CXXIX.

His diligence and desire of improve

ment.

CHAP employed every leisure moment in endeavouring to supply the defects of his limited education. All lawyer's clerks were then obliged in a certain degree to understand Latin in which many law proceedings were carried on; but he, not contented with being able to construe the "Chirograph of a fine," or to draw a "Nart," took delight in perusing Virgil and Cicero, and made himself well acquainted with the other more popular Roman classics, though he never mastered the minutiae of Latin prosody, and for fear of a false quantity, ventured with fear and trembling on a Latin quotation. Greek he hardly affected to be acquainted with.

Greatly pleases his

master.

"By these means he gained the entire good will and esteem of his master; who observing in him abilities and application that prognosticated his future eminence, entered him as a student in the Temple ‡, and suffered him to dine in the Hall during the terms. But his mistress, a notable woman, thinking she might take such liberties with a gratis clerk, used frequently to send him from his business on family errands, and to fetch in little necessaries from Covent Garden and other markets. This, when he became a favourite with his master, and intrusted with his business and cash, he thought an indignity, and got rid posed upon of it by a stratagem, which prevented complaints or expostu

How he escaped from the tasks im

him by his mistress.

lation. In his accounts with his master, there frequently occurred, coach-hire for roots of celery and turnips from Covent Garden, and a barrel of oysters from the fishmonger's, &c.,' which Mr. Salkeld observing, and urging on his wife the impropriety and ill housewifery of such a practice, put an end to it."§

The record of a fictitious suit, resorted to for the purpose of docking estates tail and quieting the title to lands.

† Familiar contraction of "Narratio," the " Declaration," or statement of the plaintiff's grievance or cause of action.

"Novembris 29°. 1708o,

die et anno p'dict.

Mr Philippus Yorke filius et heres apparens Philippi Yorke'

de villa et port de Dover in Com, Kant. gen. admissus est in So- 04. 00.00

cietatem Medij Templi spealiter et obligatur una cum

Books of Middle Temple.

Et dat fine

§ Letter to Cooksey from "old man of the law, who knew him well.”Cooksey, p. 71.

СНАР.

Friendships

while in the

There were at the same time in Mr. Salkeld's office several young gentlemen of good family and connections, who had CXXIX. been sent there to be initiated in the practical part of the law, Mr. Parker, afterwards Chief Baron of the Ex- he formed chequer, Mr. Jocelyn, afterwards Lord Chancellor of Ireland, attorney's and Mr. Strange, afterwards Sir John Strange, Master of office. the Rolls. With these Philip Yorke, though an articled clerk, associated on terms of perfect equality, and they had the merit of discovering and encouraging his good qualities.

He now received from time to time Latin letters from his former preceptor, to encourage him in his career, and to give him the news of Bethnal Green. In one of these, Morland, after dwelling with complacency on the talents of his pupil, confidently predicts the youth's future celebrity, and pronounces that to have been the most auspicious day of his life when the cultivation of so happy a genius was first committed to his charge:-" Non mirandum est si futuram tui nominis celebritatem meus præsagiat animus. Quas tantopere olim vices meas dolui, eas hodie gratulor mihi plurimum, cui tale tandem contigerit ingenium excolendum. Nullum unquam diem gratiorem mihi illuxisse in perpetuum reputabo, quàm quo te pater tuus mihi tradidit in disciplinam."*

There are two of Morland's Letters to Yorke preserved in the British
Museum, and I think they are worthy of being copied at length.

"Juveni Præstantissimo PHILIPPO YORKIO, S. P. D.
SAMUEL MORLANDUS.

