New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-10
:. a, these schools of law from an association

oonnosed mainly of eccesiastics and their ap-
nrentioes into body of secular practitioners
o,e of the most interesting processes OF evolu-
,ion in the progressive history of England.
complete as the Transformation has been,
,here arc still traces OF ecclesiastical origin in
ire ordinary routine OF the Middle Temple. The
men dine together in messes Of four In accord
ance with the old rule of the Knights Templar
Which required that two and two should eat
together. and that all the Fragments should be
given in brotherly charity TO the domestics The
servants are known as paniers. as In the era Of
the knights Templar. and recalcitrant members
are punished by being put out OF commons
es In the old monklsh days The TEMPLE still
has a master and a church and while the
benchers no longer have the long boards Of the
Knights Templar they are Influenced In many
WAYS by the ecclesiastical associations OF one
o. the most famous establishments Of Medl@val
London.
In one respect, as Mr. Pitt-Lewis points out
a step backward would be in the direction Of
rational progress. During the reign OF Edward
III the common lawyers with the encourage
nent Of the Crown founded what was practically
q university Of law. with Sergeants' Inns. from
which instructors or readers could call appren-
tees TO the bar with Inns OF Court which were
opened 20 barristers and attorneys alike. and
with Inns Of Chancery, where education for the
law began with the copying Of writs and other
details of office work This old-time university
OF law also gave In Tudor days what was con-
slderod liberal education in literature art and
music. The University has gradually disap-
pearei with the abolition of the Sergeants Inns
and Inns Of Chancery. and with the exclusion
OF solicitors from the colleges of law and while
all he har iS nc baso ive1,-
upon record OF meals eaten in commons, but
is preceded by an examination on matters Of
law. the education and training OF barristers
Is far less scientific than in America, France.
Germany and many Continental countries. If
there were a university of law in any adequate
sense, the British Empire would have what IT
now lacks--a school in which the broad prin-
cples Of jurisprudence could be taught in
comprehensive spirit
The Inns Of Court. with their giTpses OF plct-
uresque courts secluded hooks and gardens and
beautiful old brick architecture. delightful
10 the eye that the visitor wandering about at
random is not disturbed by the reflection that
they offer only a narrow and unscientiAc basis
for enlightened study of law. Mr.. Pitt-Lewis
presents a strong argument in favor Of the
adjustment in London Of a university Of law
worthy Of the dignity Of the empire While at
lowing the Inner Temple the Middle Temple.
LincOln's Inn and Gray's Inn to govern them
selves as they now do, he would bind them
together as the foundation walls OF a university;
he would replace Sergeants' Inns with an incor-
porated council of legal education, in which
the Law Society as we'll as the Inns Of Court
should be represented, and the training Of at
torneys as well as barristers be provided for;
and he would also permit the Indian Empire
and the colonies. the Kings Inn in Dublin and
the Faculty Of Advocates in Scotland to have
voice in the regulation Of the teaching staff
and the course Of instruction. The scheme is an
intricate one, yet the purpose is practical and
clear II is TO convert these Isolated colleges
OF law surviving from medieval conditions into
a comprehensive university for the study OF
jurisprudence and the professional training of
barrisers and solicitors |. ~ +.