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 The

Editor's

AS TO THE FUTURE AS the Green Bag, now in its twentyfirst year, leaves its parental abode to begin a new and independent existence, it desires to make its grati tude for the good-will already discov ered in many quarters a matter of rec ord. It hopes that it may be so guided and governed in future as to merit the continued support of those contributors and readers, whether famous or in famous, who have had an active share in building up its fame (or obscurity), and whom the editor blesses for their helpful (or misdirected) zeal. The plans of the Green Bag for the future contemplate no radical change of policy. The bag has its own dis tinctive and capacious interior, which is roomy enough to contain many pos sibilities as yet untried. Its lining must not be soiled with anything which fails to approach a high standard of legal and literary excellence, or which seeks other ends than the progressive welfare of the community and the pro fession. By adhering to this principle, and by offering its readers, if encouraged, more for the subscription price than they have been receiving, it hopes to develop its circulation to extend into all countries where the English lan guage is read—it already has sub scribers in New Zealand and India— and to conquer a field of enlarged influence and usefulness. Twenty years ago the Green Bag was started to meet a want then perceived to exist, of a legal magazine fulfilling a

Bag

function intermediate between that of the learned reviews on the one hand, and the law newspapers or journals on the other. In its earlier days it styled itself "A useless but entertaining mag azine for lawyers," and we have heard of one extremely busy practitioner who wishes that this sub-title might be re stored, as he looks to the Green Bag for relaxation from the cares of profes sional toil. We have not seen fit to act on the suggestion, because of our con viction that a law magazine can be at the same time entertaining and useful. But the point that the Green Bag finds its raison d'etre in the demand for a periodical devoted to the lighter side of the law is ever to be kept clearly in view as the central feature of its policy. There exists an unlimited reservoir of anecdotes and curiosa, and biographical and humorous miscellany, upon which this publication can draw as can no other in like degree for material ap propriate to its pages. Innumerable are the topics upon which lighter dis quisitions may be written by persons keenly alive to the multifarious charm of the law in its complicated relation ships with every department of life, art, morals, and history. The aim of the Green Bag is to be interesting first of all, and to furnish that unique species of recreation to be found only in the sphere of the law—that sphere with which no other compares in univer sality of content, sharpness of wit, and breadth of human sympathy. At the same time, the province of the Green Bag impinges upon two others,