would be prudent in him to commence proceedings against the defendant. This 'opinion' will be read by all the pupils who are disposed to take the trouble to do so, and some of them-notably the long Scotchman-will take a full note of it.

Howler v. Growler being thus disposed of, Thompson v. Jones next claims Mr. Page's attention. This, however, is simply a brief 'to show cause against a rule being made absolute for a new trial,' and as he has a 'leader' in it, and as, moreover, it is not likely to come on for hearing for a few days Mr. Page throws it aside.

In Harrison v. the Great Loamshire Railway Co., Mr. Page is junior counsel for the defendants. This is a heavy case with a lot of 'paper' (as barristers say) to be read through in it. The case is, however, to be tried before a special jury, and consequently will not be heard till the end of the present term. Mr. Page, therefore, commands his clerk to take it to the pupil's room, and allow those young gentlemen to improve their minds by reading it.

Jack v. Jill is an argument on a 'demurrer '-in other words, upon a purely legal point-and Mr. Page's brief says that he is 'to take notes' of the arguments which his leader, Mr. Ferret, will use. Should Mr. Ferret, however, fail to appear, Mr.

Page will, of course, have to argue the case himself. In this 'demurrer,' moreover, there is a pet 'point' to be decided, which Mr. Page has himself 'raised,' and he therefore puts the brief on the right-hand side of his desk—that being a sign and token to himself, that he means to read Jack v. Jill carefully at the first opportunity.

In Jones v. Smith Mr. Page has 'to draw points.' The mystery of these 'points' I shall not attempt to explain to the general reader, but shall content myself with observing, that the task of drawing good 'points' is a very delicate one.

In Blackman v. Softman Mr. Page has received instructions to draw the 'declaration' for the plaintiff, and in Green v. Smith his duty is to draw the 'pleas' 1 for the defendant. As a matter of fact, all the 'declarations' and 'pleas' which are drawn in Mr. Page's chambers, are first written by Mr. Page's

1

I had, perhaps, better state here what a 'declaration' and what a 'plea' are. In every action brought in the common law courts the plaintiff is obliged to file a 'declaration'-in other words, to state briefly what is the injury of which he complains and for the redress of which he is bringing the action. Within a certain time the defendant is bound to file his 'pleas' in answer to the plaintiff's 'declaration '—in other words, to state briefly what is his defence to the plaintiff's action. Usually the plaintiff next files a 'replication,' denying the truth of the defendant's allegations. The parties are then said to have joined issue,' and the case can at once be set down for hearing.

pupils, but then they have of course to be 'settled' by Mr. Page himself, before they are suffered to go out of his chambers. This 'settling' process is often a very tedious one to Mr. Page, and wearies him more than if he had drawn the 'declaration' or 'plea' from the very beginning, for himself. Each pupil in chambers draws his 'declarations' and 'pleas' upon what is called draft paper. He is instructed always to leave an interval of about an inch or an inch and a half, between each line of his writing, so that Mr. Page can afterwards correct and interline, and re-interline with ease in the spaces left by the pupil for that purpose. Very often, if the pleading has been badly drawn by the pupil, Mr. Page alters it to such an extent, that when it is finally 'settled' by him, there is not a single word of the pupil's original draft left! The art of framing a good 'declaration,' and also of drawing good 'pleas,' is a very intricate one. It is, however, so technical in its character, that it is impossible for me to give the reader any idea of the skill and ability which are frequently displayed by Mr. Page in 'settling' the 'declarations' and 'pleas' which are sent out of his chambers.

In Robson v. the Corporation of Greenpool, Mr. Page has to draw the case on appeal from the Court of Admiralty to the Judicial Committee of

the Privy Council, and he has to state therein the 'reasons' which have led to the appeal being brought. That to do this well is a task of some difficulty, will I think be readily apparent, even to the lay-reader.

Two or three other bundles of papers still remain to claim our attention. In Slowman v. Fastman

Mr. Page has to draw interrogatories, i.e. written queries which are to be answered by the defendant in writing prior to the trial. In Benjamin v. Solomon Mr. Page has to advise on evidence-in other words, he has to tell his client what witnesses it will be desirable for him to call to give evidence at the trial of his case before the jury at the next Greenpool Assizes. This is work which-it will be readily understood even by the general reader-calls for the exercise of both foresight and judgment upon Mr. Page's part.

The last bundle of papers which we take up is that marked Jackson v. Johnson. In this case Mr. Page has to attend a summons at chambers to administer interrogatories to the defendants. I have already explained that interrogatories are written questions which can be put by either of the parties to the other before the trial of the case in which they are antagonists. Now it must be obvious that it would never do to allow the parties

to an action to catechise each other at will before their case comes on for hearing, because if they were permitted to do so, the defendant might by putting fishing' interrogatories to the plaintiff, find out what the plaintiff's case was, and thereby be enabled to shape his own case to meet it. Before, therefore, interrogatories can be delivered by either party to the other, a judge's order to administer them must be obtained.

For the purpose of granting these orders, and also for other objects which I need not particularise, one of the Judges attends daily at Judge's chambers in Rolls Court, from twelve till four o'clock. A curious scene is that witnessed between these hours at Judge's chambers. Let us accompany Mr. Page there to-day, and see it for ourselves. We know that Mr. Page's 'instructions,' in the case of Jackson v. Johnson, are to attend at Judge's chambers to obtain leave to administer interrogatories to the defendant. As Mr. Page thinks that there may possibly be some objection made to one of the interrogatories which he has prepared,, he puts a volume of the 'Law Journal,' in which a case in point is reported, under his arm, crosses Fleet Street, and speedily finds himself in the anteroom to that in which Mr. Baron Bounderby (who chances to be the judge at chambers to-day) is sitting.