Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 12.pdf/547

 510

gifts of tact, energy, perseverance and a wide Ah! the future; that alluring period, so knowledge of human nature. Further, they surpassingly enchanting to everybody who must have had excellent constitutions, other has not reached the age of forty. Such is the assembly before me at Blackwise and the theylong would hours have of labor succumbed before to success the worry was stone's Inn on Grand Day of this Trinity even visible in the distance. Many of these Term. men become statesmen, and leave behind "Dinner," shouts the head-porter, who them names never to be forgotten. They stands at the door with his great silverare, in short, gifted, honorable men, whose headed baton in his hand. The use of this promotion, first to the rank of Queen Counsel, badge of office is now apparent, for as soQn as and later to the bench, is a benefit to the com he has enunciated the above-named welcome munity and a delight to their friends, because word, he brings the baton heavily onto the floor three times. Then slowly advancing up the such promotion is always well deserved. hall, he acts as a sort of avant-coureur of a Observable also in the present assembly host which is gradually following him, gentle are several of what may be termed the purely ornamental limbs of the law, who are to be men who walk two and two in procession, found in the Inns of Court and elsewhere. almost with funeral precision and solemnity. This class comprises the gentlemen of leisure As they proceed, the previous loud hum of who, although entitled to the designation of conversation is considerably lulled, and every "barristcr-at-law," make no pretensions to body is standing at his place. These are the any great depth of legal learning, for they have Benchers of the Inn and their guests. The had no experience as practising barristers. proper designation of the former is " Masters Nevertheless, many of them are administrators of the Bench " of the Inn. Each is called of the law as county magistrates. Lawyers "Master" in place of "Mister"; and the are not always good magistrates, and many are chief of their body is the Treasurer, who the mistakes of the English " great unpaid." holds office for one year only. The guests But whatever may be the shortcomings of are invariably persons of recognized position those of whom I am now writing, one thing in the region of law, science, theology, med concerning them is quite evident — they are icine, politics, etc. Occasionally a member the best-looking and the best-dressed men in of the royal family honors the Inn with his the Hall. Watch them greeting old friends presence on Grand Day, and he probably re and replenishing their stock of funny stories quires no invitation, as some of the Queen's for retailing to admiring audiences elsewhere! sons are members of certain Inns. Those Lastly, there are the boys, ranging from who are not are sometimes invited to be the shy students who have only recently present. The Prince of Wales is a Bencher joined the Inn, to the youthful barristers of the Middle Temple, and he dined there on who have just assumed the wig and gown. a certain Grand Day about twenty-five years Some of the latter are engaged in detailing ago. He made a humorous speech, in which to eager and ambitious listeners the glories he reminded his learned friends of the fact surrounding the first brief, while all are a that Chancellor Sir Christopher Hatton little overburdened with the hopefulness opened a ball with Queen Elizabeth in that which is peculiar to barristers who are too very Hall. One result of His Royal Highyoung to have done much waiting for briefs. ness's comic reminder was that upon his next To these youngsters the business of Grand appearance on Grand Day, some ten years Day appears tame in comparison with the later, no speeches were delivered in Hall. The procession moves on, and as many high and substantial honors which they all believe to be in store for them in the future. of the visitors are recognized, the sound of