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Self-respect. Rule of Life.

Turpe quid ausurus, te sine teste time.

"When about to attempt an ignoble act, respect thyself if thou hast no other witness."— Epigr. 315, I.

Beginning is Half Ended.

Incipe quidquid agas: pro toto est prima operis pars. "Begin whatever you are about to do: the beginning is half the battle."- Epigr. 342, 5.

MANILIUS.

No authentic information has come down to us concerning the life of Manilius or the date at which he lived. He was the author of a poem in five books, entitled Astronomica. The work bears evidence of eminent scholarship, but is quite devoid of literary or poetic excellence.

Change.

Omnia mortali mutantur lege creata,

Nec se cognoscunt terrae vertentibus annis,
Et mutant variam faciem per saecula gentes.

All created things are changed by the decree of man; the continents scarce recognize themselves in the revolution of years; even the races change their appearance in the flight of ages."— Astron. 1, 515.

Power of Mind.

Rationi nulla resistunt

Claustra nec immensae moles, ceduntque recessus :
Omnia succumbunt, ipsum est penetrabile coelum.

"No barriers nor monstrous obstacles can resist the powers of the mind; the remotest caverns yield submission; all things succumb; e'en heaven itself is open to its power."- Astron. I, 541.

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Subtexta malis bona sunt, lacrimaeque sequntur

Vota, nec in cunctos servat Fortuna tenorem.

"Bane and blessing are intermingled in the web of life: tears follow vows, and Fortune does not preserve an even tenor in all her ways.”Astron. III, 526.

Poverty. Wants.

Pauperiorque bonis quisque est, quo plura requirit. "One's poverty is proportioned to his wants.". Astron. IV, 7.

Decay. Man.

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Nascentes morimur, finisque ab origine pendet.

"We begin to die when we are born, and the end is pending even from the beginning.” — Astron. IV, 16.

God. Man.

Exemplumque Dei quisque est in imagine parva. "Every one is, in a small degree, the image of God."- Astron. IV. 895.

Life. Procrastination.

Victuros agimus semper nec vivimus unquam.

"We are always going to live, but never live." — Astron. IV, 899. This is true of those who defer the enjoyment of life, or the attainment of its fullest possibilities, to future years which never come.

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Endeavor. Obstacles.

Omnia conando docilis solertia vincit.

“By earnest endeavor a steadfast disposition surmounts all obstacles."

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SIR EDWARD COKE, author of the few selections that follow, was an English lawyer and judge, noted for his legal ability and great learning. He held at various times the position of Speaker of the House of Commons, Attorney-General, Chief-Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and finally Chief-Justice of the King's Bench. He was upright, independent, and invincible in his resistance to the illegal encroachments of royalty. He is best known at the present time by his law treatise entitled Coke upon Littleton and his collection of Law Reports, which are still of great interest and value. As Latin was at this time the accepted language of the courts and a common medium of communication for legal, scientific, and professional documents, the leading scholars of the time became quite familiar with its use. We can give only a few brief selections from a single author to call attention to the Latin of this age. Those who desire to acquaint themselves more fully with its character will be interested in examining such works as the Novum Organum of Bacon, the Principia of Newton, the De Revolutionibus of Copernicus, or the great works of other distinguished writers of this period.

Unity in Nature. Divine Origin of Law.

Quod enim in Natura videmus, infinitam rerum distinctionem ab unitate aliqua provenire, ut ab eadem radice multos flores, ab eadem fonte plures rivulos, et in humano corpore ab eodem corde multas arterias, ex uno jecore multas venas, nervos omnes ab uno cerebro, ita proculdubio, lex orta est cum mente divina, atque unitas haec consensus plane admirabilis in tanta rerum diversitate, non

nisi a Deo bonarum legum et constitutionum auctore ac fonte dimanavit.

"For as we behold in nature an infinite variety of forms proceed from certain unity, as many flowers from the same root, and many streams from the same fount, many arteries in the human body from the same heart, many veins from the same liver, and all nerves from one brain; so law is, unquestionably, an emanation from the divine mind; and this unity of agreement, truly wonderful in the midst of so great diversity, could only emanate from God, the source and fountain of good laws and constitutions." A selection taken from the Preface to the third part of Coke's Law Reports, and affording a sample of the seventeenth century Latin. Although these reports are quaint and curious to the modern student, they present many points of interest; and, as Lord Coke tersely remarks in the same preface, speaking of ancient records, they contain, as it were, hid treasures, - continent thesauri quasi reconditi.

Advice to Judges.

Videte judices quid faciatis, non enim hominis exercetis judicium sed Domini, et quodcunque judicaveritis, in vos redundabit. Deus est judex, justus, fortis, et patiens; talem decet esse omnem judicem.

"Judges, consider what you do, for you are dispensing not the judgment of man, but of God; and whatever you decree to others will rebound upon you. God is a judge both just and brave and tender, and such should every judge become.". Ib., Preface to Fourth Coke's Law Reports. These magnificent words of the great jurist are worthy of an honored place in every hall of justice. The English common law never had a more fearless defender than he who penned these words. They seem to come with special grace from one so illustrious.

Memory. Oblivion. Writing.

Nihil est adeo aut memoriae insitum, aut infixum animo, quin intervallo temporis obscurari, sensinique sine sensu deleri possit. Proin necessarium plane est, ut si quid dignum nobis, posteris, literarum luce aliquando contingat, id (testi temporum, veritatis vitae, nuncio vestustatis) scripto committatur.

"Nothing is or can be so fixed in mind or fastened in memory but in short time it may be loosened out of one, and by little and little quite

lost out of the other. It is therefore necessary that all memorable things which happen should be committed to writing, the witness of time, the life of truth, and the messenger of antiquity.” — Ib., Preface to First Coke's Law Reports.

Jewels. Learning. Knowledge of Law.

Nulla est usquam gentium margarita doctrinae aequiparabilis; nulla doctrina princepi simul ac populo legum scientia praestantior.

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There is no jewel in the world comparable to learning, and no learning so excellent, both for prince and subject, as knowledge of the laws."— Ib., Preface to Second Coke's Law Reports.

Conduct. Character.

Acta exteriora indicant interiora secreta.

"The outward conduct indicates the secrets of the heart."

Judges. Law. Equity.

Bonus judex secundum aequum et bonum judicat, et aequitatem strictae legi praefert.

"A good judge decides according to justice and right, and prefers equity to the strict letter of the law."

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Loquendum ut vulgus, sentiendum ut docti.

"We should speak like the common people, think like the learned."

People. Knowledge.

Multi multa, nemo omnia novit.

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Many people know many things; no one knows everything." In other words, "Everybody is wiser than anybody."

Priority of Right.

Qui prior est tempore potior est jure.

"He who is first in point of time has the preferable right."

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