105. ] 
tention and attract the regard of the great 
Jawyer. A minute knowledge of the po- 
litical revolutions and judicial decifions of 
our predeceflars, whether in the more an- 
cient or modern zeras of our government, 
is equally uf-ful and interefting. This 
will include a narrative of all the material 
alterations in the common law, and the 
reafons and exigencics oa which they 
were foucded. 
I would always recommend a diligent 
attendance on the courts of jultice, as by 
that means the practice of them (a cir- 
cumilance of great moment) will be eafly 
and naturally acquired. Befides this, 
a much ftronger impreffion will be made 
on the itatement of the cafe, and the 
pleadings of the counfel, than from a cold 
and uninterefting detail of it in a report. 
But adoveall, a trial at bar, or fpecial ar- 
gument, fhould never be neglected. As 
it is ufual on thefe occafions to take notes, 
a knowledge of fhorf hand will give fuch 
facility to your labour, as to enable you 
to follow the moft rapid fpeaker with cer- 
tainty and precifion. Common place 
books are convenient and ufeful; and as 
they are generally lettered, a reference 
may be had to them ina moment. It is 
ufval to acquire fome infight into real bu- 
finefs, under an eminent {pecial pleader, 
previeus to actual practice at the bar: 
this idea I beg leave fttrongly to fecond, 
¢ 
es 
Proceedings of learned Societies. 141 
and indeed I have known but few great 
men who have not pofleffed this advan- 
tage. I here fubjoin a litt of books ne- 
ceflary for your perufal and infraction, 
to which I have added fome remarks ; 
and wifhing that you may add to a fuc- 
cefsful practice th-t integrity which can 
alone make you worthy of it, 
I remain, &c. &c. 
Joun DUNNING. 
N.B.Read Hume’sHiftory of England parti- 
cularly obferving the rife, progrefs,and declen~ 
fion of the feudal fyftem. Minutely attend 
to the Saxon government that preceded it, 
and dwell on the reigns of Edward I. Henry 
Vi. Henry Vil-| (Renry sVilke. James Fr. 
Charles I. Charles II. and James IT, 
Blackftone. On the fecond reading turn 
to the references. 
Mr. Juftice Wright’s learned Treatife on 
Tenures. 
Coke’s Littleton, efpecially every word of 
Fee-fimple, Fee-tail, and Tenant in Tail. 
Coke’s In{titutes ; more particularly the 
ift and 2d; and Serjeant Hawkin’s Com- 
pendium. 
Coke’s Reports. Plowden’s Commentary. 
Bacon’s Abridgement; and Firft Principles of 
Equity. Pigott on Fines. Reports of Croke, 
Burrow, Raymond, Saunders, Strange. and 
Peere Williams. Paley’s Maxims. Lord Ba- 
con’s Elements of the Common Law. 
Lincola’s Inn, March 35 1779. 
PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
SE 
ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
F the nine papers prefented to this 
learned body, and which they have 
thought deferving of publication, fix are 
connected with the {cience of Chemiftry.— 
The others are as follow :—one on Ma- 
thematics, by Mr. Woodhoufe ; another, 
on Natural Hiftory, by Dr. Ruffell ; and a 
third, by Dr. Herfchel, on the Changes 
of Situation of Double Stars. . 
CHEMISTRY. 
From Mr. HarcuHet’s Account of Ana- 
lytical Experiments and Obfervations on 
Lac, we Jearn, thit the period of its intro- 
duétion into Europe cannot be afcertain- 
ed, and that the natives of India have 
Jong employed it for various purpofs, ex- 
clufive of thofe which caufe it to be in 
requeft with Europeans. The Hinits 
diffolve fhell.lac in water, by the mere 
addition of a little borax, and the folution, 
being then mixed with ivory-black, or 
MONTHLY Mac, No.126. 
lamp-black, is employed by them for 
ink. The knowledge of this faét led Mr. 
Hatchet to make the experiments now to 
be briefly noticed. 
From the natural hiftory of lac, we find 
that it is thenidus, or comb, of the infect 
called coccus, or chermes lacca, depofited 
on branches of certain fpecies of the mi- 
mofa, and other plants. It is diftinguifh- 
ed into four kinds, of which, however, 
only three are commonly known in com- 
merce, viz. the ftick-lac, feed-lac, and 
fhell-lac. The difference of thefe from 
the Jump-lac is, 1. That the ftick-lse is 
the comb in its natural ftate, incrufting 
{mali branches or twigs ; 2. Se-d-lic is 
faid to be the above feparated from the 
twigs, and reduced into {mall fragments 5 
3. Lump-Jac is formed from feed-lacs 
and made into cakes; and, 4. Shell-laciz 
prepared from the cells, liquified, ftrained, 
and formed into thin tranfparent lamina. 
The beft ftick-lac is of a deen red colour ; 
| * ieee ~~ fOr, 
pg re a 
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