Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-09-05
THE ENGLISH BAR.
How student Dives his way into it,
London Cor. Boston Transcript.

as they are called These inns are four in
number-the Inner Temple, the Middle .
Temple, Lncolns Inn and Gray's Inn By
far the most famous of these are the Inner
and Middle Temple, in Fleet street, not
far from Chancery lane The Temple, as
it is called belongs to the corporations of I.
the Inner and Middle Temple to-
gethcr. and originally consisted of three
parasitic Inner and Outer Temple, and
the Middle Temple, between the two;
but the Outer Temple was taken down
long ago, leaving the names of the
other two The title of Temple is derived
from the fact that il was originally lodge
of the Knights Tempars, military
order founded in Jerusalem in the
twelfth century, at the time of the
crusadeS to protect the holy scpulcher
from violence and called Templars
because belonging to the Temple of Sol
mon. When this order dissolved in 1913,
the Temple became the property of the
Crown, and after passing through several
hands, was finally leased in the same
century as school of law. and Il school
of law il has rcma incd for over five cen
turtles. And in this long process of time
it has accumulated enormous revenues,
and is now Il very wealthy organization.
These inns of court are very DELIGHTFULLY."-
situated in the city. In the midst OF the
hustle and turmoil of the principal streets.
crowded with every sort of vehicle, and
almost impossible for wayfarcrS on foot,
one turns off Il little COurtWay ON one side
and finds himself in the middle of quiet
courtyards. surrounded by old buildings,
and very likely containing little garden
and Il few trees in the centre. These quiet
places are the inns of court. and in these
hnilIinuS live tlp DurrlStprS \ more de-
lghtful spot can not be imagined. Every
thing is peaceful, and even the trees are
covered with the mustiness of the law.
In the old rooms generation after genera
ton has poured over the same books and
burned the midnight oil in their efforts To
add new precedents to the accumulated
mass The government is in the hands of
the older members, who are called the
"Benchers" The Temple church is sit
uated in the Inner Temple, but is owned
by the two corporations III common. 1t
consists of two parts, the Round Church
and the Choir. After descending few
steps the Round Church is entered, built
in the twelfth century by the TemplarS,
and still containing figures of the knights
on the floor. There are nine figures i'll all,
each lying on the ground i'll full armor
and with hands crossed i'll the attitude OF
prayer One of them is the brother-in-aW
of King John, and another Is SAID to he
the figure of the first baron of England
II W
steps to the trifOrum, which contains
various tablets to the memory of various
members of the Temple, once great law
NerS in their own time: but now passed
away and forgotten, leaving only their
names on the white marble of the tablets
behind them.
In the Round Church the lawyers used
to sit centuries ago and wait for their
clients-a much pleasanter for young
lawyers to wait than in their offices, rs the
Inn. had
accustomed stall, just like our modern
market, and there Transacted his business
with his clients, if ne had any. Beyond
the Round Church is the Choir, built
about IL century later, which is used now
by the members of the Temple as Their
service to them and their families
On one side sit the members of the
Inner Temple, and on the other the
Middle Temple. The Judges, barriSter,
and students have each their own pewS
assigned to them. On the floor, in mosaic
work the heradic emblem of the old Tenn
plars. Agnus Del Il lamb and cross, fire
quently occurs, as we'll as the Wlnget
horse of st. George, the emblem OF tn,
Inner Temple. Near the church is tn,
dininU-hall, where the members dine To
gether during term time, and in connec
ton with this dinning. room one of tn,
most curious of the many customs take
place There are four terms Il year, eacl
lasting about month, and IN this hal
dinner is served every day. y barriSter WHIT
has been called or admitted to the ba
can dine here by paying three shillings
and very good dinner he gets judGin!
from the bill of fare, including wine. a.
the custodian took pains to inform us
Every student of the law is obliged to din'
here three times in every term, for TIT
space of three years, which amounts Il
thirty-six dinners in all In addition, h
has to pass stated examinations, as will
us, but even if he passes and does no
dine he cannot be called to the bar. :,
every student must come up to LOndOl
three times Il term from Oxford, q
wherever he is studying, and attend din
ner in his robes. If he is late, the Dime
does not count for him, and if he take
his robe off in the dining-hail
or comes in without robe, hi
dinner is not counted. At the en-
trance to the hall are the old doors of tn
time of the Templars, very curOusly carve
and decorated The hall there contain
portraits of various distinguished judge
and advocates of past times, and the GOA
of-arms of all the treasurers of the corp'
ration One is especially pointed out, an
consists of three tooth-combs ON a shiel
with the name of Booth
In the churchyard of the Temple churc
Oliver Goldsmith lies buried, and NOM
ment is erected to him in Westminstt
Abbey The Temple Gardens, which IL,
join the Temple, was the scene of the Gel
brated quarrel between York and l.anca
ter, when the white and red roses wei
picked which led to so much blOodshed an
misery.
Among the celebrated men who lived nei
here were Goldsmith, who was on the st
ond floor of Bird court, Middle Temp
lane, and use to disturb with his festiy
ties the worthy DR.. Blackstone, who WI
engaged on his famous commentaries
the law in the room below. Dr. Johnso
lived near by an Inner Temple lane. Lii
coins and Gray's inns are much less f
nous, although Gray's Inn is II quaint o.
spot, containing some trees in the gardt
which were planted by Lord Bacon, WI
was member of Gray's Inn. In additit
To the four inns of court, there were nil
inns of chancery, which are now let OF
for chambers to barristers and students
to the public One of these is Staple In
very delightful, quaint old place, il
preGnated with the atmosphere of Il
law and filled with memories of the pas
On the whole, it is very different here
the study OF the law, as you see. TT