"Cum non alia potior se mihi sisteret ratio, qua demonstrarem tibi, quantis me perfuderint gaudiis, et intima quasi pertentârint Præcordia jucundissimæ tuæ, quibus me nuper beâsti Literæ, quam si celeriter rescriberem; Vix lecto egressus Calamum in manus arripui, quem nulla ingruentium Curarum vi et impetu prius excutiendum statui, quam responsum tibi quale quale exaravero: Quas tantopere olim vices meas dolui, eas hodie gratulor mihi plurimum, cui tale tandem contigerit ingenium excolendum. Nullum unquam diem gratiorem mihi illuxisse in perpetuum reputabo, quam quo te Pater tuus mihi tradidit in Disciplinam. Cui quanta insit Virtutis Indoles, quam inexplebilis bonarum Literarum sitis, quantum Ingenii acumen, cum Nemini magis perspectum sit quam mihi, non mirandum est, si futuram tui nominis celebritatem, meus præsagiat animus; nec fieri potest, quin tam raras optimi Adolescentis dotes depeTum demum mihi placere videor, cum dulcissimam Dierum illorum memoriam revoco, quibus Musis, et Apolline multo, (quippe qui à Latere tuo nunquam se divelli patientur,) studia liberaliora, et amoniora simul tractavimus, iisque artibus et Disciplinis instruendas mentes curavimus, quibus instructi paratiores habilioresque ad res tum Privatas administrandas accedimus. Adest tamen mihi Voluptas nec minus viridis, cum ad ea Tempora præsensione quâdam

ream.

CHAP. CXXIX.

But the young man still had to struggle with many difficulties, and he probably would have been obliged from penury to go upon the roll of attorneys, rising only to be troduced to clerk to the magistrates at petty sessions, or perhaps to the dignity of town clerk of Dover, had it not been for his

He is in

Lord Chief

Justice Par

provolat Animus, quibus eos honores consecutus fueris, et ad ea Munia admotus, quibus certissimum aditum merita tua aperient munientque; quibus nos etiam feremur inter eos fuisse, qui pro Mediocritate nostrâ contulimus aliquid, vel contulisse voluimus ad Juventutem tuam elegantioribus Literis imbuendam. Hæc non ita accepta velim, ut non amplius tibi studiis operam dandam credas, quæ jam acrius certe urgenda impellendaque existimo, si ad Lucem, et famam hominum profluere satagis. Caveas, oportet, ne remissis parum tempestive Laboribus, ex ipso, quem jam tenebas quasi portu, in altum rejectus pereas; ne flavescentibus ad Messem Campis, Torpore correptus, abjectâque, quæ sola restat, demetendi et in Horreum colligendi curâ, nullos tandem Lucubrationum tuarum fructus percipias. Ita comparatum est, ut in Ædificiis extruendis, ita etiam in studiis excolendis, ut quæ nondum perfecta et sarta tecta, ut ita dicam, relinquis, sponte dilabantur quotidie, et in pejus ruant. Quanto minimo, demum, citra Portum Intervallo consistas, præcipue cum adverso flumine nitaris, ad Locum, ex quo solvisti, statim referere; nec Portum attingere licebit, priusquam spatia omnia illa, affectis jam Viribus, et convulsis forsitan navigii compagibus, remensus fueris.

Jampridem vides, Juvenis præstantissime, de Veniâ illa, quam narras, impetrandâ, non amplius tibi laborandum esse. Quantæcunque demum fuissent animi nostri offensiones, quæ nulla quidem fuerunt, eas omnes detersisset lepidissima tua Epistola, quam quoties lego (lego autem sæpissime) toties accensas, et in majus auctas sentio amoris illius flammas, quo te semper prosecutus sum: toties affectuum tuorum, quibus me complecti dignaris, fervoribus admotus, refici mihi, et mirificè levari videor.

"De rebus Publicis nihil accepi dignum, quod tecum communicarem. Hagdonia, proba illa vetula, quam noveras, ante octiduum ad plures ivit. Robertsii, vicini nostri, Filiam natu maximam Vinculis matrimonialibus intra breve illigandam ferunt. Non est e Pygmæorum Gente ille, quem Maritum sibi adscire voluit Puella illa primaria, licet nondum ad novempedalem altitudinem se extendat statura, qualem Nummulo parvulo à spectatore singulo solvendo ostendi dicunt his Diebus Londini. Robertsiæ Procus Faringdon appellatur, Mortonii uxoris Frater.

