receptacle for eight, or ten pedicels, which have articulations with small eminences on this receptacle. It produces the outer pedicels first; and has, generally, six pair of leaves for the first pedicel, and two more, subsequently developed with each succeeding pedicel. The root, is simply fibrous; the fibres being greyish-white and pellucid.

The plant from its appearance, I take to be an annual: it inhabits marshes that do not dry up, and the sides of mountain-rills which are always flowing. I have found the plant, all over the Pentland hills; at Clovenford; and, between Clovenford and Inverleithing, a distance of about miles, along the banks of the Tweed.

eight

359

UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

THE LAW CLASS.

THE most prominent feature in the system of education, devised by the founders of the University of London, is the admirable provision which has been made for the instruction of those students designed for the profession of the law. At the other Universities and Inns of Court, legal education has been scandalously neglected, and the unfortunate law student left to grope his way as best he could, through a mass of incongruous authorities and conflicting decisions, and therein to combat difficulties, enough to discourage the most ardent, and disgust the most persevering. At a most seasonable period, then, the Council of this Institution have placed it in the power of every student to obtain, at a trifling expense, that assistance and instruction which his necessities most urgently require. Perhaps it was fortunate for the law pupils, that there were some influential members of the council who had the most accurate perception of their wants, and were beyond any other individuals in the kingdom best qualified to decide upon the means, by which those wants were to be supplied; thus a law school has been at last established. That its absence was acutely felt-that its solid advantages are duly appreciated, the large number who joined the class incontestably demonstrate. Besides the sittings of the Courts at Westminster, by means of which, that which has been theoretically explained, may be practically illustrated, must conspire to place the law school of the Metropolitan University beyond all rivalry or competition.

Of the course of lectures, delivered by Professor Amos, we mean to speak only in general terms; for although they were delivered with such distinctness and admirable precision, that a pupil, but commonly attentive, might easily note down every word-yet still we consider it would be as unfair toward the lecturer to publish, as it would be impossible, within our prescribed limits, to detail, the large mass of legal information disclosed to the class. The Professor, in the earlier part of his course, adhered strictly to the plan developed in the prospectus as he advanced, however, and became more intimately acquainted with the talents and acquirements of his class, he deviated somewhat from his original intention, as prudence or necessity suggested. The difficulties which the Professor had to encounter were of no trivial description; his class was composed of students collected together from all branches of the profession; there were, conveyancers, pleaders, solicitors, and articled clerks : this incongruity rendered the Professor's duty more delicate and arduous; he had to adapt his lectures, not merely to variety of capacity, and difference of taste, but also to those whose pursuits, and therefore whose reading, was strikingly dissimilar. Every man expected to hear something on the subject of his own peculiar business; and in this expectation no man was disappointed. The Professor, then, was somewhat awkwardly situated; he was forced to touch almost at once on every branch of our law, and he had so to treat his subject, that to the ignorant his lecture might appear perspicuous and simple, and to the more advanced, not unnecessarily explanatory, or tediously precise. This difficult task the Professor accomplished with consummate judgment; and so happily were his discourses continued, that the better informed student retired from the lecture satisfied that his store of knowledge had been increased-the more uninstructed, conscious that his ignorance had been enlightened. The Professor, first, with clearness treated of the earlier authors, pointed out their merits and defects, and made known the sources from whence the common law is derived. And here we cannot refrain from expressing our admiration of the singular wisdom with which the questions for examination were prepared, as the answer to the very first question, proposed in July, was to be found in the

very first lecture, delivered in November. This circumstance will be sufficient to impress on the minds of all competitors for legal honours, the necessity of refreshing their knowledge of the earlier and fundamental branches of the

course.

The Professor, likewise, in tracing the history of the Common Law, failed not to comment on the relative merit of the ancient treatises; assigning to each its exact value, particularizing those writers who had a leaning to the Civil Law, cautioning the Student against their errors, pointing out the parts where the most useful information was to be found, and apprizing the class of the circumstances, under which the rigid principles of the feudal system had been relaxed, and those wise provisions introduced which have humanized our code. Thus enough was said to stimulate the Students who had a taste for antiquarian researches, while suitable instruction was at the same time copiously afforded to those whose avocations were of a more practical description.

