LIVES OF

EMINENT ENGLISH JUDGES, &c.

SIR MATTHEW HALE.

THE life of Sir Matthew Hale is so generally known through the Memoir of Bishop Burnet-one of the most attractive among English biographies-that it is no easy matter to handle the same subject in a more modern fashion, without divesting it of some part of its merited popularity. We are therefore inclined to think that Dr. Williams has acted wisely in taking that Memoir for the nucleus of his own more extended performance*, and adding to it from various sources of information such matter as might give it additional interest, especially with members of the profession to which his hero belonged. But his own words will best convey an idea of the object and contents of his book:

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Upon the Life by Burnet, the Memoir before us, as to its basis, rests; but the arrangement is entirely new and the whole increased from the Notes' of Baxter and Stephens, the judge's own manuscripts, and every other accessible source. The facts have been thoroughly examined, and, as much as possible, attended to chronologically. In addition to this, the labours of others in the same department have been freely

• Memoirs of the Life, Character, and Writings of Sir Matthew Hale, Knight, Lord Chief Justice of England. By J. B. Williams, Esq., LL.D., F.S.A. London. 1835.

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used. When anything not noticed by Burnet is introduced, the authority is quoted; but the bishop's work is seldom formally referred to, every circumstance in it connected with the judge being avowedly retained. It is not improbable that some persons may, for a moment, feel surprised, if not offended, that the style of that standard book should have been abandoned; and the feeling is entitled to sympathy. At the same time it must be observed, that it appeared impossible to give it entire, and use, as it seemed desirable to use them, the materials which will be found in the present volume. For, had the bishop's narrative been reprinted, the new matter must have been exhibited separately, which would have seriously affected the arrangement; and occasioned, too, in addition to other awkwardnesses, intolerable repetitions. Besides which (to make no allusions, by way of shelter, to the criticisms of Pope or Swift upon Burnet as a writer). it may be anticipated that the offence, if it be such, will appear the more venial, when it is recollected that the admirers of the beautiful Memoir alluded to have the easiest possible means of gratification: numerous copies are to be obtained, particularly the one recently edited by Bishop Jebb; and as that edition contains the other 'Lives' Burnet wrote, and wrote so well, the expectation is justified, that the supply will continue to be unfailing."

We feel, too, that some apology is due from ourselves for recapitulating facts so generally known as those which any outline of the life of Sir Matthew Hale can present. It is the fate of lawyers, for the most part, "virûm volitare per ora" during the brief duration of the splendid part of their life, more, perhaps, than any other class of men. The newspapers, the debates, the daily gossip of the streets, are full of their names. Their peculiar talents, their achievements, their public conduct, form the theme of innumerable conversations. The most successful general, in his highest flush of glory, is hardly so much the theme of general discourse, as the successful advocate. But few care to pursue the story of their lives farther than the surface. Their origin, their toils and disappointments, their generally inglorious domestic affairs, furnish little attractive matter for the fancy to dwell on: and, on the whole, we believe that the biography of few men of