easy about the boy, for I believed him well taken care of, as my husband had told me eight months ago. I was passing before the Palais de Justice, and the idea entered my head to come in; the gendarme at the entrance tried to prevent me. I do not know why I persisted, but I did persist, and at last I got in; I had scarcely done so when I heard my own name called. As it is not a very common one. I looked to see who was the accused, and I saw my own child, whom I believed to have been at Caen. Judge, then, what I felt." The president, using his discretionary power, says "Well, the boy has done no great harm; he is merely accused of having begged. Do you formally demand him back?" "Of course I do," cries the mother, and upon this the court acquits the prisoner radically and absolutely, and orders that he be then and there restored to his mother.

But, be it observed, this is all an affair of the merest chance! and we agree with M. Vingtrinier, that the above case deserves to be brought prominently forward, because it proves by how slight a thread hangs the fate of a child in France, and how many real offences are not punishable by law. Let us just suppose that the juvenile culprit's mother had not been tempted to enter the Palais de Justice upon that particular day, and at that one particular moment. It would have remained an averred fact that the boy Lethéo was the child of a widower, who, not being easily to be found, was not found at all (the law insisting in no way upon his presence in court); and the unfortunate child Lethéo would have been "acquitted and detained" for eight or ten years in a penitentiary establishment. Besides this, see what impunity, if we refrain from saying encouragement, is held out in some cases to positive crime; for what can be more criminal in this case than the conduct of the father? Yet, for such misdemeanours, entailing such consequences, the law in France has not even a reprimand nor a penalty to inflict.

[To be concluded in our next No.]

ART. IV.-LETTER FROM THE REGIUS PROFESSOR OF LAWS AT CAMBRIDGE.

ON LEGAL STUDIES IN THE UNIVERSITY.1

To the Editor of the Law Magazine and Review.

DEAR SIR,-Knowing the interest taken by the "Law Magazine and Review" in all matters connected with Legal Education, and, being fully aware of its zeal in advocating Law Reform, I venture to lay before its readers the changes that have been proposed by the Board of Legal Studies in the University of Cambridge, and sanctioned by the Senate.

Two years ago, the importance of a sound elementary training in the principles of law was recognised by the University, in accordance with the views thereon propounded by the Royal Commission, appointed in 1852 to consider the state, discipline, studies, and revenues of our University and Colleges; and, in unison with the spirit of their report, a scheme was drawn up and accepted by the Senate, by which the following points were established:

1. A Board of Legal Studies, consisting of the Regius Professor of Laws, the Professors of Modern History, English Law, and Moral Philosophy, and the three Examiners for the degree of Bachelor of Laws, has been constituted, to consult on all matters relating to Law Studies and Legal Examinations in the University.

2. Power was given to the Board to draw up a scheme of examination, comprising the Roman Law, Law of England, International Law, and Constitutional History.

3. The Examiners are to be the Regius Professor of Laws,

1 It is with much pleasure that we place before our readers the following Letter, together with the Programme of subjects for examination appended to it, which shew how satisfactorily, and in how liberal a spirit the study of the law, as well as of collateral branches of learning akin to it, will henceforth be prosecuted on the banks of Cam. At Oxford, likewise, as we are informed, a scheme for legal studies is under consideration.

VOL. II. NO. IV.

E

and three other members of the Senate, who must necessarily be non-residents, and barristers practising in London.1

4. An Honour tripos and a class of ordinary degrees have been established.

In accordance with these instructions, the Board of Legal Studies has prepared the following scheme, and announced the enclosed subjects for the first examination in January, 1858, reserving to themselves the power of changing the subjects each year.

As regards this part of the scheme, I need only dwell briefly on the fact, that all our instruction, whether in lectures or through the medium of examinations, must necessarily be elementary; and that the good we hope to do to students in law, whether they purpose to pursue systematically the practice of the law, or whether they may but incidentally be called upon to deal with it as county magistrates, or otherwise, is by teaching the principles of the science, and thus enabling them to pursue more easily that practical development of its details which can be acquired only at the hands of professional teachers.

In the Roman Law, however, something more than a mere elementary learning may be given here; for the class of students who come to this place for instruction, and the examinations in vogue, are favourable to its study. Hence we have had no hesitation in prescribing the Institutes of Gaius and Justinian, and certain portions of the Digest; while a particular book of Quintilian, de Instit. Orat. Lib. vii., has been selected because of its value in connection with the leading principles of the Law of Evidence. On the subject of Constitutional History I do not dwell. Its importance to a lawyer is unquestioned; and, of all authors who have written on the subject, we believe that few can compete with Mr. Hallam for honesty of purpose, impartiality, research, and genuine good sense. With Hallam we shall prescribe the study of such of the state trials as may illustrate general points connected with the development of the constitution of the country, or with the law of evidence. In the English Law branch, as a standard authority we have chosen Stephen's

1 This is a valuable innovation in our Examinations, as it will connect us directly with the outer world,

Blackstone, because we know of no better guide for a student as a book of general reference. From time to time, moreover, we propose to select some special branch of our laws for more particular attention, as in the present instance :-the various kinds of estates, and the general principles contained in the law of succession by will, as explained in Joshua Williams' Treatise on Real Property.

On the subject of International Law, we consider that "Wheaton" contains, in the simplest and most readable form, the maxims of that branch of legal science. I have sketched very hastily our plan, and lay it before your readers in the hope that it may be freely criticised, and that any suggestions for its improvement that may occur to those who take an interest in the matter of legal education, will be sent to us.

I need scarcely add, that the Professors who form the Board of Legal Studies will, each in his own department, lecture fully on such subjects as, in his opinion, may require explanation.I am, dear Sir, yours, &c.,

J. T. ABDY,

Regius Professor of Laws in the
University of Cambridge.

P.S.-Subjoined are the Regulations for the Examination for the Degree of Bachelor of Laws.

THAT in the year 1858, and in all subsequent years, every candidate for the Degree of Bachelor of Laws should be required to pass an examination, established according to the following plan:

1. That there shall be an examination in every year, commencing on the Tuesday preceding January 13, and open to all students who have passed the previous examination, and have kept eight Terms at least, exclusive of the Term of admission.

2. That the subjects of examination shall be portions of the Roman Civil Law, the Constitutional and General Law of England, International Law, and General Jurisprudence; and

that the examination shall be conducted according to a scheme formed by the Board of Legal Studies, and approved by the Senate.

3. That the Examiners shall be the Regius Professor of Laws, and three other Members of the Senate nominated by the Board of Legal Studies, and elected by Grace before the division of Michaelmas Term in every year; and if the Regius Professor of Laws shall be prevented from examining in any year, a deputy to examine in his stead shall be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor, and elected by the Senate.

4. That the names of those Students who pass the examination with credit shall be placed according to merit in three Honour classes; and the names of those who pass the examination to the satisfaction of the examiners, yet not so as to deserve Honours, shall be placed alphabetically in a fourth class.

5. That no person shall have his name placed in any of the Honour classes if more than ten Terms have passed after his first term of residence, unless he has obtained permission to be a candidate for Honours from the syndicate appointed to examine into the cases of applicants for permission to become candidates for Honours after they have degraded.

6. That there shall be one additional examination in every year, commencing on the Tuesday preceding the division of the Easter Term, and open to all students who have passed the previous examination, and have kept eight Terms at least, exclusive of the Term of admission; the subjects of examination being the same as in the preceding Lent Term, and the examination being conducted by the same examiners, according to a scheme. formed by the Board of Legal Studies, and approved by the Senate.

7. That the names of those students who pass the examination in the Easter Term shall be arranged alphabetically in one class.