The Merry Tales of the Three Wise Men of Gotham (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1835 Excerpt: ...favour." " Pish --Judicandum est legibus non exemplis," quoth trumpet--" Caius, Ulpian, Tribonian." " St. Thomas Aquinas." " The French judges on our side." " The English judges on ours." " Do unto others as you would they should do unto you." "That's not law." " No, but its gospel." " The opposite counsel must be hard run for law, your honours, when he is obliged to resort to gospel." " Omne actum ab agentis intentione est Judicandum," said our side. " Caveat Emptor " answered the brazen trumpet. This did our business--at that awful annunciation my counsel was struck dumb, and word spake never more--the judge nodded approbation--Caveat emptor carried the day--the jury gave a verdict in favour of the jockey, and my horse, being thus legally reinstated in the possession of his eye and his wind, was left on my hands as an excellent purchase. I must acknowledge this decision a little undermined my faith in the common law, as, in addition to a bad horse on my hands, I had a bill of costs to pay besides. However, impressions of long growth and standing are not worn away at once. To be sure, law was, I found, rather an expensive article. But, after all, it is the price that constitutes the value of a thing in the common estimation, and it is doubtful whether the ignorant would not come to despise the law if they could get it for nothing. Upon the whole, I continued to cherish a profound devotion for the perfection of reason. This devotion was, however, destined to receive another shock, in consequence of a very trifling affair, which, however, cost me no small expense and vexation. It happened that one day, being in immediate want, I called in at a s...