There seems to be at present a very considerable difference of opinion
among the gentlemen of the Bar as to what may or may not be done by
a barrister. We had some idea of publishing a small hand-book of
_etiquette_ for the exclusive use of the gentlemen of the long robe;
but as what is etiquette to-day may not be etiquette to-morrow, we
feared the work would not possess the permanent utility which alone
would recompense us for the labour of writing it. We have, however,
drawn up a few general rules founded on our own observation as to what
a barrister may do, and what he may not do, consistently with his
professional dignity:--
1st. A barrister may be employed in inducing Members of Parliament
to vote in favour of railway bills; _but_ he may not report for a
newspaper.
2nd. A barrister may practise the “artful dodge” for the purpose of
defeating the ends of justice; _but_ he must not enter an assize town
in an omnibus.
3rd. A barrister may tout for a small judgeship; _but_ he will be very
properly disbarred if he advertises his readiness to plead the cause of
clients.
4th. A barrister may libel a rival candidate for an office in a
“private and confidential” circular; _but_ he must not degrade himself
by asking an attorney to dine with him on the circuit.
5th. A barrister may take a fee when he knows he cannot attend to the
cause; _but_ he may not return the money, for his doing so would be
very unprofessional.
6th, and lastly. A barrister may be a very honourable man; _but_ many
things which professional _etiquette_ allows him to do, would be
thought disgraceful and dishonest among ordinary people.
* * * * *
A DELICATE DISTINCTION.--_Cross-examining Counsel (to fair witness)._
And is your name Aurelia Jessamine Jones?
_Fair Witness (after a pause)._ No, sir; but it ought to have been,
only my god-parents were so ill-chosen.
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[Illustration: MORTMAIN]
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IMPORTANT SUITORS IN CHANCERY.--Having occasion the other day to visit
the Chancery Offices, we discovered an announcement which we are
surprised has not been more generally noticed, and we take no little
credit to ourselves for being the first to give extended publicity to
the important public directions to the unhappy suitors, who may have
been wandering in the Court so many years. The information is contained
in the following short announcement--“THE WAY OUT”--which we can assure
our readers we have copied from an official notice stuck up in that
Court.
* * * * *
AN IMMEDIATE LANDLORD.--One who will not wait for his rent.
[Illustration]
* * * * *
[Illustration: MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF YE ENGLISH IN 1849