The Study of Law.
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force of habit manifest an incapacity to ex cipline is the removal of the deep-seated amine a question from different standpoints, prejudice which exists in many minds against or to recognize the possible soundness of the integrity of the legal profession, and the their opponent's position. alleged unjust rules and practices of law. The study of law, and especially of equity Legal proceedings are regarded by many as jurisprudence, will do much to obviate this an amalgamation of knavery, trickery and misfortune, and to produce not simply in subtle dishonesty. That such, as a matter legal questions, but in the general affairs of of fact, is not the case, and that such prej life, domestic, commercial, political and udices are not based on a rational founda religious, what may be best described as a tion, a course of legal study will demonstrate. "well-balanced mind"; a mind ready to re That the procedure of the courts is at times ceive truth from whatever direction it may used for oppressive and dishonest purposes, flow. is the lament of conscientious members of 5. A further advantage of the study of the bench and bar alike. law is the practice of exactitude of expres II. We now consider the study of law sion it inculcates. from the standpoint of good citizenship. It Exact expression is the correlative of is a matter of history that the youth of exact thought, and is a gift more generally Sparta by their attendance at the public acquired than possessed by nature. The tables were from their earliest childhood student of law quickly learns the force of familiarly acquainted with all the important words and the importance of weighing his business of the commonwealth. They were words. Legal study introduces the student trained in its constitution, in a knowledge to a class of writers who are worthy of of the powers of the several functionaries of occupying a foremost rank as models of the state, and the defined duties and rights clear style. Who can read Blackstone's which belonged to the magistrates and "Commentaries " without being fascinated citizens respectively. From Roman history by his beautiful and luminous style; or we learn that the youth of that nation were Cooley's " Constitutional Law" without be required to learn the Twelve Tables by heart ing impressed with its massive compactness as an indispensable part of their education. of diction; or Parsons on " Contracts " with It was held dishonorable, badge of dis out admiring his straightforward, business grace, for any person of patrician rank like method of expression; or Story's " Con not to have mastered the laws and constitu flict of Laws, ". with its full and frequent ci tion of his country. In some of the Eu tations from transatlantic authorities, with ropean universities to-day the study of law, out admitting that the writer was a master to some extent, forms a compulsory branch of language; or Bispham's " Equity Juris of the general curriculum. In the nature of prudence " without being animated by the tilings it would appear quite right, and proper easy rhythmic flow of his sentences? Many as a qualification for exercising the priv of the most distinguished orators of this ileges and discharging the responsibilities and other countries,1 in ancient and modern of citizenship, that at least the elements of times, have been learned in the law; and it law should be included as a part of general may not be too much to suggest that, apart education. from natural qualifications, they have owed "Ignorantia legisneminem excusât"; and, not a little of their oratorical eminence to that being so, it does not seem consistent their acquaintance with the law. that that ignorance should be tacitly en 6. A final feature which the study of law couraged by the absence of any form of legal training in the public schools of the land. presents from the standpoint of mental dis
