Public Duty, President Andrews, of Brown Univer sity; the New Education, President McAllister, of Drexel Institute; the Silver Question, Prof. Taussig, of Harvard University; the Evolution of Religion, President Schurman, of Cornell University; Re ligion's Debt to Science, Rev. Samuel R. Calthrope, of Syracuse; the Relation of Invention to Labor, Carroll D. Wright; the Duties of American Citi zenship, Theodore Roosevelt; the Government of Cities, William Horace Hotchkiss of Buffalo; the Drift of Modern Philosophy, President Schurman; Social Life and Literature in America, Hamilton W. Mabie; Problems in Psychology, President Hall of Clark University; the Progress of Psychi cal Research, Richard Hodgson of Boston; the History of Religions, Prof. Toy, of Harvard Univer sity; Classical Education, President Eliot, of Har vard University; Bi-metallism, General Francis G. Walker. This club has become a recognized influence in Buffalo, and has already demonstrated the posses sion of skilled knowledge and the ability to convey it in an attractive and illuminating manner by a large body of citizens, whose talents have hitherto lain concealed and unused. It seems to this Chair that this institution affords a great deal better way of spending one evening a month than wasting it at an ordinary club-house, talking politics, disseminating gossip, and going home more conceited and no bet ter informed than at the beginning of the evening. It seems that it would be a good plan for lawyers to adopt in other cities. The dinner is a rather simple one, and nothing "to drink" is provided except coffee and a claret-cup. The whole expense is de frayed by a subscription of $12 per member. No "ladies" are supposed to be admitted, but almost always there is a suggestion of feminine flutter be hind screens at one end of the hall. The women have themselves setup a similar club, called "The Contemporary," which meets in the,afternoon of the same day, has nothing to eat, and listens to an ad dress by the same invited speaker, — not necessarily on the same subject. It is said that these occasions are "improving." But this Chair once overheard the following dialogue between two women coming home from one of them: A. "My! but wasn't he deep, though!" B. "Yes, but he makes you think awfully." But if our women expect to vote they must be getting up their education.
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mummery than many people suppose. The judge wears a wig and scarlet robe; the counsel for the claimants orate with fervor and feeling, and the jury look quite as wise as some of the juries who hold the balance at the Royal Courts of Justice. The foreman, in particular, makes the accustomed show of being the possessor of a special fund of intelligence, and the Dunmow oath is administered with a solemnity which is not always exceeded by the swearing of witnesses in courts of justice." The origin and the modus operandi of this matter may not be known to all legal readers. The legend is that Juga, a noble lady, in 11il, established a custom, restored by Robert de Fitzwalter, in 1244, that " any person from any part of England, going to Dunmow, in Essex, and humbly kneeling on two stones at the church door, may claim a gammon of bacon, if he can swear that for twelve months and a day he has never had a household brawl nor wished himself unmarried." After the claim is substanti ated, a procession is formed on horseback, headed by a piper, next succeeded by one bearing the flitch, then by the happy couple on one horse, and com pleted by the friends and relatives. Of all this Stothard gives a pleasing picture, which has been reproduced in an engraving. The claim has been substantiated several times in recent years, and on one occasion the prize was carried off by a pair from this country. It is understood that Chief Justice Bleckley contemplates putting in a claim to the flitch in company with his recent spouse and their single issue — which we believe his Honor does not regard as immaterial. On several points in this matter we are ignorant, and we call for information from our English friends. How is the baconian fund provided, and can more than one flitch be awarded in the same year? Before whom is the oath taken and the examination conducted? Could perjury be predicated of a false oath? It seems to us that " I. D." should at once assert Lord Verulam's claim to the founda tion of the custom . This is not the only ancient and curious custom celebrated in very recent days in England. The ride of Godiva through Coventry is regularly kept up, or at all events has been recently imitated by a lady of affluent charms, in tights, with her back hair down. The bacon matter probably is better founded than the latter. When we were on the spot some years ago we were metrically moved to the following reflections upon the legend : — GODIVA.
The Flitch of Bacon. — The following is ex tracted from " The Brief" : — "The annual trial of the various claims to the Dunmow Flitch of Bacon is a much more realistic piece of forensic
Tis sweet in Coventry to walk, And dream that round the square A palfrey may demurely stalk, And on his back may bear Godiva of the shining tresses, The sheerest of go-diving dresses.
