The number of volumes in the year 1738 amounted to 3982, in most branches of literature; but more especially in law and parliamentary affairs; and as it is continually encreasing, by the benefactions of authors and others, it will probably become a numerous, and very valuable collection.
This library is duly kept open (except in the dead time of the long vacation) from ten in the morning till one in the afternoon, and from two in the afternoon till six in summer, and four in winter.
The Inner Temple is situated to the east of Middle Temple gate, and has a cloister, a larger garden, and more spacious walks than the other. This society consists of benchers, barristers and students; the former of whom, as governors at commons have their table at the upper end of the hall, and the barristers and students in the middle. Anciently at these entertainments their bread served instead of plates, and they had no other drinking vessels than wooden cups; but at present they are allowed trenchers for their meat, and coarse green earthen pots for their liquor. However, though the antient custom of using mean vessels still prevails, yet there are few who fare better.
All the members of the society who have chambers, are obliged to be in commons a fortnight every term, for which they pay about 10s. a week. Sixteen of these terms, with a regular course of study, qualifies a student for the bar.
Upon the admission of a member, the fees of the house are 3l. 6s. 8d. which, with other disbursements, amount to 4l. 2d.
The parliament, wherein the affairs of the society are treated is commonly held twice every term.
The officers and servants of the house are, a treasurer, a sub-treasurer, a steward, a chief and three under butlers, an upper and under cook, a pannierman, a gardener, two porters, and two wash pots.
The Middle Temple, which joins to the Inner Temple on the west, is thus denominated from its having been the middle or central part of the antient Temple or Priory of knights Templars. The chief officer of this house, like that of its neighbour, is a treasurer, who is annually elected from among the benchers, and whose office is to admit students; to assign them their chambers, and to receive and pay all the cash belonging to the society.
The officers and governors of this inn, are in all respects like that of the Inner Temple, except the charge of admission, which is 5l. and the time to qualify a student for the bar, instead of sixteen terms in that, is twenty-eight in this.
The print exhibits the entrance of the Middle Temple, which is elegant, together with the east side of Temple Bar, as it appears from the end of Chancery lane in Fleet street, the situation of the Temple along the side of the river is very fine, yet nothing can be more void of harmony or decoration than the buildings of which it is composed, owing chiefly to the division and subdivision of property, which renders regularity next to impossible. The thing most worthy of notice in the Temple is the old church which belonged to the knights Templars of Jerusalem. You enter it through a circular tower of Saxon architecture in which are buried some Knights Templars, whose figures lying on the ground are preserved by iron rails. The church is purely Gothic, and it is great pity that the altar, pulpit, organ, gallery, &c. had not been kept in the same stile of architecture. This would have made it as regular though not so rich, as the chapel of Henry the seventh.