The Readers possessed the right of call to the bar, concurrently with the Benchers, before the latter assumed that power exclusively. In addition to these readings and moots the students carried on independent study, and thus grew into knowledge of the law. The old system tended to accustom them to the handling of cases, and thus had some of the merits of the method used in the Harvard Law School and other schools where the case system is used, with the additional training got from the oral arguments. The presence of the judges and sergeants, and the partici pation of the great men of the bar in the ex ercises of the Inns doubtless had some influ ence on the even development of the law. In course of time, however, interest decreased, and the training the Inns afforded in the last part of the I7th and the 18th centuries was poor. Yhile there was frequent intercourse be tween the members of the four Inns, it was mostly of a social nature. We hear of Lin coln's Inn as the "ancient ally and friend of the Middle Temple," and in 1422 the Steward of the former charged himself with the re ceipt of a cup certain members of his Inn had won in a drinking bout with members of the Middle Temple. But in the old days the four Inns were but loosely allied in their offi cial capacities, and there was no one govern ing body that could be called a university in the sense in which the term is used at Oxford or Cambridge. Of late years the renewed interest in legal education has caused the Inns of Court to associate. In 1852 the four Inns adopted consolidated regulations, and established a regular board of examiners, under the direc tion of a Council of Legal Education, com posed of five Benchers from each Inn. This Council stands to the Inns in somewhat the relation of the University at Oxford or Cam bridge to the colleges, and like the university dominates the policy of the Inns. The Reg ulations of the Council concern the admission
of students, their education and examination, the mode of keeping terms, calling to the bar, and the taking out of certificates to prac tise under the bar. Unless a student has passed a public ex amination for a university, for a commission in the army, for the Indian Civil Service or their equivalent he must pass an examination in the English language, the Latin language, and English history given by the Board of Examiners. No attorney-at-law or clerk is eligible while being a clerk. The student, after passing the examination, and having his character certified by two barristers, becomes a member of one of the Inns of Court at the discretion of the Benchers, who can refuse admission to any one. The modern methods of legal education lack the essential features of the old system. Formerly the Masters of the Inns partici pated in the exercises and required the work to be performed under their supervision. The relation of the nlembers of the Societies was more intimate, and mutually stimulating. To-day the old position of Readter is honor ary, and the moots have fallen into disuse. The present training of the Inns consists of inviting rather than requiring work. There are lectures by eminent men on Constitu tional Law, Procedure, Equity, Civil Lasv, etc., and the lecturers are called Readers. Their assistants are ready to quiz and sug gest, but attendance on these lectures is not required. The chief concern of the Inns is that the student keep his terms properly, and pass the final examination given by the Board of Examiners. If these requirements are ful filled the student is eligible for a call to the bar. He may gain the knowledge needed for the examinations in any way he pleases, and the Universities are giving excellent law lec tures. In order to keep or "eat his terms it is only necessary that for six days during the term (at present three weeks for this purpose) the student dine in the Hall of his Inn. In
