Eldon and Ellenborough were in the rival corps — " The Devil's Invincibles," — but both, unhappily, in the awkward squad. Lord Eldon used to say, " I think Ellenborough was more awkward than I was; but others thought it was difficult to determine which of us was the worst." This corps had attorneys in its ranks, and it was said of it that, when Lieutenant-Colonel Cox, the master in chancery, who commanded it, gave the word " Charge! " two thirds of its rank and file took out their note-books and wrote down 6s. 8d. It is also said that, when a volunteer company of lawyers which was raised during the apprehension of the French invasion were told by the drill-sergeant to "about face," not a man of these logical patriots stirred, but they all stood still, and cried, 'Why?'" When the volunteer movement began after the Crimean War, the members of the Inns of Court held a meeting on the 21st of November, 1859, for the purpose of raising a corps of its members. The " Times " of that date thus describes the meeting: — "The Profession mustered in great force, and, seen in a mass, it would be difficult to find a more spirited body of men. Many of them from the universities, accustomed to athletic exercises, no more promising band could be submitted to the training of the drill-sergeant." The following extract is from the " Times" of December 17, 1859: — "The Corps of the Inns of Court con
tinues to receive fresh additions to its numerical strength every day; starting little more than a fortnight ago, with about two hundred members, the numbers up to last night had increased to 520, and the practice proceeds with unflagging energy and spirit." Among the judges of recent years who have belonged to this corps are the follow ing : — Baggallay, T. Chitty, Davy, Gran tham, Herschell, Lefevre, Lopes, Matthews, Baron Pollock, A. L. Smith, Willes, Thesiger, Selwyn, North, Macnaghten, Lindley, Kekewich, Hannen, Fitzgibbon, Cotton, J. W. Chitty, Rigby. Sir Henry Havelock, of Indian Mutiny fame, was at one time a member of the Inns of Court, and read in Chitty's chambers. There are two other distinguished military officers who were called to the bar; the one was the late General Herbert Stewart, of the Inner Temple, who died of wounds at Above Klea; and the other is General Sir Evelyn Wood, V. C, a barrister of the Middle Temple. For some years past the Inns of Court Corps has rather flagged in military zeal, and it was feared at one time that the corps would cease to have a separate existence; but now, happily, it is looking up again, and has considerably increased its members. Every young member of the bar ought to take a pride in joining such a distinguished corps, and the members ought easily to be increased to five or six hundred. — The Law Times.
