“Honourable Sirs, I have now the Satisfaction to transmit to you a complete and corrected Copy of a Translation of the Gentoo Code, executed with great Ability, Diligence, and Fidelity, by Mr. Halhed, from a Persian Version of the original Shanscrit, which was undertaken under the immediate Inspection of the Pundits or Compilers of this […]
From Jordan Patterson
Election Special 2015 – X Marks the Spot, or, Ballot Dos and Don’ts
Our federal election is swiftly approaching, and all signs point to a close race. We sometimes become disillusioned about the worth of each individual vote, but a tight three-way contest will demonstrate the importance of every ballot. I don’t say ballot to metonymically refer only to each individual’s participation in the election process, but literally each […]
A Brush with History: Where were you when Louis Riel was tried?
Deeds are not accomplished in a few days, or in a few hours. A century is only a spoke in the wheel of everlasting time - Louis Riel Two years ago, on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, news agencies across the continent were in a flurry publishing memorial articles entitled, […]
A Canadian Pirate, and Other Notable Trials
We at the library would like to offer heartfelt congratulations to Osgoode’s Class of ’55, who recently celebrated their 60th Anniversary reunion! Helmed by Mr Morley Wolfe, the Class of ’55 took this occasion to offer the library a sum collected at their get-together, to be dedicated to collection development. This donation allowed the library to […]
In the News: An Octocentenary of Note: Magna Carta Turns 800
“JOHN, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou, to his archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, foresters, sheriffs, stewards, servants, and to all his officials and loyal subjects, Greeting.” In 2015, such an aureate introduction won’t even fit in a tweet. But in 1215, […]
A Bounty of Bookplates
The Osgoode Library has purchased a modest collection of twenty-eight bookplates of various Canadian legal personages. These bookplates are of interest for biographical, bibliographical and professional reasons, and are also sure to be of interest to Game of Thrones fans for their assortment of family sigils and words, or in heraldic parlance, charges and mottoes. […]
The Lawes Resolution of Women’s Rights, or The Woman’s Lawyer (1632)
The Balfour Halevy Special Collections has acquired an exciting new item, The Lawes Resolution of Women’s Rights, also known as The Woman’s Lawyer. Why is this exciting? The Woman’s Lawyer is the earliest work in English devoted to laws relating exclusively to women. Some particular topics include the age of consent, dower, hermaphrodites, polygamy, wooing, […]
Alexander Buchanan (1798-1852) and His Books: Part 2: Early Canadian Legal Education
In my previous post, I talked about Alexander Buchanan, his place in Canadian history, and his library. In this post, I'd like to talk about one specific book from Buchanan's collection, it's special place in Osgoode's Balfour Halévy Special Collections library. Also, I'd like to discuss a singular and exceptional document from Buchanan's hand and […]
Alexander Buchanan (1798-1851) and His Books: Part 1
It may simply be an instance of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, but it seems like everywhere I turn in our rare book room I run into vestiges of Alexander Buchanan. As a reasonably important historical figure, it's not surprising to see his name pop up here and there every now and then, but this barrage of […]
A Topsy-Turvy Image of the Lawyer-Client Relationship
With its classical symmetry, coffered ceiling, modern furnishings and book-lined walls, all suffused with old book smell (“A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness”), the Canada Law Book Rare Book Room is a near perfect space and a wonderful place to work. The […]