come down to posterity as great lawyers. By a common irony of fate, they survive, like the proverbial flies in amber, because the little dark-eyed boy who used to watch them from afar off, thought fit in later years to " put them in an essay." Thomas Coven try, Samuel Salt, and the rest, apart from Lamb's mention of them, suggest nothing to us.
Daines Barrington, of course, is known as the author of an almost forgotten book or two on legal subjects, and also as the corres pondent of Gilbert White. Maseres, a pro lific author of mathematical and historical works, and "omniscient Jackson," who was at one time M.P. for New Romney, and Com missioner of the Treasury, are alas! both covered with oblivion. — The Law Times.
CHOICE ANECDOTES OF IRISH BENCH AND BAR. MR. Thomas Harr1s had a foremost position amongst the Q. C.'s who, a few years ago, practiced in the courts of equity in Ireland. He was deeply learned, a bon vivant, yet of an acridity of manner which covered up a rich and joyous heart. Some time before Harris's death, a " sub-in spector " of constabulary was tried for the murder of his " friend " Glass, a bank clerk in Ulster. The police officer was a Free mason, and, after his very proper convic tion, it was commonly though no doubt, un foundedly, said, that the Irish Executive would not dare to have him hanged. With that fatuity which has too often marked the "Castle " doings, the press were excluded from the scene of execution, and it was only through the finesse of an enterprising Dublin tailor, who surreptitiously got into the prison and furnished a report, that the newspapers were enabled to record the facts of the criminal's final exit. Those circumstances begot a good deal of gossip. The morning after the execution the counsel about the fireplace of the Four Courts library were dis cussing the matter, and the late Mr. George Perry said : " There are national peculiarities which repeat themselves at the last moment of the doomed man; a communard facing the firing party invariably smokes a cigarette and says : ' Vive la Commune! Tirez dircctement, mes freres.' John Bull's malefactor
must eat a hearty breakfast provided by the governor. These are peculiarities, but the curiosity of the thing is the invariably calm sleep of the principal tragedian in the final act." At that moment Harris shuffled by. "Hullo, Harris," said Perry, " explain this. We're talking of the Omagh execution. Per haps you can tell us how it is that without exception we hear from everywhere that the condemned man slept well during his last night." " Faith," said Harris, with a senten tious shrug, " it's easy to understand. The fellow is always quite sure he'll be called in time." Mr. John M— (still living, I think), a well-known Dublin solicitor, who whispered even professional confidences with a voice of a bo'sun in a gale, could nowhere be found on the eve of a certain case. The junior coun sel who had been briefed for a motion " on short notice " in seeking him, ran against Harris. After apologizing, he said, " Have you seen M—? The Master of the Rolls will want him presently. You know him, big John M—!" "In truth," said Harris, "I have a sort of shouting acquaintance with M—, but he is not about, I'm sure, for I distinctly heard two peals of ordinary thunder lately." The late Francis M'Donagh was at one time M.P. for the borough of Sligo, to rep resent which he had a severe tussle with
