on every word, and framing every section into a diagram; abstaining altogether from the commentary, but perusing "Gilbert's Tenures."-After this, he should peruse "Sir Martin Wright's

Tenures, and Mr. Watkins's Treatise on De"scents ;" and then give Littleton's Tenures a second perusal. After this second perusal of the text, he should peruse it a third time, with "the Com"mentary of Lord Coke," and afterwards peruse

Sheppard's Touchstone," in Mr. Preston's invaluable edition of that work. The Reminiscent presumes to suggest, that the student may then usefully peruse" the notes on feuds, on uses, and on "trusts," in the last edition of Coke upon Littleton; and then read Littleton and Coke, and the notes of the last editors.

The Reminiscent may appear to recommend too much attention to Littleton and Coke: but he never yet has met with a person, thoroughly conversant in the law of real property, who did not think with him,—that he is the best lawyer, and will succeed best in his profession, who best understands Coke upon Littleton. Against one error, he begs leave particularly to caution the student :-not to suspect, for a moment, that, because he himself does not see the utility of what he reads in this work, or the application of the part of it which he is reading, to any practical purpose, it is therefore useless. There is not in the whole of the golden book, a single line, which the student will not, in his professional career, find, on more than one occasion, eminently useful.

Being thus saturated with the venerable black letter, he should peruse, but with the most profound attention," Mr. Saunders's Treatise on Uses and "Trusts, and Mr. Preston's Treatises on Fines and "Recoveries," and then proceed to " Mr. Fearne's "Essay on Contingent Remainders, and Mr. Sug"den's on Powers."-After this, he should read for law," Plowden's Commentaries;" for equity, the article "Chancery, in Comyns's Abridgment;" comparing it throughout with "Mr. Peere Wil"liams's Reports," in Mr. Cox's edition, and reading all the cases to which these refer.-His own experience and feelings will then direct his future studies.

But, in the outset of his study, he should place himself with some professional gentleman engaged in drawing conveyances or forensic proceedings; and, as far as it is compatible with this engagement, should attend the courts of justice.

The whole course of study suggested by the Reminiscent may be achieved in four years, if they are employed in the manner described in the wellknown verses of lord Coke,

Sex horas somno, totidem des legibus æquis,
Quatuor orabis, des epulisque duas;

Quod superest, sacris ultro largire camœnis *.

* When the jesuits settled the plan of education to be observed in the Collège de Clermont, the physicians were consulted on the portion of time, which the students should be allowed for sleep; they declared that five hours were a sufficient, six an abundant allowance, and seven as much as a youthful constitution would bear without injury.

The

If the student cannot bestow the whole of this period on legal reading, he should peruse " Mr. "Cruise's Digest," an able abridgment, but not without original matter, of the most useful parts of all the works, which we have recommended to the student's perusal.

It remains for the Reminiscent to enter his protest against the general opinion, that the law is a dry and unpleasant study: such, he never found it, and such, he believes, it has never been found by any person, who has applied himself to it with sufficient natural and acquired endowments and a determined resolution not to be disheartened by its first difficulties.

"I am not afraid to affirm," says Cicero, with honest or affected prejudice, "that the brief compositions of the Decemvirs surpass in genuine

The college falling into decay, it was re-edified by Louis the fourteenth, and received the appellation of the Collège de Louis le Grand. Upon this occasion, a poetical exercise alluding to it was required from the students.--The city of Nola had recently given them the Collegio del Arco, and they were in possession of the Collège de la Flêche, in France. Alluding to these, a saucy boy wrote the following verses, and the professor good humouredly assigned him the prize :

"Arcum Nola dedit patribus, dedit alma Sagittam
"Gallia,-quis FUNEM quam meruêre, dabit."

The saucy boy was afterwards the cardinal de Polignac.

It is observable that lord Coke, by his verses in the text, recommends to his students, just twice as much time for prayer, and twice as much for their meals, as the jesuits prescribed to their students.

"value, the libraries of Grecian philosophers." Gray, with more moderation and justness, says in one of his letters to Mr. West, "Laws have been "the result of long deliberation; and that, not of "dull men, but the contrary; and have so close a connection with history, nay with philosophy "itself, that they must partake of what they are "related to, so nearly*."

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• How greatly is it to be lamented, that a person with the mind of Gray, and his talents for composition, both in poetry and prose, should have consumed so much of his time in framing tables of botany and chronology!

F

iv.

THE REMINISCENT'S ESSAY ON HOUSES OF INDUSTRY

-MR. PITT'S BILL FOR THE RELIEF OF THE POOR.

THE Reminiscent must now introduce himself to his readers.

He first appeared before the public, in an anonymous Essay on Houses of Industry,—one of the many well-meant, but unavailing attempts, which were made during the last century, to ameliorate the condition of the poor. The county of Norfolk, which had been long split into a court and a country party, was divided in opinion on the probable utility of the scheme. It was advocated by the former, and a difference of sentiment prevailed among the latter. Sir Harbord Harbord, afterwards advanced to a peerage under the title of Baron Suffield, and Mr. Chad, afterwards created a baronet,--the friend of the Reminiscent through life,--opposed it: Mr. Potter, the translator of Eschylus, wrote a pamphlet in recommendation of it; to this, the Reminiscent, at the request of Sir Harbord Harbord and Mr. Chad, replied by the essay, which he has mentioned. It had some circulation in the county, but very little beyond it. The writer has not seen it within the last forty years, and has even forgotten its title. He thinks it was published in 1773.