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"This handsome volume aims at presenting 'a comprehensive magisterial handbook for the whole of England.' It is prefaced by an introduction treating of proceedings before justices in indictable offences and summary matters, which is likely to be useful to the numerous gentlemen who, without the slightest knowledge of their duties, find themselves called upon to administer the law. The plan of the authors is to arrange alphabetically under separate heads the various subjects treated of. These appear to include the whole range of matters within the cognizance of magistrates, and we are bound to say that we have not detected the omission of any statutory provision we have looked for.

"As regards the arrangement of matter under each head, the idea of the authors is to place in the text the provisions of the statute law creating offences, and to throw into notes the sections relating to procedure, and the cases. This mode of arrangement seems to us excellent, and is well carried out. Another praiseworthy feature of the work is that the sections of the statutes quoted in the text are generally given verbatim, and where they are summarized attention is drawn to the fact by the use of brackets.

"As to the care with which the work has been executed, a somewhat minute examination of three or four of the divisions enables us to speak, on the whole, favourably."-Solicitors' Journal.

"This work, which with much propriety is dedicated to Sir Thomas Henry, sprang out of an intention on the part of the authors to compose a book containing and explaining the statutes relating clusively to the metropolis, for the use of the Propolitan Police Courts. The authors soon disd that the metropolis is regulated by general as by special statutes, and then it occurred that their scheme might well be enlarged, a comprehensive handbook for all justices

of the peace might usefully supersede a volume intended only for a limited area of police law. Hence we have the book before us, and, on inspect ing it, we cannot but rejoice that the original idea of the authors has undergone expansion in the manner we have explained. In shape and form the book is most convenient, and the elegance and style | of the volume are peculiarly attractive.

"The authors begin with an Introduction divided into two parts: one relating to indictable offences, the other to summary matters. In these, 'jurisdiction,' 'process,' 'witnesses,' 'hearing,'' enforc ing judgments,' 'action against justices,' 'stating a case,'' certiorari,' 'habeas corpus,' and 'mandamus or rule,' are fully discussed. The main body of the work is under titles arranged in alphabetical order, commencing with 'accessories' and ending with 'witchcraft.' Under each title is given the Act or Acts prohibitive or mandatory relating to it, while such sections as regulate procedure and other matters of that nature are collected into foot-notes, along with decisions cited. As far as possible an accurate transcript of these statutes is produced: but the less important sections are abbreviated, and these are distinguished by being enclosed within brackets. In indictable offences the punishments are properly omitted, as these do not concern the justices of the peace; but the foot-notes in each case show whether the offence is triable at quarter sessions, and give provision as to bail and costs. We may add that the legislation of 1874 is incorpe rated in the work. There is a table of cases cited, and of statutes, and a good index is added. The appendix gives a list of the petty sessional divisi in England and Wales, with the places where the petty sessions are held. We are sure that the poperlarity of the work will satisfy the hopes of its auth and that it will meet with general approval."-L Journal.

"Here is a volume of 500 pp. upon a title to which, so far as we are aware, not even a chapter of any text-book in this country has been devoted, and to which we are quite sure no distinct heading has ever been assigned in an American Digest. Upwards of 1100 Cases are cited in this work, of which it may be fairly assumed that few do not involve pecuniary interests of considerable magnitude. In the next decade we may be sure that the doctrine of Ultra Vires as applicable to railroads, municipal and other chartered bodies in the United States, will assume a large political as well as legal importance. We welcome his pioneer volume as a fair result of the author's' attempt, though, perhaps, nothing more,' to collect and group the more important of these various decisions. This is the only work of its kind afforded the profession of either country. The English cases, many of great authority with us, are here collected and lucidly arranged. Besides the questions constantly presented to the Courts, it happens frequently that Corporation Counsel are called upon to give advice which may affect property of great value. In such an emergency this volume would be of essential service."-American Law Review, October 1874.

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"Much as one may be surprised at the confusion which clouds the doctrine of Ultra Vires, it is all the more pleasant to notice the lucid manner in which it has been handled by the author. His arrangement of the work is logical, and his treatment of the parts clear and concise. The work is arranged under four main heads. Each part appears to be well and appropriately filled up. The references to decided cases are full and accurate. result is a body of law essential as an appendix to any work on Corporations, and such as should be on the shelves of any lawyer who assumes to have a useful and reliable library of modern law."Canada Law Journal.

The

"Mr. Brice writes with knowledge and with precision; and his volume is probably as good as was possible in the present stage of the law."-The Daily News.

"When the reader has once got over the prejudice produced by Mr. Brice's strange enmity with his subject, he will find him a guide of very great value. Much information on a difficult and unattractive subject has been collected and arranged in a manner which will be of great assistance to the secker after

the law on a point involving the powers of a company."-Law Journal.

"Mr. Brice himself calls his work an attempt to reduce a vast mass of authorities to something like order, and to deduce from them some general conclusions. To our mind it is a very creditable and courageous attempt, and really of the same class as those which started our present excellent text-books in other branches of the law. But here the author has chosen for himself a subject of great difficulty, and one in which he will find it difficult to interest the general student. The doctrine of Ultra Vires is of very modern growth, and took its rise in the attempt of our Courts to make old law fit a new state of facts by using and refining upon a maxim. The doctrine is thus, as Mr. Brice says, purely the creature of judicial decisions, and for this reason it forms a most embarrassing and awkward subject for any legal writer. In this case the author has certainly worked hard, and displayed great industry and research. He has endeavoured, and that successfully, to force his subject into some logical order, and to arrange a mass of vague decisions under different heads as clearly as was possible. He has, at all events, laid the foundation for, perhaps, a more complete and systematic text-book; which at some future time, when the Courts are themselves more logical in their decisions, will be written. He has certainly called attention to a most important branch of our law, which has hitherto been much neglected. It is a branch, also, which is daily growing in importance with the growth of Corporations and the increase of Joint Stock Companies. To investigate the principles which limit their capacity, power, and liabilities, is certainly a task worthy of the undertaking by any lawyer, more especially at the present time. We congratulate Mr. Brice on his success in so far as he has gone, and look forward to the time when some future edition of his work shall, the law itself on Ultra Vires having become more settled, be considered as one of our standard works upon its own special subject."-The Law.

"It is an exceedingly valuable work at this time when the rights and powers of Corporations are matters of so much interest in the United States, as well as in Great Britain, and its manifold cases furnish as interesting reading to the business man generally as to the lawyer or justice."-Bost 【U. S.) Journal of Commerce.