Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-09-09
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NEW LEGAL Pl-RI


troductory to its Study. By Rc,ber, Broons. IpLs.
dsipAja: T. d. J. W Johnson, Lac Booksellers 4,t
Publishers, 1856. From A. Norris, Richn0nl, r.
Mr.. Broom ID not unknown to the legal p-olrss,on
He is the author of an excellent treatise on lhs
.Ma1ms Of the Law" which has made biz name IA.
niliar Us "household words" both in England and IL
this country. The day is far distant this earliest
effort of his learning and legal aceumeu will be for
gotten We remember, even now, with what profit
read, several ye":, since his lucid exposoI- IT
what then termed the barbsrous maxims "i t's
law, and with how much felicity he ILLUSTRATED and
defended and enforced them. This fact. probably
occasoned the peculiar qualification We expereucsi
when We saw this new treatise from his pen.
In the present work, Mr.. Broom has endeavored 10
lay. il possible still broader and deeper the iouniN.
tiuns of lasting reputation rs II legal writer. Hav
ing been engaged, for several years, in the delivery
Of Lectures upon the leading branches aud depart
ments OF the English Common Law, he has been
guided in part by the experience he has thu &C.
quired, and in part by examination of standard
treatses in the selection Of the topics he has discussed
in this volume. In his own language, "wtio thu,
engaged in tracing out the principles and indicating
the practice of our Common Law, my attention ra=
terest nperativey needing elucida;on, which had
previously escaped my notice On all such point
which, as they presented themselves tic.n time
to time scrupulously noted down, have e:;;mptei
more or less fully to throw light" In work grow.
ing up thus, under the hand of adept with the ca.
pacity perceive what his students needed, and the
industry and ability to satisfy them, should expect
to find the subject treated not only with ulInrss hut
with treshness and varety-trnits not very usual IN
the later productions Of the legal press. Nor will
such an expectation be disappointed. The arrauGs'
ment and the mode in which the several subjects eln
braced in this volume treated, exhibit just these
characteristic marks.
The author designed this work chiefly for students.
and for unproessonal gentlemen, who, though not
| having the bar in view would yet know something
| of the laws under which they live The experienced
practitioner, aso will not find his time msspent 10
consulting these pages. The range Of subjects dis
cussed-- the late date to which the citation OF "U-
thorities extenda-rhe multitude and variety Of these
authorities American as well as English, cied-wil
render it Of practical utility and benefit TO all In
deed in the latter particular, the citation of apt all
thores, do not remember to have seen any ele-
mentary treatise more completely studded with them
than this, Yet, with all this there seems to be nn
interruption in thought, abrupt disconnection or
separation between the subjects; but they glide in'n
each other with the facility aud luency disn
guishingy characteristic of the style Of tho great
Chancellor of New York in his commentaries.
This treatise has four books the first treating Of
Legal Rights and Remedies-the second Of Contracts
embracing contracts generally, discussion of con-
tracts under the statute of frauds negotiable insirH
| tha ayidanca 0f 10 plDiIiu
written contracts the capacity to contrac. and bow It
NAV be effected and of the Of damages in 40
lions ,I coairactu. The third book treats OF Torts
and the fourth Of Criminal Law. The last named
, will be comparatively OF little utility here. Ona
omission the author has designedly made. He fails
TO discuss the Law of Landlord aud Tensnt-rrIer-
ring those who desire to be enlightened in regard 10
the rights of landlords and tenants to Mr. j. W.
Smiths recent excellent treatise on that sutl' CT
IIhis work of Mr. Smith has been recently rtpubslri
by the Messrs johnson of Philadelphia, and d"srrv-s
richly the profuse commentators iavIshed Ipoh IL
We commend to the careful study al the student
the first second third aud fifth chapters OF IN" ulst
book and the whole of the second aud third books.
These portions of the volumes conhin law, IN ch!r'
part, applicable III this country ahd th'y e'h"!"'"
inportan, information which cannot elsewhere y"
secured in 81 brief a compass Other parts oi III"
. work the more curious may consult.
A TREATISE oS THE Law OF BILLS OF EXCHANGE.
PRoMIssoRY NorE-, BANK NOTES, BA>KEn.
C,sH.NorEs ASD CHEcxs.-By John Barnard
Byies, Sergeant at Lau, ruth 4 Patem ct Prer''
, dencc. Fourth American, Jrom The StE'A L0Hf''
Edition, rih additional notes, WHstrotinz tie L"h"
and Practice IN this country. By lion. Ge0'E'
e Shaisteood. Philadelphia: I. y j. ~. JohH'o@
g. Co.. 1856. From 4. Morris, R"hmo"d' ia.
We heard, few days ago, OF q venerable ani '!''
tpguished merchant of this city, who nsd, tor many
years been dyent student of mercantile law and had
read every work connected with that subject puo'''"
in this country. We mention the fact that 1t may
stimulate others to follow example so worthy oi
. imitation. Had we the pleasure ot a personal &c
ouaiptupce with the gentleman TO whom we aiuds
we should not hesitate to refer him to this latest td
i ,op of Byles on Bills Of Exchange, as embodyIns
i mors useful law ON the interesting and important sub
;c,s il treats Of than any other work we have vel
seen This work Of Byles began Its career soIne ~
wars back as an unpretendIng volume relying Ia ''
writer then thought) upon its dnnutlve proportions
and careful separating o the wheat from the c'"i '"'
its success. The treatise of Mr. Chty and Tue s"'h-
mary Of Nr. Justice Bayley had preceded ~ a"h
were then in the hands of the profession, the o"g
standard authorities upon the subject MIR. Ch''y
hook was "laborious and full collection "t aiIn':'
all the authorities" "but the size Of the book wh@ an
objection with many, and cloId Of authorities VIII
sometimes obscure the most luminous arrangement
3 MFR. Justice Bsyley's Summary was con''d'F'''
su,bority and was written with the greatest c.r'
cumspection-but it was then ou' OF pi."t
and the latest edition years o'c' ihr'e
were ,be reason, which first prompted th:
nnbicstiop Of this work. Though its proportions
have been increasing with every ne" edn''n snc7
pub.hed, and may now claim to stand side oy s'oe
with the treatses Of Ch;ty sGd Story and hoSs' ana
NAV NOT ON that account, assert the same Claim 70
dist;nctop With which it started, Il yet re,a'I' Il;
r biob rank among the standard authorities anu 's
onsulted and referred to frequently. as any Other
: by both bench and bar.
AS On evidence Of lis popularity, second Ameri-
csn edition was pu forth by the present publishers
in l8IS AZ par, of their Law Library. Since that
n.rvd that edition. and the third, have beeu exhaust
. and we have just eight years afterwards,
American edition published, with nuaerous ADDITION
al notes and references, bringing the work down 70
Judge Shaiswo wood's additions to The volume n"'
merous and valuable They contain the greater p"ft
OF the American law the subject. O"e only iao,i
we discover in hem-and It Is n ault wh:h "" Sii'uu
like 10 see corrected Authorities are manly clfec ioh
the reports of ali the Northern States "hIe lew;
and bp: few Of the reports of the South are referred
to, and these mere Incidentally If No''hrrn aHno
| rsfors and compiers would pay more afienioh o 'e
t w eJ 80 - ar, bo,ks their lstors would ." :nn.S
n~ sGeS siRay Appreciated ss "uh than
are. As it ID, however, this ~o'S u in"I All
usbe publication and every .Tye, snsu .ucsn, snf
himself Of its assistance. lne at'e page
discoses its contents.