One' has long suspected that some of the most famous legal decisions of history, or fiction, or drama would not stand the test of the modern Court of Appeal; and here is Judge Parry, in his introduction to a book of famous trials, ("The Drama of the Law") not" merely confirming that suspicion, but ques tioning even the most famous judg-lent of Solomon himself, It was the case about a baby, claimed by two mothers: and Solomon, you will remember, settled it,
calling for a sword and proposing At Heat to his own satntaction, by to divide the baby equally between the suitors. It was the willingness of the real mother to be non-suit ed if "he would in no wise slay i that enabled Solomon to arrive at his decision as to the real township of the infan To-day "these Grand Guignol effects are frowned upon in the highest judicial circles." But at the time the effect of the case was to gain for Solomon a great reputation. Israel, Judge Parry remarks, liked the sporting: character of the. judgment; "bat in fairness to.our own -jadges; many of whom: are
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.