Produced by Robert Shimmin, Tiffany Vergon, Charles Aldarondo, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team OBITER DICTA ‘An _obiter dictum_, in the language of the law, is a gratuitous opinion, an individual impertinence, which, whether it be wise or foolish, right or wrong, bindeth none–not even the lips that utter it.’ OLD JUDGE. _PREFACE
In the Name of the Bodleian and Other Essays by Augustine Birrell
Produced by Janet Kegg and PG Distributed Proofreaders IN THE NAME OF THE BODLEIAN AND OTHER ESSAYS By AUGUSTINE BIRRELL HONORARY FELLOW OF TRINITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE _’Peace be with the soul of that charitable and courteous author who for the common benefit of his fellow-authors introduced the ingenious way of miscellaneous writing.’_–LORD SHAFTESBURY. LONDON 1906