THE VANDALISM OF CIVILIZATION. — " THE NEW INN.
IVILIZATION is fast removing ancient, historic landmarks and a charge of vandalism could easily be proved against the authorities in modern London. If a street is too narrow, or traffic congested, at once the order goes forth that the nuisance must be abated. New streets are cut through historic localities and houses which have been famous are ruthlessly torn down. Sen timent has to give way to latter-day material ism, history-makers must give place to modern utilitarians. In London a new street is being made from the Strand to Holborn and among the buildings destroyed is that one dear to the legal heart, known as " New Inn." The New Inn retained, to the very last, its ancient customs. Every night from ten to sunrise, modified in the last few years to the hours of ten P.M. to one A.M., the watchman, dressed in the old-fashioned style, called out the hours, concluding with the words " All's well." The Inns of Chancery differ from the Inns of Court, for while the Inns of Court were voluntary societies which had, and still re tain, the exclusive right of calling persons to the English bar, the Inns of Chancery were the nurseries of the lawyers, and were attached to the Inns of Court. It was con sidered indispensable that a student should spend one or two years at one of these Inns in order to learn the forms of writs which are issued from the High Court of Chancery to the courts of Common Law. Fortescue, writing in 1464 says: "There belong to the law, ten lesser Inns, which are called Inns of Chancery, in each of which are one hundred students at the least. After they have made some progress here they are admitted to the Inns of Court." Grad
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ually the Inns of Chancery ceased to be schools of law and fell into the hands of the attorneys, who closed them against students for the bar, and in time turned them into places of convivial pleasure. The origin of these Inns was undoubtedly the need for providing boarding-houses for students. The Inner Temple had three of these Inns, Clem ent's, Clifford's, and Lyon's, called after the first masters who received the scholars to board and lodge them; Lincoln's Inn had one, called after Dr. Thavies; the Gray's Inn had two, Barnard's and Staple Inn. New Inn was originally a tavern and was called " Our Lady's Inne." From its door jamb there hung a signboard on which was painted a picture of the Virgin Mary. In the reign of Edward IV, Sir John Fineux, Lord Chief Justice, hired " Our Lady's Inhe " for the use of those students of the law, " who were lodged in the little old Bailey, in a house called St. George's Inn, near the upper end of St. George's lane, and reputed to be the most ancient Inn of Chan cery." St. George's Inn was considered un safe on account of its age, and was ordered to be pulled down. When the students took possession of Our Lady's Inn the sign was taken down and in its place the words, " The Newe Inne, were " painted on a neat panel." A sundial was placed on the outer wall over which was the motto "Time and Tide tarry for no man." When the Protector Somerset built Somer set House in the Strand in 1549, he pulled down the " Strand Inn," and the Middle Temple enlarged the New Inn in order to accommodate the dispossessed students of the Strand. When Sir John Fineux hired the Inn he agreed that the Middle Temple should pay a rent of £6 ($30) as tenants at