At an early period of the course, the Professor established the weekly examination, or, more properly speaking, conversation. By this excellent plan, the lecturer was brought into direct contact with the individual members of the class, ascertained the progress they had made, and the precision of their ideas upon their professional studies. This conversation closed the labours of the week, fixing in the memory what had been previously acquired, correcting misconceptions, and removing doubts. It would we think be unnecessary to dwell on the pre-eminent advantages of this system, they are self-evident:—without such an arrangement, when at the termination of the course, the examiner would be called on to frame a list of questions for the competitors for honours, he would be utterly ignorant of the relative capacities of his pupils, of the impression his lectures had made upon them, and of course unable to prepare such questions as would afford to all an equal chance of returning direct and satisfactory answers; this difficulty the scheme of periodical conversations completely obviated. Most seriously then do we recommend all, but more especially those now about to join the class, never to absent themselves from the weekly examinations. They have been instituted by the Professor, from a zealous desire for the improvement of his pupils; their's will be the loss, if they disregard his kind exertions. They can have no rational excuse, because there is nothing in these discourses, to alarm the most timid, or discourage the most ignorant. Let no pupil persuade himself that, by remaining after lecture, he will be subjected to a stern and rigid scrutiny, and that the consequence of failure must be exposure and disgrace, but rather let him believe, what is strictly the case, that he remains to enjoy an hour's agreeable conversation with a kind indulgent and enlightened friend, who will listen with patience, and correct with mildness.

In this manner the lectures were continued till Christmas, when there was a separation for the recess. In his concluding lecture, the Professor read from a venerable record, a faithful description of the hospitable manner, in which the good Master Plowden, and the learned apprentices of the law, in olden times, were wont to spend their Christmas;-of their joyous festivities and hearty mirth-when the Inns of Court re-echoed to the glad sound of the timbrel and the pipe, when the luminaries of the Bench joined in the merry dance,—witnessing at intervals many curious feats of activity and strength: the Students all the while being in attendance, but keeping at a respectful distance. Alas! alas! the good old times of legal merriment will never more return. We have still the solid Christmas fare in our Inns of Court, but the port is swallowed in solemn silence, save when we rise to drink with reverence to the memory of the virgin Queen.* The Bar vie in solemn gravity with the Bench, while the words Coke upon Littleton," and "Peere Williams's Reports" seem written in legible characters on every sombre countenance. We parted from our Professor with regret, we rejoined his class with pleasure. He then delivered a series of This relates to Gray's Inn. In the Hall of the Inner Temple, the Grace cup circulates to the ever blessed memory of King Charles.

lectures on real property: the subjects were judiciously chosen, but perhaps in the next course the Professor will feel disposed to enter more deeply into this abstruse, but important branch of our law. After a short interval, it was formally announced, that Mr. Humphreys was about to redeem a pledge which had been given on his behalf, and with respect to this gentleman the expectations of the class were raised to the very highest pitch. On his merits, the Professor, in his admirable introductory lecture, had pronounced a just and splendid eulogium, and boasted in no very measured terms, of the signal advantage which would result to the class, from the lectures of so experienced, and so learned a man. Prepared by this flattering announcement, and aware that no man had thought more profoundly, or written more pithily on the subject of real property, our hopes were sanguine indeed, but, unfortunately they were excited only to be disappointed. The visits of Mr. Humphreys to the University were " angel-like, few and far between ; ” he delivered but four lectures, from which scanty number one ought to be deducted, being an exact repetition of a preceding lecture; besides, from being unaccustomed, perhaps, to public speaking, during the greater part of his address, the learned gentleman was perfectly inaudible. From the foregoing statement it is tolerably evident, that the Council, the Professor, and the students, are not under any very weighty obligations to Mr. Humphreys for his assistance: nevertheless his lectures were not without their use, for they induced the class to read his book, so remarkable for the quantity of information conveyed with unexampled brevity and clearness; and for its sound, philosophical, and temperate proposal for the reformation of our real property code.

