INTERNATIONAL LAW has also serious claims upon the student's attention.-" The law of nations," says Blackstone," in the course of a concise and comprehensive sketch of this branch of jurisprudence, " is a system of rules deducible by natural reason, and established by universal consent, among the civilised inhabitants of the world; in order to decide all disputes, to regulate all ceremonies and civilities, and to ensure the observance of justice and good faith in that intercourse which must frequently occur between two or more independent states, and the individuals belonging to each. This general law is founded on the principle—that different nations ought, in time of peace, to do one another all the good they can; and, in time of war, as little harm as possible, without injury to their own real interests. And as none of these states will allow a superiority in the other, therefore neither can dictate or prescribe the rules of this law to the rest; but such rules must necessarily result from those principles of natural justice, in which all the learned of every nation agree; or they depend upon mutual compacts or treaties between the respective communities; in the construction of which there is also no judge to resort to, but the law of nature and reason, being the only one in which all the contracting parties are equally conversant, and to which they are equally subject *.

4 Bla. Com. 66, 67. See, also, the instructive judgment of Sir William Scott (now Lord Stowell), in the case of the ship Flad Oyen,

Sir James Mackintosh's "Discourse on the Study of the Law of Nature and Nations," will give the reader a very elegant and comprehensive sketch of the subject, and of the respective characters and pretensions of the leading writers upon it.-Puffendorf, Grotius, Wolf, Vattel, Heineccius, and Burlamaqui. Vattel, the abridger of Wolf, has been very recently edited, with considerable care and ability, by Mr. Chitty, and will certainly prove a useful addition to the student's library. The notes, which are very copious, will serve to show him the practical connexion between the international and our own common law;—and the whole work is calculated to give him correct and enlarged views of one of the most important departments of jurisprudence.

SECTION XIV.

AGE OF BEING CALLED TO THE BAR.

CERTAIN writers have very confidently named the particular ages which are most suitable for a man to be called to the bar: the author is, however, of opinion, that the only considerations proper to determine this very important point are, the student's

1 Robs. Rep. 115;-and the valuable note of Mr. Chitty to his edition of Vattel, pp. liii. lvi (1), where will be found collected the various authorities on the subject.

* See Raithby's Letters.-Lett. xxxv.

attainments, and the probabilities he may have of securing permanent employment. Let any one go into any of the courts, and after casting his eye over the fearful throng of the unemployed-the "great briefless "--judge of the extent to which such considerations have been disregarded, and the unfortunate result. He sees some three or four hundred young men, all of whom went to the bar filled with eager hopes of success, yet who never are, and probably never will be, employed to the amount of twenty pounds a year! How many of these might have secured to themselves a respectable business, had they been contented to "bide their time" under the bar,-acquiring, either as students, sound learning, or, as practising pleaders, employment, experience, and connexion! In the present fierce competition for business, when almost every attorney has either a son, other relative, or a friend at the bar, what madness is it for young men, not so favoured— possessing, neither, the requisite ability to rush into court the moment they are legally qualified to appear there! How absurd to complain of the want of employment! How dreary the prospect before them!-Supposing, even, that some lucky accident should bring such a man business-should give him an opportunity of showing himself, and so of securing further employment-but that he proves utterly unequal to the occasion sudden"—and consequently exhibits a lamentable specimen of incompetence! His

fate is sealed. But by going early to the bar, a man "gains standing."' Granted-that at length he is entitled to lead every man in court; but what if he is never called upon to do so! If a man is possessed of an independent fortune, and chooses to be called early to the bar, and frequent the courts, and go the circuits, for the purpose of learning his profession, and is not anxious for immediate employment-well and good; but for those otherwise situated-who expect early to gain a livelihood by their professional exertions and yet are destitute both of connexions and learning, is short-sighted indeed. It should be remembered that it is a very expensive thing to be called to the bar. Think, for instance, of the cost of going circuit !-Whereas, if a man of limited means would but content himself with chamber practice for a few years, he might live at very little cost, perfect himself in professional knowledge, obtain, probably, a pupil or two, together with business, and be followed at length by his clients, to the bar. What if he should by that time have reached his twentyeighth, thirtieth, or even thirty-second year! He will soon outstrip those who are in mere 'standing' twenty years his seniors. This is the course that has been taken by very many who are now among the most distinguished and successful members of the legal profession: the other-a premature call-is one which the author has heard very many bitterly regret having adopted. Moniti meliora sequamur!

475

CHAPTER XIII.

HINTS ON THE EDUCATION OF ATTORNEYS AND SOLICITORS.

VERY various, honourable, arduous, and responsible, are the duties of an attorney and solicitor *. Generally speaking, he is required to possess a competent practical acquaintance with every department of the profession; to advise a client on the most important and embarrassing occasions-often at a moment's notice; to decide and act in very difficult

There is occasionally exhibited, by junior practitioners, an unaccountable preference for the appellation of solicitor' over that of attorney'—as if the one implied a higher degree of respectability than the other. "It is a vulgar error," says Mr. Chitty, "that the term solicitor is more honourable than, or superior to, that of attorney. Lord Tenterden repeatedly animadverted upon the absurdity of using the former term, or name, when applied to any one conducting an action, or other proceedings in courts of law. There is no distinction in the degree of respectability, any more than there is between barristers practising in one court or the other."-2 Gen. Prac. p. 2 (c), 2nd ed.