characteristic, and consisted of law books, the Bible, and the " Racing Calendar." Yet he was not entirely without literary tastes, for he knew English history and Scott's novels thoroughly, and was the author of a short but sound treatise on Lord Tenterden's Act. He was not in any way ashamed of his lack of literary culture, as the follow ing instances will attest. On one occasion, in a real property case, a very learned coun sel referred to the laws of Howcl Dha. "I don't believe there was such a mon," said the Baron. Serjeant Robinson relates that on one circuit Baron Martin took Frank Talfourd round with him as his marshal. One even ing after dinner, rousing himself from a short nap, the Baron found Frank reading Shake speare. " I find, Frank," he said, "you are always reading plays, and especially Shake speare, I never found time to read him my self, but I suppose he is a big fellow." "Yes, Baron," was the reply, " he is generally acknowledged to be the greatest poet the world ever produced." "Well," said the judge, " I think 1 should like to read one of his works, just to see what it is like. Which do you recom mend?" "They arc all admirable productions," replied the marshal, " but 1 have just been again reading ' Measure for Measure,' and I think that will, perhaps, please you as well as any." "All right," said the Baron; "lend it ю me, and I will read it before I go to sleep." The next morning, he was, of course, asked how he liked the play. "Well," was the Baron's reply, "I can't say I think much of it; it contains atro ciously bad law, and I am of opinion that your friend Shakespeare is a very much overrated man." Robinson also tells the story of how once, when he went as judge on the Western Cir cuit, he was invited to dine with the Dean of Winchester, whom he had never met
before. After the judge had gone the Dean remarked to the guests left behind, "What an agreeable man Baron Martin is; but, for a judge, how ignorant! Why, he had never heard of William of Wykeham!" Tradition, however, records that at that very moment the judge was having his re venge. On entering his carriage, he said to his marshal, " I like the Dean, but he seems very deficient in a knowledge of what is going on in the world; he ab solutely did not know what horse had won the last Derby." Judges have been known to resort to various expedients for going to the Derby, encouraging compromises, or even making up dummy cause lists. Baron Martin had the courage of his tastes. It was on the assizes at Liverpool — so the story goes — and the eve of the Grand National. " Gen tlemen," he said, " to-morrow an event of national importance is to take place, cannot we get on a little faster?" A friend met him once in the Bois de Boulogne at Paris on a Sunday when the races were going on, and said, " It would not do for you, Baron, to be seen in England amid such scenes on the Sabbath day." "Well," said the Baron, piteously, " I cannot help it. What would you have me do when they will not race here any other day than Sunday?" It is said that if an illustration came from him in banco it was pretty sure to begin, "Suppose I bought a horse." After his retirement from the bench he was elected an honorary member of the Jockey Club — an honor greatly prized by him. The only known attempt made to bribe him, when a judge, came from a pris oner who must have had an idea of his sporting tastes. He was convicted, and on being called upon before sentence, he said, "I hope your lordship will not be hard upon me; and perhaps your lordship would accept a beautiful game-cock I have at home." Martin put up his hand to hide
