told him in a whisper, or on a
slip of paper, whether he had convicted the prisoner, or not.

We shall detail one case which occurred this morning. It happened
that an amiable and distinguished literary gentleman, an LL.D., and a
barrister, had lost from his library a book on which he placed great
value, and he found this book on a stall not very far from the office.
On seeing the volume he naturally claimed it, and the woman who had
received it from the thief, who was a servant, refused to give it up,
unless the money she had paid for it were returned to her. Neither would
the wretch disclose the name of the thief, but snapped her fingers in
Dr. A----'s face, saying she defied him, and that he could only bring
her before Mr. Coke, who, she knew very well, would see justice done
her. She lived by buying books, she said, and by selling books; and
as he lived by writing books, she thought it wasn't handsome of him to
insult the profession by bringing such a blackguard charge against them
in her name.

He summoned her, however, and the case was one of the first called on
the morning in question. The receiver of the stolen book came forward,
with much assurance, as defendant, and modest Dr. A---- as plaintiff;
when Sir Spigot, putting his glass to his eye, and looking from the one
to the other with his wink and grin as usual, said to Darby:

"What is this man here for?"

"It's a law case, your worship," replied the senior officer.

Coke, who sat solemn and silent, looked at the doctor, and said:

"Well, sir, what is your case? Please to state it."

The case, being a very plain and brief one, was soon stated, the woman's
reply was then heard, after which Mr. Coke looked graver than before,
and proceeded somewhat to the following effect:

"This is a case of deep interest to that important portion of the
bibiliopolist profession who vend their wares on stalls."

"Thank your worship," said the woman, with a courtesy.

"This most respectable body of persons, the booksellers--[another
courtesy from the woman]--are divided into several classes; first, those
who sell books in large and splendid shops; next, those who sell them
in shops of less pretension; thirdly, those who sell them on stalls in
thoroughfares, and at the corners of streets; fourthly, those who carry
them in baskets, and who pass from place to place, and combine with the
book-selling business that of flying stationer; and fifthly, those who
do not sell t