The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-09-13 00:00:00

LANCASHIRE ASSIZES.

THE GREAT WILL CAUSE.—TATHAM V. WRIGHT.
This important case, involving the proprietorship of landed
estates to the value of nearly £7,000 per annum, has occupied
the attention of Mr. Justice Coleridge, and a special jury, for
nearly a fortnight.
On Monday Mr. Cresswell eloquently and powerfully ad-
dressed the jury for the plaintiff. It made a deep impression
on the auditors, and in several parts elicited the expression of
their applause; this, however, was checked, and very properly,
by the learned judge, whose impartiality has been the theme of
general approbation.
It has been the time occupied in this trial, (it coin-
.gust the 29th,) its duration has been considerably
a ged' by the admission on both sides, as evidence (where
the previous witnesses are deceased) of the verbatim report of
the trial in August, 1834, which has been published in two large
'octavo volumes. Mr. Alexander Fraser, of Clifford's Inn, the
accredited reporter, was examined early in the trial, as to the
authenticity of this, his report, and throughout the whole trial
these volumes have been in constant requisition, and the adop-
tion of the printed instead of written evidence has certainly
abridged the trial by two days.
On Wednesday, considerable interest was excited by the ap-
pearance in the witness box, of Wordsworth, the distinguished
poet. This " old man eloquent" had been subpoenaed to give
his opinion, as a gentleman in the habit of literary composition,
whether certain letters produced by the defendant, as written
by the late Mr. John Marsden, were his probable composition.
Mr. Wordsworth had brought all the powers of his analytical
mind to bear upon these letters, and his opinion was that they
furnished internal evidence that they did not all emanate from
the same mind, although they were all written by the same hand.
In this opinion Dr. Southey, (the poet laureate) and a Dr.
Mackenzie, decidedly agreed.
Sir F. Pollock argued that the evidence of literary men,
however eminent, was not admissible as mere matter of opinion,
as it was taking part of the province of the jury.
The Judge said that, if the plaintiff wished, he might have
this evidence ; but Mr. Cresswell said that his case was strong
enough without it, and he would not peril his client's rights by
evidence which might ultimately be objected to.
Mr. Wordsworth's examination, accordingly, was not pro-
ceeded with.

On the same day, the evidence of the Earl of Derby was
given : he was clearly of opinion that the testator was of weak
mind.

On Thursday, Dr. Lingard (the historian) was examined,
and he fully corroborated the opinions, from Marsden's letters,
formed by Mr. Wordsworth and the other literary gentlemen.
Dr. Lingard had known the late Mr. Marsden, and therefore,
as a witness to facts, his opinion on the mental capacity of the
deceased was admissible.
At noon, on Thursday, Sir F. Pollock commenced his reply
for the defendant. He spoke with ability, and with a consider-
able degree of warmth: the witnesses for the plaintiff were
pretty considerably scolded. Sir Frederick spoke for about six
hours, and the court adjourned at half-past six o'clock on
Thursday, with an imimation from the Judge that his summing
up. on Friday, would noLoccupy a very long time.
During the early part of the trial bets were freely taken of 2
to 1 in favour of the plaintiff; at the close of Sir F. Pollock's
defence they were 6 to 1.
Admiral 'Tatham, it is said, attained his 82d year on Satur-
day last.

Ladies Coleridge and Pollock, with their families, were in
court each day. "he trial was held in the Crown Court.
The plaintiff's case was finished on Thursday ; after which, on
the same day, Sir F. Pollock made his reply. Justice Cole-
ridge commenced summing up on Friday morning, and the
verdict was given for the plaintiff. We understand that some
points have been reserved, but whether they are likely to be of
so important a nature as to put the verdict now obtained in
jeopardy, we know not, but they are part and parcel of the
"glorious uncertainty."