"Nondum mihi contigit videre, quam peritum se, et strenuum oratorem præstiterit Oxoniensis ille, qui Malburij Laudes e Rostris primum apud suos pronuntiatas jam Typis evulgavit. Sed nisi madida sit mihi memoria, læva quædam ominata est mea mens, cum Titulum legerem in Diurnis exscriptum. Cum primum accuratius excussero, te imprimis participem faciam mei Judicii, et literis exponam, quantum insit farinæ purioris, quantum furfuris Chartulis istis inspersum sit, ex nostrà sententiâ.

"Vides quam amicè tecum agam, quamque te mihi unicum amicum, et habeam, et gratulor, qui nullum tecum loquendi finem faciam. Hoc verissime dixero me nunquam tantum Latini sermonis unâ vice, et currente calamo de totâ meâ vitâ illusisse chartis. Sed eo libentius indulsi et dextræ meæ et pennæ sua sponte properantibus, ut exemplo meo te hortarer, et excitarem ad crebras literas, et longas etiam ad me mittendas (ut prolixæ sint non timendum est, cum id nec per me nec per te quidem licebit).

“Ashleius, Papilio, Johnidius, dulcissima capita, tuis vestigiis insistentes, et ad altiora semper aspirantes, te officiosissime resalutant. Nihil restat, nisi scias velim, me Deum quotidie venerari suppliciter et flexis genibus, ut te ab omni tum corporis, tum mentis Labe sospitem præstet et tueatur ; ut studiorum tuorum inceptorumque omnium Ducem Auspicemque se præstare dignetur.

CXXIX.

accidental introduction to Lord Chief Justice Parker, which СНАР.
was the foundation of all his prosperity and greatness. This
distinguished Judge had a high opinion of Mr. Salkeld, who
was respected by all ranks of the profession, and asked him becomes
one day if he could tell him of a decent and intelligent person to his sons.

Vale, et μè ¿yaneiv diaтéλei. Dat. ex Ædibus Blinbeggarianis 111. Non. Febr.
Anno à Nato Xto, MDCCVI.

"Salutem dicas velim Patri Matrique optimis. Sphalmata, leviora illa quidem, quæ tibi inopinanti excidisse videntur, proximis meis indicabo, quæ nisi per te steterit, non diu morabuntur."

ker, and

law tutor

"PHILIPPO YORKIO SUO S. P. D. SAMUEL MORLANDUS.

“Cum nullas à Nobis feriantibus nuper, et ab Herculeis plane, quibus cæteroquin distendor laboribus interquiescentibus literas acceperis; vix recusandum est, quin me in amicis colendis parum diligentem habeas. Quinetiam Falsi me reum peragis, idque Syngraphâ etiam, cum manu meâ scriptum possides, quo mecum apud Judicem agas, et omnes mei defendendi rationes extorqueas. Missa ergo criminis diluendi curâ, et repudiato negotiorum Patrocinio, ad Humanitatem tuam tanquam ad Asylum confugio. Nec ab illâ tamen, nisi eximiam esse scirem, et cæterorum Hominum modulum supergressam, me Veniam consecuturum sperarem. Nescio certe, an recriminando effecturus sim, ut te mihi æquiorem Judicem præstes. Sed cum non solum centis Viminibus, sed asperrimis etiam senticetis manum injiciunt, quibus demergendis non alia enatandi spes ostensa est; ego etiam ad conquerendas injurias me confero. Scias ergo velim me graviter tulisse, quod Rus te furtim subduxisti, præcipuè vero, quod effigie tuâ manu Periti alicujus expressâ, non prius impertire dignatus es, ut quoties eam usurparem oculis, mentem meam non minus tui Desiderio, quam densis Curarum agminibus acerbatam solarer aut lenirem.

