Still the case is not yet desperate. Heroic things can be done by a nation which means to do them: as witness the mighty effort of science and forbearance which in our own time has unified the law of Germany, and, having handed over the Corpus Juris to the historians, has in some sort undone the work of the Reception[76]. Some venerable bodies may understand the needs of the time, or, if I may borrow a famous phrase, ‘the vocation of our age for jurisprudence and legislation.’ Our parliament may endeavour to put out work which will be a model for the British world. It can still set an example where it can no longer dictate, and at least it might clear away the rubbish that collects round every body of law. To make law that is worthy of acceptance by free communities that are not bound to accept it, this would be no mean ambition. _Nihil aptius, nihil efficacius ad plures provincias sub uno imperio retinendas et fovendas_[77]. But it is hardly to parliament that our hopes must turn in the first instance. Certain ancient and honourable societies, proud of a past that is unique in the history of the world, may become fully conscious of the heavy weight of responsibility that was assumed when English law schools saved, but isolated, English law in the days of the Reception. In that case, the glory of Bourges, the glory of Bologna, the glory of Harvard may yet be theirs[78]. NOTES. [Sidenote: _Sir R. Rede’s lectures._] [1] Robert Rede was Autumn Reader at Lincoln’s Inn in 1481, Lent Reader in 1485: _Black Book of Lincoln’s Inn_, vol. 1., pp. 71, 83. [2] Creighton, _The Early Renaissance in England_, Camb. 1895. [3] Coke, Introductory Letter to Part 10 of the _Reports_, and Preface to _First Institute_. [Sidenote: _English law and the Renaissance._] [4] Sohm, _Fränkisches Recht und römisches Recht_, 1880, p. 77: ‘… Thatsachen in Folge deren die Renaissance an dem englischen Rechtsleben so gut wie spurlos vorüberging.’ [Sidenote: _Sir T. More’s lectures._] [5] Thomas More was Autumn Reader in 1511, Lent Reader in 1515: _Black Book of Lincoln’s Inn_, vol. 1., pp. 162, 175. [Sidenote: _The Renaissance and Roman law. Alciato and Zäsi._]