bar, and declined to enroll any student or lawyer who was not a member of an Inn of Court. On the other hand, the "Invincibles" were glad to increase their number with recruits drawn from the inferior rank of the profession. The admission of attorneys subjected the corps to jokes equally humorous and pungent. It was said that when Lieutenant-Colonel Cox, the Master in Chancery, who commanded the corps, gave the word "Charge," two-thirds of his rank and file took out their note-books and wrote down 6s. 8d. Notwithstanding the ungenerous ridicule cast upon the B.I.C.A., several eminent lawyers served in its ranks. John Scott was on its roll after his elevation to the peerage, and Attorney General Law (subsequently Lord Ellenborough) was retained for many months in the awkward squad because he failed to satisfy the requirements of the drillsergeant. During the long war," Eldon used to say, "I became one of the Lincoln's Inn volunteers, Lord Ellenborough at the same time being one of that corps. It happened, unfortunately for the military character of both of us, that we were turned out of the awkward squadron for awkwardness. I think Ellenborough was more awkward than I was, but others thought it was difficult to determine which of us was the worst." This expulsion certainly did not occur at an early date of the regiment's career, and it may be presumed that the ejectment never actually occurred; but that Eldon and Ellenborough were irregular attendants and awkward soldiers on parade can be easily believed by the present writer, who without arrogance may claim for himself the honor of being the most inefficient private in the existing Inns of Court corps.

"I think," said Lord Eldon, when he was an old man, "the finest sight I ever beheld was the great review in Hyde Park before George III. The king in passing ad

dressed Tom Erskine, who was colonel, asking him the name of his corps. He answered, The Devil's Own.' The Lincoln's Inn Volunteers always went by the name of 'The Devil's Invincibles." The king's courtesy to the Templars filled the hearts of the Invincibles with jealousy and wrath; for they received no similar attention.

A letter written by Scott soon after the review, shows that in his old age he faithfully recalled the emotions roused by the spectacle. "We had a most glorious exhibition," he wrote June 6th, 1799, "here on the king's birthday, in the review of the volunteer corps, which furnished much the most magnificent spectacle I have ever seen. As a non-effective in an awkward squadron, I had the modesty not to show myself in arms, though I have military character enough to attend the drill occasionally in a more private scene. Your friend, Major Sir William Scott's corps, not having yet been bold enough to attempt the strong measure of firing, were also absent.”

The corps that had not attempted the strong measure of firing was a corps of doctors and proctors, who, notwithstanding their strong reasons for approving any continental war in which England was a partner, became warlike under the dread of invasion. This regiment of civilians, the third corps composed of metropolitan lawyers, was under the command of Lord Eldon's elder brother, Sir William Scott, better known to ordinary. readers of the present day as Lord Stowell.

Before the volunteer movement of that period died out, the Lincoln's Inn corps was disbanded, when those of its old members who were Inns of Court men and wished to continue their martial exercises, joined "The Devil's Own." The present compiler's authority for this statement is Mr. Espinasse, who says, "The hats of

the Lincoln's Inn corps were round, surmounted with black bearskin across the crown. A tall red and white feather composed of the hackles of a cock, rose in the front of it, and presented a martial and grenadier-like appearance. But all that military gayety had no charms for Stebbing: he could not be reconciled to a round, and pined for his pinch; he never on coming to the parade omitted his malediction against the bad taste of Sir William Grant, and the martial ornament with which he had chosen to furnish his head. His regrets became insupportable. Notwithstanding the talents of our commanding officer, and the rank of many of the privates, our military character was not splendid, and we merged into the Law Association, commanded by Lord Erskine."

Though Erskine was a poor commander, he had just views with regard to the volunteer movement. When the government lawyers maintained that the volunteers had bound themselves to the service till the end of the war, Erskine gave a directly opposite opinion. “If," he said, “the term volunteer is supposed to be satisfied by the original spontaneousness of the enrollment, leaving him afterwards, bound, then every enlisted soldier must equally be considered to be a volunteer, and, with the difference of receiving money, and the local extent of service excepted, would be on equal footing both as to merit and independence." After much discussion, the question was brought into the King's Bench, when Lord Ellenborough (of the B.I.C.A.) had risen to be chief of the court. Attorney General Perceval appeared for the government, and Erskine replied. The unanimous decision of the judges confirmed the opinions given by the Colonel of the Devil's Own, and settled the question in favor of those many volunteers who having felt war's alarms were now bent upon confining their energies to peaceful pursuits.

That English lawyers have not, in aught that concerns their military reputation, degenerated since the days of Erskine, is shown by the enthusiasm with which they prepared for bloody contest in April, 1848, and by the resolution with which they have maintained the efficiency and character of their Volunteer Rifle Corps, since the death of that good soldier and courteous gentleman, Lieutenant-Colonel Brewster, under whose tuition and command the regiment renewed the éclat of Erskine's Templars."

In the first rank of our present legal dignitaries, there is at least one eminent man whose personal career is another proof that wearers of the sword may aspire to the honors of the gown. Like Erskine, Lord Chelmsford made his first venture in the fighting trade. As a midshipman on board the Cambrian, Frederick Thesiger assisted in the second bombardment of Copenhagen; and having both as advocate and wit, equalled Thomas Erskine's splendid renown, he, like Erskine, won the seals.

III.

RIDING AND DRIVING.

A

CHAPTER XIV.

LTHOUGH the Inns of Court at the present time

number a goodly array of gentlemen who habitually follow hounds and are honorably known in the best hunting countries, equestrian adroitness is by no means a universal accomplishment of wearers of the long robe; but from the days of Odo till the general adoption of carriages, the lawyer was invariably a skillful horseman. He rode in armor over hard-fought fields, and in the discharge of the peaceful duties of his profession he was constantly in the saddle. Whilst the courts followed the king's person, suitors and their advisers learned in the law could win neither cause nor fee without riding for it. In the royal train came the judges, superbly mounted and richly attired, so that in their progress from city to city they enhanced the pomp and splendor of their sovereign; and in the train of the judges came the learned sergeants and counsel, the registrars and clerks, reining mettlesome steeds and equipped in a style that accorded with the gorgeous magnificence of the entire cavalcade. For many a day the judges were powerful ecclesiastics, who found their chief pastime in the sports of the field; and ancient records tell how these chieftains of the Church lavished money on their