The Press.
London, England, 1854-03-04 00:00:00

STUDY OF LXW AND JURISPRUDENCE.

An address to the Crown praying for a commission
to inquire into the arrangements now existing in the
inns of court for " promoting the study of law and
jurisprudence, the revenues properly applicable
thereto, the means most likely to secure a systematic
and sound education for students of law, and to
provide satisfactory tests of fitness for admission to
the bar," was moved on Wednesday by Mr. NAPIER.
The right lion. and learned member supported his
motion by a multitude of arguments and statements
showing alike the use and the want of sound legal
instruction in the English inns of court, and cited
the example set in various continental countries to
corroborate his conclusions. The importance of
securing a sound legal education for banisters
became more obvious when it was recollected that
they were called upon to fill situations of the highest
responsibility :

" Ile saw around him a number of gentlemen eminent
in their profession, and whose learning entitled them to
the high position which they had attained to, but their
legal acquirements were not the result but rather in spite
of the present system of legal education. When he came
over to London to eat his dinners for the Irish bar he
consulted a very learned member of that bar what course
of reading he would advise him to pursue. He replied
that if the Irish bar were his object he should read him-
self up in' Joe Miller,' for he would get more business by
cracking jokes than by the most profound knowledge of
his profession. The system of education was not calculated
to raise the profession in public estimation, and some
alteration should be made in the proceedings of the inns
of court, which were in fact trustees for the public that
barristers should be well educated. They were somewhat
in the light of universities for the study of the law, and it
would be for the benefit of the public that they should act
up to the spirit of that trust. The universities had
recently adopted very considerable reforms, and the inns
of court ought not to be behind the spirit of the age.
Voluntary lectures would be by no means sufficient,
unless accompanied by periodical examinations. He
thought the appointment of a commission of enlightened
and learned men would be likely to adopt a sound system
of legal education."
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL gave a cordial assent to
the proposition, observing, however, that he did not
enterta►n so much hope of benefit from the inquiries
which the commissioners would he authorised to
make, because much had been already done in the
same direction. The inns of court would, he was
informed, afford every assistan'e in the proposed in-
vestigation.
Mr. B. PHILLIMORE considered the commission
likely to prove most useful.
The SOLICITOR •GENERAL coincided in that view,
regretting only that the terms of the motion were
not more comprehensive. The ideal of utility which
he wished to see realised was to convert the inns of
court into a great legal university, co-operating with
the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and London,
and affording education not merely to members of, or
aspirants to, the legal profession, but to the public at
lare.
Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Scully, Mr. Hadfield, and Mr.
Craufurd having spoken, the:motion was agreed to.