es, had resembled
Tableton!
END OF PART IV.
PART V.
{86}We shall now return to the law, for our laws are full of returns,
and we we shall shew a compendium of law [_takes the wig_]; parts of
practice in the twist of the tail.--The depth of a full bottom denotes
the length of a chancery suit, and the black coif behind, like a
blistering plaister, seems to shew us that law is a great irritator, and
only to be used in cases of necessity.
We shall now beg leave to change the fashion of the head-dress, for,
like a poor periwig-maker, I am obliged to mount several patterns on the
same block.
[_Puts on the wig, and takes the nosegay._]
{87}Law is law, law is law, and as in such and so forth, and hereby, and
aforesaid, provided always, nevertheless, notwithstanding. Law is like a
country dance, people are led up and down in it till they are tired. Law
is like a book of surgery, there are a great many terrible cases in it.
It is also like physic, they that take least of it are best off. Law is
like a homely gentlewoman, very well to follow. Law is like a scolding
wife, very bad when it follows us. Law is like a new fashion, people are
bewitched to get into it; it is also like bad weather, most people are
glad when they get out of it.
{88}We shall now mention a cause, called "Bullum _versus_ Boatum:" it
was a cause that came before me. The cause was as follows.
There were two farmers; farmer A and farmer B. Farmer A was seized or
possessed of a bull: farmer B was possessed of a ferry-boat. Now the
owner of the ferry-boat, having made his boat fast to a post on shore,
with a piece of hay, twisted rope-fashion, or, as we say, _vulgo
vocato_, a hay-band.
After he had made his boat fast to a post on shore, as it was very
natural for a hungry man to do, he went up town to dinner; farmer A's
bull, as it was very natural for a hungry bull to do, came down town to
look for a dinner; and, observing, discovering, seeing, and spying-out,
some turnips in the bottom of the ferry-boat, the bull scrambled into
the ferry-boat: he ate up the turnips, and, to make an end of his meal,
fell to work upon the hay-band: the boat, being eaten from its moorings,
floated down the river, with the bull in it: it struck against a rock;
beat a hole in the bottom of the boat, and tossed the bull overboard;
whereupon the owner of the bull brought his action against the boat,
for running away with the bull. The owner of the boat brough
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