"Farewell, Toronto, of great glory, Of valour, too, in modern story; Farewell to Courts, to Lawyers' Hall, The Justice seats, both great and small: Farewell Attorneys, Special Pleaders, Equity Draftsmen, and their Readers. Canadian Laws, and Suits, to song Of future Bard, henceforth belong." Thus closed a curious production in rhyme entitled _Curiæ Canadenses_, published anonymously in 1843, but written by Mr. John Rumsey, an English barrister, sometime domiciled here. In one place is described the migration of the Court of Chancery back from Kingston, whither it was for a brief interval removed, when Upper and Lower Canada were re-united. The minstrel says: "Dreary and sad was Frontenac: Thy duke ne'er made a clearer sack, Than when the edict to be gone Issued from the Vice-regal Throne. _Exeunt omnes_ helter skelter To Little York again for shelter: Little no longer: York the New Of imports such can boast but few: A goodly freight, without all brag, When comes 'mongst others, Master Spragge. And skilful Turner, versed in pleading, The Kingston exiles gently leading." To the last three lines the following note is appended:-- "J. G. Spragge, Esq., the present very highly esteemed and respected Master of the Court of Chancery; R. T. Turner, Esq., a skilful Equity Draftsman and Solicitor in Chancery. See _Journals of House of Assembly, 1841_." The notes to _Curiæ Canadenses_ teem with interesting matter relating to the laws, courts, terms, districts and early history, legal and general, of Lower as well as Upper Canada. A copious table of contents renders the volume quite valuable for reference. The author must have been an experienced compiler, analyst and legal index maker. In the text of the work, Christopher Anstey's poetical "Pleader's Guide" is taken as a model. As a motto to the portion of his poem that treats of Upper Canada he places the line of Virgil, "_Gensque virûm truncis et duro robore nata_," which may be a compliment or not. The title in full of Mr. Rumsey's brochure, which consists of only 127 octavo pages, is as follows:--"Curiæ Canadenses; or, The Canadian Law Courts: being a Poem, describing the several Courts of Law and Equity which have been erected from time to time in the Canadas; with copious notes, explanatory and historical, and an Appendix of much useful Matter. Itur in antiquam sylvam, stabula alta ferarum; Procumbunt piceæ, sonat icta securibus ilex, Fraxineæque trabes: cuneis et fissile robur Scinditur: advolvunt ingentes montibus ornos.--_Virgil._ By Plinius Secundus. Toronto: H. and W. Rowsell, King Street, 1843." The typography and paper are admirable. The _Curiæ_, in a jacket of fair calf, should be given a place on the shelves of our Canadian law libraries. We pause for a moment at York Street, opposite the east wing of Osgoode Hall.