The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-03 00:00:00

COURT OF DIVORCE.

Today Sir J. P. Wilde took his seat as Judge of the
Divorce and Probate Court.
Her Majesty's patent appointing his lordship Judge
of the Court, in place of Sir Cresswell Cresswell, deceased,
having been read,
The Queen's Advocate (Sir J. Phillimore) said they
missed the presence that day of one who had formerly pre-
sided over that court,—one who had so moulded and shaped
its proceedings that it had been enabled to deal with the
immense amount of business that had come before it.fLittle
did he think when he last had the honour of addressing Sir
Cresswell Cresswell, that that would be the last time it
would be his privilege to do so, and the loss the country
had sustained by his death was admitted by all. To his
constant exertion was to be attributed the immense amount
of business disposed of in that court, and he might truly
say his mind was ever active, ever untiring. Sir Cresswell
Cresswell was not a faultless judge, and he would have des-
pised the flatterer who told him that he was, but he
was an upwright and an honest one. With a memory
marvellously swift and retentive, a logical power of no
common order, a ready command of language, and a pro-
found knowledge of the common law of the country, he
had thoroughly mastered the difficulties of the position his
Sovereign had called upon him to perform. Notwithstand-
ing all those difficulties he so consolidated the functions of
the Court, that the experiment of its foundation was as
successful as the nature of the subject and the mode of trial
admitted. Just in his decision and impartial to all, he com-
pleted a title to their esteem and admiration, and had it been
ordained that he should have closed his life by a repose from
his unceasing labours, he would have well earned the
most unspeakable happiness ; but it was not so, and, like
a bold and honest man, he died at the post of duty. He had
deemed it not out of place to pay this tribute of respect to
one who had endeared himself to all—to one who had but
recently passed from amongst them, for truly of such
men as Sir Cresswell Cresswell it might be said their
virtues " blossom:in the dust." He would now turn to the
more agreeable duty, and that was to offer sincere gratifica-
tion to his lordship on his appointment, with the full as-
surance that with a wise, firm, and admirable administra-
tion of justice in that court, he would justify the wisdom of
Majesty in calling upon his lordship to preside over the
deliberations of that court.

Sir J. Wilde said he should have been sorry had the day
passed away without a tribute of regret for the great loss they
had sustained. He (Sir J. Wilde) met the bar that day for the
first time as judge of the court, and he could not conceal
from himself the difficulties of his position in comparison
with the brilliant career of his predecessor. Allusion had
been made to the immense amount of business that had been
transacted in that court, but what would have been his
position had not the greatest order prevailed. Fur his own
part, coming into a new country, his task would have been
hopeless. But, thanks to the admirable business arrange-
ments of his predecessor, roads had been made and land-
marks erected, so that, with the good opinion of the bar, he
felt hopeful, if not sanguine, that he should be able to
discharge the duties of his position, provided that good feel-
ing of courtesy and forbearance continued to exist between
the bench and the bar.