore as forming one of the links which is to bind the empire together. Just as our highest court would probably hold that no local legislature has power to deny a man his right to a Habeas Corpus, so they and the country with them will refuse to prevent appeal unto Caesar's court from the caste prejudices, the narrownesses and provincialisms invariably found in communities so small as our colonies. We may hold all this and still not fail to recognize that the cost and delay occasioned by appeals to the Privy Council are a great evil, and that some form of Court of Appeal for the Australian colonies is necessary and desirable-desirable because judges conversant with colonial life, manners, and laws, will be at hand to preside over it, and necessary, in order to prevent the decisions of the courts of separate colonies being at variance. A Court of Appeal for Australia is good for the latter object; a supreme Court of Appeal for the empire, for the same reason, is good for the empire.

The doors of the Bankruptcy Court at Birmingham were lately closed for the last time against the transaction of further business under the provisions of the Act of 1869. Since the 1st of January, 1870, when the Act came into operation, after which time no new business could be entered, the officials have been busily engaged winding up the estates, about a thousand having remained open at the time of closing, of which a remnant of about seventy cases has been transferred by order of the Lord Chancellor to the County Court of the district. Another monument of our late bankruptcy system is hereby demolished.

Custom has a great deal to do with Common Law rights. So think the judges of the Royal Court of Jersey, who have recently been called upon to adjudicate in a suit brought by an hotel-keeper for the payment of the cost, in the last six years, of their own dinners had on the occasion of the opening of the Assizes. It had been the custom for a couple of centuries at least to feast the judges on this auspicious occasion, and it was maintained as a right that the Crown owed to the judges for their services, while on the other hand the Lords of Her Majesty's Treasury, with equal force, urged that the Crown was not legally liable for the dinners, and that simply as an act of courtesy the practice had been permitted for a long period, and could therefore be withdrawn at pleasure. Of course the judges were not of this opinion, and finally decreed against the Crown, an appeal to her Majesty in Council being entered by the Attorney-General.

The Right Hon. Sir Robert P. Collier, the newly-appointed member of the Judicial Committee, has been entertained by his former colleagues at the Common Law Bar at a dinner given at Willis's Roms. Sir John D.