We venture respectfully to suggest, that it would be peculiarly advantageous to the law class, if a gentleman was procured to deliver a short course of lectures, in a connected form, on Conveyancing for example, during the temporary absence of the Professor from town. This plan we are convinced would meet the wishes of every individual, and would have the double effect of preserving the constant attention of the pupils, and relieving the labour of the Professor, without, in the slightest degree, infringing on his particular province. It will be seen, that the Professor, during the last session, was perfectly unassisted, yet his pupils were not sufferers in consequence. The different topics particularized in the Prospectus, were ingeniously handled. The Professor's habit was, when he had taken up a distinct subject, not to advert to any other matters, till he had imparted to the class all that was useful and important to be known on the principal head; first stating, and then contrasting and comparing, all the cases which had been decided on the point. In his excellent lectures on leases, for example, he went step by step through the different covenants; showed the rights and liabilities of the several parties under them; the effects of assignment by landlord, and assignment by tenant; of underlease, &c. By this plan, the student was enabled to collect a quantity of tangible information, arranged under separate heads, in a consecutive order, which he might enlarge and illustrate with facts, according as time and opportunity permitted him to consult the various authorities referred to. Upon the poor laws, with which the Professor is intimately conversant, he delivered some interesting lectures; explained with accuracy the method of proceeding at Quarter Sessions, and detailed all the singular beauties of session law; enlivening the account with some humourous anecdotes, illustrative of the profound knowledge and judicial wisdom, of the magisterial bench. The lectures on constitutional law, formed an agreeable variety during the latter portion of the course; the most celebrated events in English history were then brought under the consideration of the class, and forcibly impressed upon the memory. The remarkable state trials of those unhappy times, were cited and examined; the evidence on which the convictions were founded, strictly investigated; and the charges of the judges rigidly but candidly scrutinized. On constructive treason the Professor warmed with the animating subject, and descanted with eloquence and

*

spirit. He spoke as he felt; he expatiated with fervour on the noble principles of our constitution, and, as a British lawyer ought, protested against every, the minutest, violation or denial of grand and fundamental truths. These interesting subjects forcibly arrested the attention of the pupils: the sainted names of RUSSELL and SYDNEY, were heard with the deepest veneration-those of Scroggs and Jefferies with emotions of a far different description. On the former, a grateful posterity have bestowed an undying fame; while the latter have been arraigned, convicted, and condemned-to immortal infamy. The Professor terminated his course, by recommending his class not to be neglectful of legal biography; he had narrated anecdotes of eminent persons, who, at various times, have flourished in our profession; they were always well-timed, happily introduced, and materially tended to enliven a dry subject and quicken the attention of the pupils. Among others, Roger North's life of lord keeper Guildford was referred to; the letters of Junius to lord Mansfield were also mentioned. The Biography of learned men is something more than mere matter of curiosity or entertainment; it teaches, by repeated and powerful examples, a truth, important, but too frequently despised, that excellence or station in any profession can only be attained by close attention, by zealous and persevering study. But we venture to recommend our fellow students to look up not merely to the great men, whose names have adorned the ages that are past, but also to those, whose talents now spread a lustre around our seats of justice, and who exact the true dignity of the bar ;-and it will be enough to convince the most sceptical, that eloquence and learning, philosophy and virtue, in short, that excellence is no chimera in the legal study, and that its reward is a noble reality. We have thus feebly endeavoured to convey to our readers, some idea of the first course of lectures, delivered in the University of London, on the important science of the law,-it will be readily seen that they embraced various and extensive matters, as is ably explained in the report of our Professor given in our last No. p. 247. The Session terminated with an examination, held for two days, at the interval of a week each; the questions of which a list is hereafter given, were judiciously selected, and the examination itself was conducted with the most scrupulous impartially. Grateful for the zealous exertions of their Professor, and for his entire devotion to their interests, the Students of the law class presented Mr. Amos with a respectful address of thanks, accompanied with a request for permission to print his report spoken on the day of the distribution of the prizes: to this request he kindly acceded, his expressive reply will be found prefixed to that interesting document. Of our Professor we can only speak in terms of the most respectful gratitude ;—well and faithfully did he discharge his arduous duty. If the requisites for a teacher of the difficult science of the law, be extensive reading, profound observation, solid judgment, a nice discriminating power, with the capability of communicating the information he possesses, Professor Amos is well calculated for his honourable situation :-and from experience also, we can safely add, that the serenity of his temper, his easy deportment, and his manifest desire to divulge all he knew, have endeared him to his class.

In an article in our first number on the study of medicine, we expressed our surprise that the chair of Moral Philosophy was still left vacant, and endeavoured to show the importance of that science towards completing the education of the medical practitioner. The same observations are exactly applicable to the Professorship of History, with regard to legal education. The chair of History is as yet without a Professor, and therefore we cannot exhort our fellow-students, to attend the lectures which ought to be delivered on that all-important subject. It would be unnecessary, perhaps absurd, for us to dilate on the necessity imposed upon the legal student, of acquiring historical

We strenuously exhort such students as have not already done so, to peruse the Life of Coke, published under the direction of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge.