ment as if hesitating to make the statement, but finally said seriously : " But, your Honor, I am sorry to say that there is one thing which you must do to preserve that repu tation; in the next edition of your ' Law of Torts,' you must modify your statements as to the law of privileged communications." Out of these courts grew the preparation and publication of reports of the cases there argued, under the name of the " UniversityLaw Reports." These volumes are carefully made up by the official reporter, and contain statements of the cases, the briefs of counsel, and the opinion of the court. These books preserve the work of the students, induce greater care in the preparation of arguments, and make a pleasant history of one portion of the school work. Another innovation during the Bromfield Street period was the adoption of the rule that each senior should write a thesis of merit as one of the qualifications for a de gree. At about this time examinations for promotion began to receive more attention from the faculty, and were increased in thoroughness. The standard of these ex aminations is now placed so high that it would be difficult for a student to be pro moted who did not have a good compre hension of the preceding year's studies. Every school has some peculiarity of stu dent life which distinguishes it from others; that of the Boston Law School has been and is to-day the literary fellowship of the stu dents. There being no dormitories in which the undergraduates can live together, the students are scattered throughout the city, and opportunity is not given for that close social acquaintance which is afforded in some schools. But in spite of this fact there has grown up a habit of association for work which takes expression in the for mation of law clubs, and in evening study at the room of some student or at the school library or in some other room of the school building. These meetings for study, discus sion, and mutual questioning are a source of much profit to the students. There are also
at present four law clubs in the school, which are made up of those who are elected from the various classes by the older members of the clubs. Some of the lecturers of the school during the years thus far alluded to are no longer connected with it; some have died, and some have been lost through other causes beyond their own control or that of the school au thorities. The Hon. Henry W. Paine, who for years lectured upon the law of Real Property, is no longer engaged in active work. Mr. Paine began the practice of law in Maine, where he acquired a large prac tice and a fine reputation. He removed to Boston when in his prime, and there he soon took his proper place at the head of the profession. He went into court a great deal, but the most extensive part of his prac tice latterly was the writing of opinions upon cases which were sent to him from all parts of the country. There is no member of the Suffolk Bar of whom more anecdotes are told than of Mr. Paine. For the Supreme Court of Massachusetts as it was at one time constituted he had not the greatest respect, in its official capacity; and when asked his opinion of the wisdom of appoint ing a certain person of acknowledged ability to that bench, he replied, " It would be like letting a ray of light into a cave of bats." Once, when arguing a case before the court, he made a statement of the law as he under stood it to be. He was interrupted by one of the judges with the remark, " Mr. Paine, you know that is not law." " It was law until your Honor spoke," replied Mr. Paine. After arguing quite a celebrated case before the full court, Mr. Paine went abroad for a vacation, and while in England he received a letter from a friend which stated that the exceptions had been overruled. In his let ter of reply, Mr. Paine said, " I have been passing the day in a little English village, where there is a monument to one of Eng land's kings who was noted for the celerity with which he executed incompetent judges; what a harvest would that king reap were
