IN

SHAKESPEARE.

Affectio tua nomen imponit operi tuo.

Bracton.

Why may not that be the skull of a lawyer?

By C. K. DAVIS.

Hamlet.

ST. PAUL:

WEST PUBLISHING COMPANY.

INTRODUCTION.

HAKESPEARE'S persistent and correct use of

SHAR

law terms was long ago noticed and caused the conjecture that he must have studied in an attorney's office. What is the truth in this respect will probably never be certainly known; but that he was more addicted to the employment of legal nomenclature than any English writer (excepting, of course, the jurists) is incontestable.

The work of winter evenings, commenced long ago, as an incident to habitual study of the works of him "who converted the elements which awaited at his command into entertainments," is submitted with little speculation upon questions concerning which there have been many words and few demonstrations. It is not pretended that every legal phrase which he used is here presented. The aim has been not to extend the task beyond the necessity of proof into a wearisome repetition of expressions which often recur in scores. To the lawyer many of the