EANE’S STUDENT’S GUIDE. 
the power of giving a green hue to the oyster. 
It cannot be copperas, as some have imagin- 
éd; for although copperas is green in the 
lump, yet when dissolved its colour is dif- 
ferent; neither, were it not, is it easy to 
- conceive such a dangerous mineral should 
be. the food of an animal; or if it were, 
should not be easily discovered in the effects 
it would produce on those who had eaten of 
an oyster which received its colour from so 
pernicious a substance. 
«© The cultch being so necessary for the 
oysters to spat upon, it is made felony to 
carry it away after the month of May; and 
penalties are laid by the admiralty court 
upon those who destroy or carry it away at 
$83 
any time. Notwithstanding which, while 
by the payment of a fine of five pounds or 
ten pounds the fisherman can carry out of 
the river, as much cultch and spat as is 
worth one hundred pounds, which is not un- 
frequently the case, it is not likely that their 
honesty, either to those who are entitled to 
dredge with them, or to the corporation who 
grant them licence, will stand so’ much in 
their way, as to prevent a practice which, 
although descended from father to son, and 
has not yet met with its adequate punish- 
ment, can make no better claim to exeimnp- 
tion from it, than many practices for which 
the culprit undergoes the severest rigour of 
justice.” 
Arr. VII. The Student’s Guide; being a concise Account of the honourable Society of 
Lincoln’s Inn: containing the Forms of Admission, keeping Terms, performing Exercises, 
_ Call to the Bar, Admission to Chambers, of leaving the Society, Sc. 
Lane, Steward. 8vo. pp. 96. 
THE society of Lincoln’s inn has 
long been celebrated for the antiquity 
of the foundation and the eminence of 
its professors ; exclusive of the interest 
excited by magnificent buildings and 
large domains, disposed with the greatest 
effect. Indeed the importance of the 
inns of court throughout London, has 
frequently excited the attention of au- 
thors. Our excellent antiquary, Sir 
William Dugdale, followed the indefa- 
tigabie Stowe in his researches, but as 
the diffusion of knowledge was infinite- 
ly greater in the time of Sir William, 
he Rita more would be required than 
‘2 mere repetition from his predecessor, 
and therefore commenced his Origines 
Juridiciales, which was published in folio, 
1666. ‘This work goes to the very 
spring-head of law, and from that head 
he has followed the course of the stream 
‘am all its meanders, till he accomplish- 
ed a beautiful plan, which has been 
found so correct and excellent that 
all his successors in the pursuit have 
adopted it as an unerring guide. Every 
ublication treating of London, silent- 
y acknowledges this fact, discerned 
. throughout all the. veils afforded by the 
transposition of words. His information 
may be perceived lurking im “ The 
History and Antiquities of the Inns of 
Court,” 8vo0. 1780; and Ireland’s *¢ Pic- 
_turesque Views, with an Historical Ac- 
count of the Inns of Court in London 
and Westminster,” large 8vo. 1800, 
‘contains whole pages extracted from the 
Origines Juridiciales. 
‘the object of My. Lane was far dif- 
‘ferent; he perceived, from his official 
Bituation, that many inconven‘enciss 
By Tuomas 
arose from ignorance of the prelimi- 
nary steps in applying for admission to 
the society, and ascertaining the precise 
duties required from its members. The 
rules were certainly before the public in 
a variety of publications, but in every 
instance encumbered by matter totally 
irrelevant : his little work was compiled, 
therefore, to bring into one view all that 
the student should know; and this he 
appears to have done concisely and 
clearly, as the following extracts and 
analysis of the contents will shew : 
‘© In the arrangement of the following in- 
formation for students, its utility only” has 
been consulted. j 
‘© Had the work required superior intel- 
ligence, or profound ingenuity, the writer is 
too conscious of his own deficiency in either 
to have attempted the task. é ‘ 
“« Indeed, the rules, regulations, and cus- 
toms, here introduced, require only that plain 
language, of which this work consists; nor 
could they be interspersed with anecdote to 
interest, without, in proportion, detracting 
from the main object in view. 
«© At the conclusion will be found a consi- 
derable fist of persons entered-at Lincoln's 
Ion, whose names are illustrious in the page 
of history, or venerable in the volumes of 
jurisprudence. 
“ To detail the signal benefits conferred 
on their country by those eminent. eharac- 
ters, would os far exeeed the writer’s inten- 
tion as it would surpass his humble capacity ; 
but to enumerate ha high stations awarded 
to their talents and viriues, may prove a sti- 
mules to honourable exertion, and awake 
emulation in the mind of the student desi- 
fous of aspiring to similar distinction.” 
Authors so rarely estimate their own 
abilities in this humble way, that we are 
often under the necessity of checking 