"Ineptire tibi forsan videbor, si pigriores nos factos ad scribendi officia Carriani operis expectatione dicam, et ab usu Latini sermonis abstinuisse, ut quam paucissima essent à nobis profecta Aristarchi illius Obelis confodienda. Quicquid id est, tantæ hujus Libri editionem moræ tenuere, quantæ celebratam apud Gallos Comoediam, cui Titulus Puella, de quâ post diuturnam moram edita hoc Disticho lusit aliquis, qui ingenio inter eos id temporis emicuit:

Illa Capellani dudum expectata Puella

Jam post longa tamen Tempora venit Anus.'

Sed si nondum editur, certo certius appropinquat ut edatur Liber ille, quo Literatum orbem collustraturum, non tam jactat, quam minatur Autor Doctissimus; quoque errabundos Literatores ad rectas Latinitatis semitas revocaturum promittit, diligentissimus certè in Notationibus Verborum indagandis, utinam citra superstitionem. Quem tamen cum nondum videre licuit, orationem nostram quamvis incomptam non respues, castigatissimam futuram, cum Limæ istius Dentes subierit. Vix alius occurrit, qui de se, suisque scriptis, et acumine, magis honorificè sentire videtur, quam Cl. Carrius, nisi Gronovius Filius, cujus Vocem arrogantem, et præfidentem pace tuâ adjungam. Absit,' inquit, ut non alius sit fructus tot Laborum, qui ad Linguas illustrandas impensi sunt, nisi ut dici possit hanc vel illam hujus vel illius Vocis videri esse significationem; et non certo adfirmare possimus hanc esse, non illam.' Qui tamen Gronovius, ut apud Doctos constat, humani aliquid non semel passus est. "Sed de Musis plus satis, quibus tantopere obstrepunt Belli et armorum fragores, ut ad Cantilenas eorum aures plane obsurduerint. Nec de Minervæ amplius, sed Insularum Arcibus expugnandis solliciti sunt omnium animi, quibus nisi brevi potiti fuerimus, multum de Laudibus, et existimatione Eugenii

CXXIX.

CHAP. who might serve as a sort of law tutor for his sons,—to assist and direct them in their professional studies. The attorney eagerly recommended his clerk, Philip Yorke, who was immediately retained in that capacity, and, giving the highest satisfaction by his assiduity and his obliging manners, gained the warm friendship of the sons, and the weighty, persevering, and unscrupulous patronage of the father. He now bade adieu to the smoky office in Brooke Street, Holborn*, and he had a commodious chamber assigned him in the Chief Justice's house in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Released from the drudgery not only of going to Covent Garden market, but of attending captions and serving process, he devoted himself with fresh vigour to the abstruse parts of the law and to his more liberal studies. Farther, he took great pains to acquire the habit of correct composition in English, generally so much neglected by English lawyers that many of the most eminent of them will be found, in their written "opinions," violating the rules of grammar, and without the least remorse constructing their sentences in

decedet apud Imperitum Vulgus, licet ii, quibus acrius Judicium, non videre possint quid ex vitio vertendum sit. Lætum tamen hujus obsidionis exitum speramus. Sin minus, concoquenda sunt hæc et magis luctuosa etiam, si Deo ita visum fuerit. Id præcipue optandum est, ut Desides jam à multis annis Germanos felix aliquis casus ad spes novas erigat, et ad bellum fortius capessendum, ne totam Molem Belli, et virium Flandriam convertant Hostes.

"Jucundissimus Palmerius literis suis me haud ita pridem compellavit, adeo doctis et elegantibus, ut tantum non præripuerit spem omnem imitandi, et Latine Scriptionis usu nobis interdixerit. Nos interim Studiorum suorum Adjutores advocat. Nescio autem quis operæ meæ usus sit in bonæ mentis palæstrâ tam feliciter desudantibus, nisi ut bene currentes voce insuper instigem. Ægrè tandem et invitus manum à Tabula retraho. Sed iniquæ Chartæ Limites monent, ut desistam. Parentibus tuis optimis obsequia mea vice tuâ ut deferas, rogo, et properatis literis certiorem facias, eum me Locum, non quem merui, sed magnopere cupio in affectibus tuis tenere. Datæ ex Ædibus Blinbeggarianis

IV. Iduum Octobris anno Salutis MDCCVIII."