The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 133: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE TRIAL 117 ing that never in the whole course of his professional career had it been his good fortune to listen to evidence so lucidly, clearly, intelligibly, and impartially given as that of Lord Herbert, — one of the brightest ornaments of that great and glorious aristocracy which was the pride, the glory, and the ornament of this free, happy, and enlightened country. It was a pleasure (continued the attorney-general) to behold a man of Lord Herbert’s rank, leaving his sumptuous mansion at the West End, and cheerfully coming down to a public tribunal to further the ends and assist the aims of justice. It had been stated in the evidence of Mr. Macnamara that the party of noblemen and gentlemen assembled at Lord Herbert’s mansion on the melancholy occasion alluded to had indulged somewhat freely in the use of the grape; but surely a little excess in this manner was not to be wondered at, when it was considered how heavily the legislative duties attached to the noble lord’s proud position as a peer of the realm must at times press upon his lordship. _ As the newspapers said next day, “‘ the learned attorney- general then went carefully over the evidence;’” but so carefully did the learned gentleman perform this part of his duty that he pretty nearly told the jury, at least in terms as plain as he dared venture upon, that they would do well to acquit Mr. Dysart. The learned recorder, who had been fast asleep during the attorney-general’s closing speech, now woke up; and, turning to his notes, he proceeded to sum up the case to the jury. Imitating the example of the prisoner’s counsel and the attorney-general, the learned judge made not the slightest allusion to the fact that Lord Herbert had provided his own pistols for the duellists, and had allowed so scandalous a scene to take place at his own mansion and in his own dining-room; much less did the learned recorder think of telling this same Lord Herbert that he ought to have been included in the indictment, as an accessory to the crime for which the prisoner was then in the presence of the jury. No such thing. But the judge did also imitate the attorney- general by travelling out of his way to eulogize Lord Herbert in particular and the aristocracy in general; and he further took a leaf out of the attorney-general’s book by hinting that the best thing the jury could do would be to acquit Mr. Dysart. EONMICLOOO (GO) mM