Palace and Hovel; Or, Phases of London Life

by Daniel Joseph Kirwan

The new hall of Lincoln's Inn, just completed and equal to anything in England, is situated on the site of the old hall, between Middle Temple Cloister and Crown Office-row. It is of the Perpendicular Gothic style, faced externally with Portland stone and internally with Bath. The building projects towards the gardens 14 feet more than the old hall, which measured 70 feet by 29 feet; the new hall being 93 feet by 41 feet. Its floor above the pavement-level, and the basement is occupied by the various offices required for the officials. In rebuilding their hall, the "Benchers" have availed themselves of the opportunity to extend and improve the domestic offices; to provide commodious robing-rooms, and lavatories for the use of members and of students and to obtain better clerks' offices.

New offices have also been built for the treasurer, and the Parliament Chamber has been increased in size. The interior of the hall is panelled, to the height of nine feet, with a very handsome wainscot dado; the panels with cinquefoil cusp heads, surmounted by an embattled cornice—a magnificent specimen of joiner's work. The Parliament Chamber, attached to the hall eastward, has been considerably altered and improved—this is what may be called the drawing-room attached to the hall, where the "Benchers" retire for dessert. The kitchen is attached at the west end, and fitted up with the latest modern appliances. The hall is to be heated with hot water and lighted with sun-burners, and very handsome ornamental gas-brackets have also been introduced on the side walls.

Lincoln's Inn occupied the site of the Convent of Blackfriars, which was built by Lacy, Earl of Lincoln. Among the famous students of the Middle Temple, were Edmund Burke, Bulstrode Whitelocke, Wycherley and Congreve, Sir William Blackstone, Lord Chancellors Eldon and Stowell, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and Oliver Goldsmith.

The number of students in the reign of Henry VI. were: Four Inns of Court, each 200—800; ten Inns of Chancery, each 100—1000; total 1800. To-day there are in the four Inns of Court alone, 4500 students.

In Gray's Inn lived Dr. Rawlinson, "Tom Folio" of the "Tatler," who stuffed four chambers so full of books that he was compelled to sleep in the passage.

How to become a lawyer is the only science studied in the Inns of Court, and the manner of doing it is as I shall describe. The four Inns of Court, viz.: the Middle and Inner Temples, Lincoln's Inn, and Gray's Inn, have exclusively the power of conferring the degree of Barrister-at-Law, requsite for practising as an advocate or counsel in the superior courts. Lincoln's Inn is generally preferred by students who contemplate the Equity Bar; it being the locality of Equity Counsel and Conveyancers, and of Equity Courts or Courts of Chancery. If the student design to practise the common law, either immediately as an advocate at Westminster, the assizes, and sessions, or as a special pleader (a learned person who, having kept his terms, is allowed to draw legal forms and pleadings, though not actually at the bar), his choice lies usually between the Inner Temple, the Middle Temple, and Gray's Inn, though he may adopt Lincoln's Inn. The Inner Temple, from its formerly insisting on a classical examination before admission, became more exclusive than the Middle Temple or Gray's Inn. Gray's Inn is numerously attended by Irish students, and has produced some of the greatest luminaries at the Irish Bar, including Daniel O'Connell.

To procure admission to either of these Inns, the student must obtain the certificate of two barristers, coupled in the Middle Temple with that of a Bencher, to the effect that the applicant is a fit person to be received into the Inn, for the purpose of being called to the Bar. Once admitted, the student has the use of the library, and is entitled to a seat in the church or chapel of the Inn, and to have his name set down for chambers.

"DINNER IN HALL"

He is then required to keep "commons," by dining in the hall for twelve terms (four terms occur each year), on commencing which, he must deposit with the treasurer £100, to be retained with interest until he is "called"; but members of the Universities are exempt from this deposit. The student must also sign a bond with sureties for the payment of his commons and term-fees. In all the Inns no person can be called unless he is above twenty-one years of age and of three years' standing as a student. The "call" is made by the Benchers in council; after which the student becomes a barrister, and takes the usual oath at Westminster. In certain Inns, however, the student must, before his call, attend certain lectures, which are a revival of the old readings, without their festivities.

To witness one of the "Hall Dinners" is enough to bring back the days of chivalry to one's mind. There is the lofty, grand Gothic roof, the long tables, the grace before meat, which is offered by the "Reader," the magnificent windows of stained glass, which project a thousand varied hues on the faces of the students, and the grave features of the Benchers who sit aloft on the dais.