The Wit and wisdom of the Bench and Bar

.......................................................................................................................................
Description
These pages do not profess to be a complete record of the jokes or humorous anecdotes connected with the English Bench and Bar. They are confined to those which appear to contain some of the elements of Wit and Wisdom, and rather to such incidents as are at once witty and wise than to those which come under only one of these heads. The field is immensely wide, and it is by no means easy in so small a compass to do anything like justice to it; for where there is so much which is admirable, the task of selection is a difficult one. On the other hand, it is not pretended that anything like a comprehensive outline of the subject is laid before the reader. Certain divisions have been selected, and under them there have been arranged what cannot be called more than specimens of the wealth of material which the diligent student of legal and judicial history can find in more extensive works.
........................................................................................................................................
Contents
Chapter I - Introductory
Wit and Wisdom-Their Connection-Difficulty of Perpetuating-Wit and Law-Wit comes in Speaking-
Discouragements to Wit-Nationality of Wit and Wisdom-Instances of Folly and Baseness in English Lawyers.
Chapter II - Judicature
The Popularity of Judges-Their Divine Authority-Rules for Judicial Conduct-Knowledge of Law-Fresh Justice-
Cheap Justice - Law and Equity - Precedent and Principle-Reasons
Chapter III - Judicature (continued)
The Corrupt Judge: Bacon-The Incorruptible Judge: More, Hale, Eldon-The Independent Judge: Coke, Sir W.
Jones, Holt, Thurlow
Chapter IV. - Judicature (continued)
The Magistrate-Jeffreys, Holt, Bacon, Thurlow, Lord Mansfield-Hanging Judges
Chapter V - Legal and Judicial Wisdom
Reporters-Lawyers in Parliament-Judicial Instinct
Chapter VI - Legal and Judicial Wisdom (continued)
Slavery-Torture-Witchcraft-Duelling-Oaths-Religious Toleration-Marriage-The Liberty of the Press-Cock-
fighting-Cruelty to Animals
Chapter VII - Advocacy
Rhetoric and Unjust Causes-Nonsense-Hostile and Unwilling Audiences-Bacon a Perfect Speaker-Trickery-
"Taking by Admittance"-Independence Anto
Chapter VIII - Advocacy (continued)
Persuasion-External Appearance-New Audiences-Murray's Statement-Great Words - Interrogation - Invective-
Well-imagined Nonsense-Irony-Quotation-Retort-Pure Eloquence-Peroration
Chapter IX - Amenities
Of Counsel-Of the Bench-Of the Bench and Bar-Of the Bench and the Public
........................................................................................................................................
Author Details
Hon. F.C. Moncreiff, of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-Law