Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 16.pdf/896

 Rh For the American lawyer. Part III., which discusses "Matrimonial Institutions in the United States," is naturally, of most iii'inediate interest. Marriage laws and cus toms in the New England Colonies, in the Colonies of the South, and in the Middle Colonies, are treated in separate chapters, and a further chapter is devoted to "Divorce in the American Colonies.'' The last chap ter in Volume II. gives the history of "Mar riage Legislation in the United States, 17761903,'' while the first chapter of Volume III. is devoted to "Divorce Legislation in the United States'' during the same century and a quarter. What has gone before leads up to a valuable study of the "Problems of Marriage and the Family," which is the concluding chapter of the work. For the student the exhaustive "Biograph ical Index," filling one hundred and forty pages, will prove of great value, while to the lawyer the "Case Index." of some five hundred cases (in addition to one hundred and forty-seven Massachusetts cases of di vorce and annulment tabulated elsewhere, in Volume IL), is of importance. As might be expected in a work so thorough and scholarly, the Index is full and satisfactory. TRIBAL CUSTOM IN ANGLO-SAXON LAW. By Frederick Scebohm. London: Longmans, Green, and Company. 1902. Cloth. (xvi-(538 pp.) This volume is the third essay in a trilogy, the two earlier essays dealing with "The English Village Community" and "The Tri bal System in Wales.'' "The object of this third essay (to quote the author), is to ap proach Anglo-Saxon laws from the point of view of tribal custom." Three introductory chapters deal with "The Currency in which Wergelds were Reckoned and Paid," with Cymric tribal customs, and tribal usage re garding the blood feud as shown by passages from Beowulf. Then follow studies of tribal customs among Irish tribes, among the Franks, among the tribes conquered by Charlemagne, under the oldest Scandina vian laws, and in Scotland. This brings the reader to an interesting chapter on "Еяг1у Anglo-Saxon Custom," while valuable light

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is thrown on the main subject of the essay by three short chapters on Anglo-Saxon cus tom, from the Norman, Danish, and Viking points of view, respectively. The final chap ter deals with "The Laws of the Kentish Kings." This brief outline gives an idea of the thoroughness with which the subject in hand is treated. THE SILENT TRADE. A Contribution to the Early History of Human Intercourse. By P. J. Hamilton Grierson. Edinburgh: Wil liam Green and Sons. 1903. Cloth. (x+ 112 pp.) This little book is an interesting study of one of the earliest forms of exchange, the Silent Trade, and of the outgrowth of that, the Primitive Market. An introductory chapter presents the characteristics of primi tive society which have a bearing on the main subject of inquiry, and another chap ter is given to the consideration of Primitive Hospitality. ESSAYS IN LEGAL ETHICS. By George W. Warvelle. Chicago: Callaghan and Com pany. 1902. Cloth, (xiii+234 pp.) The subject of Legal Ethics is approached by Mr. Warvelle in a common-sense, practical spirit, mindful all the time of the best traditions of the profession. His moderate and sensible treatment of the question of contingent fees is a good example of the tone of the whole book. We commend these essays to the attention of every young attornev. OFFICE BOY'S DIGEST. Selected and com piled by The Office Boy. With an intro duction by B. A. Milburn. Charlottesville, Va.: The Michie Company. 1904. Buck ram. (vii+319 pp.) The American, English and Canadian Reports have been gutted by the compiler for the good things which go to make up the gayety of the law. Much interesting law and much valuable information may be learned from this Digest; for example, "A bankrupt's wife is not property belonging to his estate in bankruptcy;" "adultery is the highest invasion of property;" "courts