Isaac Phillips, a well-known New York lawyer, died at New York, Aug. 5th, aged seventy-eight He was an examiner in the Appraiser's Department under President Tyler's Administration, and was appointed by President Pierce, Appraiser of that port, a position which he held till 1869. In 1839 he entered journalism, editing in succession the "Union," and the "Courier and Enquirer." In 1870, when fifty-eight years of age, Mr. Phillips was admitted to the bar. He immediately formed a partnership with Charles Hunt, who had been associated in the law with that clever son of President Van Buren, who was known as "Prince John." Mr. Hunt's death took place in 1874, and from that time Mr. Phillips conducted his law business alone.
REVIEWS
The American Law Review, July-August, has for its leading article an address delivered by Hon. George Hoadly of New York, before the American Bar Association, on the "Codification of the Common Law." Chauncey M. Depew contributes his admirable address on "The Dignity of the Law," which was delivered to the Yale law students. Papers on "The Liability of an Undisclosed Principal for Goods purchased by his Agent," by John W. Beaumont; "The Charging Part of an Indictment," by Stewart Rapalje; "Libel of the Dead," by H. Campbell Black, and "The Independence of the Departments of Government," by Wm. M. Meigs, make up the remaining contents.
We regret to see that our esteemed contemporary has so soon abandoned its "picture gallery." It could not have done better than to have continued to have followed in the footsteps of "The Green Bag" in that respect.
BOOK NOTICES.
In adding this new edition of Kent's Commentaries to their "Text-Book Series," the Blackstone Publishing Company have made a wise selection, and one that will be appreciated by the profession. Judging from an examination of this first volume. Mr. Lacey has done his work conscientiously and faithfully, and, if the succeeding volumes are prepared with the same care, this edition will prove to be by far the best that has ever been issued of this standard work. The type and paper are satisfactory in every respect. Monthly numbers are issued in the "Text-Book Series," and the subscription price is only $15.00 a year, or $1.25 per volume.
In January last, Mr. Butler delivered an address before the Association of the Bar of New York City, on the "Revision of the Statutes of the State of New York," which is now published in an attractive volume which contains excellent portraits of the revisers, John Duer, Benjamin F. Butler, and John C. Spencer. Mr. Butler is well-known as a brilliant and accomplished writer, and, while the present work will prove of peculiar interest to the New York Bar, it cannot fail to interest the profession at large. The biographical sketches of these three distinguished lawyers contain a fund of most entertaining and instructive reading. It is just the book for the lawyer to take with him on his vacation trip.
This admirable work of Mr. Tyssen's is confined to charitable testamentary dispositions, and while written with special reference to English statutes and decisions upon the subject, it will prove of great value to the profession in America as well as in England.
We regret to see that the author in citing, in his preface, the principal works on the subject of charities which have been issued in the past, makes no reference to that treasure house upon the subject, "Dwight's Charity Cases," published in 1863. In that work, Professor Theodore W. Dwight, of New York, made a most valuable collection of old and rare cases from the Reports of the Commissioners of Charities in England, and from the Calendars in Chancery, the earliest dating back to the year 1515, all bearing upon the subject of charities and charitable bequests. This collection is so well known to the profession in this country, that it is a matter of surprise that Mr. Tyssen should have omitted to mention it, and it is also singular that but few if any of the cases cited by Professor Dwight are referred to in this new work.
