In order to render these volumes of convenient use to the reader, there have been published from time to time digests of their contents. Without such assistance, the most inveterate book lawyer must have abandoned the use of reports in utter hopelessness; and, even with the aid of the best arranged digests, the task of examining the existing state of American law, in these recorded responsa prudentum, is truly formidable; since even the best arranged digests serve only as indexes to the reports and the experience of every accurate lawyer teaches him how utterly unsafe it is in any instance to rely merely on the digest, when it is possible to consult the report at large.

In what way this evil of numerousness will be remedied, or how it will cure itself, is certainly as yet an "open question ;"—as such we leave it, our present purpose being to give a bibliographical account of the digests; and in so doing we shall follow the same order as was followed in regard to the reports. To this account of the digests, we shall add a bibliographical account of the law periodicals, which have appeared in this country. We proceed first to notice the digests.

United States Courts. In 1821, Henry Wheaton, reporter to the supreme court, published a digest of the decisions of the supreme court, from its establishment in 1789, to February term, 1820, including the cases decided in the continental court of appeals in prize causes during the war of the revolution. In 1829, a continuation of Wheaton's digest, by two gentlemen of the New York bar, was published, including the reports in the supreme court from 1821 to January term, 1829—also the cases in the district and circuit courts from the commencement of the reports. In the same year, Richard S. Coxe published a digest of the decisions in the supreme, circuit, and district courts of the United States.

In 1838, Richard Peters, reporter to the supreme court,

published the first volume of his full and arranged digest of cases decided in the supreme, circuit, and district courts from the organization of the government of the United States. This work was completed in 1839, by the publication of the second and third volumes.

In 1839, George Ticknor Curtis published a digest of cases adjudicated in the courts of admiralty of the United States and in the higher court of admiralty in England.

In those states which are not mentioned we believe no separate digests have been published.

Maine. In 1835, Simon Greenleaf published a digest of the nine volumes of Greenleaf's reports. It is usually bound with the ninth volume of his reports.

Vermont. We understand that Peter T. Washburn, of the Vermont bar, is engaged in preparing a digest of all the reports of this state.

Massachusetts. In 1818, Lewis Bigelow published a digest of the first twelve volumes of Massachusetts reports, and in 1825, he published a new edition containing a digest of the seventeen volumes of Massachusetts reports and the first of Pickering.

In the same year, Theron Metcalf published a digest of the five last volumes of Massachusetts reports and the first of Pickering.

In 1830, Lewis Bigelow published, as a supplement to his former volume, a digest of Pickering's reports from the second to the seventh inclusive. In 1831, Willard Phillips and others published a digest of Pickering's reports from the second volume to the eighth inclusive.

In 1837, Francis Hilliard published a digest of Pickering's reports from the eighth to the fourteenth inclusive.

We understand that J. C. Perkins and J. H. Ward are preparing a new digest of all the Massachusetts and of all Pickering's reports, to include the eighteenth, nineteenth and twenty-second of the latter, not yet published.

Connecticut. In 1833, Henry Dutton published the Connecticut digest, comprising the decisions in Kirby, Root, the five volumes of Day, and the first seven and a part of the eighth of Connecticut reports, with some decisions in other reports. Mr. Thomas Day, the state reporter, has in press a complete digest of all the reports of this state to the present time.'

New York. In 1815, William Johnson published a digest of the cases decided and reported in the supreme court of judicature and the court for the correction of errors from January term, 1799, to October term, 1813, inclusive.

In 1821, Rodney S. Church published in two volumes a digested index to the reports of the supreme court and the court for the correction of errors, including Coleman's cases, Caines's cases, Caines's reports, Johnson's cases, Johnson's reports, eighteen volumes and the first part of the nineteenth, and Anthon's Nisi Prius.

In 1825, William Johnson published in two volumes a digest of the cases decided and reported in, the supreme court of judicature, the court of chancery, and the court for the correction of errors from 1799 to 1823.

In 1831, Esek Cowen published a digested index to the nine volumes of his reports.

In 1836, John L. Wendell published a digest of the cases reported in the first thirteen volumes of his reports.

In the same year, Stephen Cambreleng, T. W. Clerke and E. Hammond published in two volumes an analytical digest of the reported cases in the supreme court of judicature and the court for the correction of errors of the state; together with the reported cases of the superior court for

In his prospectus Mr. Day says; "It has been a prominent object of the compiler, and one which he has never lost sight of, to make the work a substitute for the original reports—not indeed in every instance, for this is impossible;-but always to state concisely, in connection with the point decided, all the facts in the case which bear upon and materially affect the decision,"

the city and county of New York, from the earliest period to the present time.

In 1838, there was published a supplement to Johnson's digest, being a digest of all the reported cases in New York from 1823 to 1836.

New Jersey. In 1815, Charles Kinsey published in one volume an abridgment or digest of the decisions of the supreme court from 1806 to 1813.

In 1830, William Halstead published a digested index to the decisions of the superior courts of this state.

Pennsylvania. In 1822, Thomas J. Wharton published a digest of the reported cases adjudged in the several courts held in Pennsylvania, including those in the United States circuit and district, as well as those in the state courts.

In 1829, he published a second edition including the cases in the fifteenth of Sergeant and Rawle's reports. And in 1836, he published the second volume of his digest.

Maryland. In 1829, James Raymond, of the Maryland bar, published the digested chancery cases, contained in the reports of the court of appeals of Maryland. In his general plan, the editor seems to have followed Petersdorff's abridgment.

Virginia. In 1819, William Munford published a general index to the Virginia law authorities, reported by Washington, Call, Henning and Munford jointly, and Munford separately.

In 1825, Everard Hall published a digested index to the Virginia reports, containing all the points argued and determined in the court of appeals from Washington to the second volume of Randolph inclusive.

North Carolina. The North Carolina reports are included in Wharton's digest of Southern and Western reports.

South Carolina. In 1824, there was published by a member of the Charleston bar a digest of the cases reported in the constitutional court. William Rice, state reporter,

published a digest of the reports of this state, in two volumes, the first of which appeared in 1838, the second in 1839.

Alabama. John L. Dorsey, Esq. has in press, or has recently published a digest of the sixteen volumes of Alabama reports.

Louisiana. In 1826, William Christy published in one volume a digest of Martin's reports as far as the fourth volume of his new series.

In 1834, Messrs. Benjamin and Sliddel published a digest of the Louisiana reports.

Tennessee. In 1836, Mr. Holman published a digest of cases in the courts of Tennessee from 1796 to 1835.

Kentucky. In 1832, Henry Pirtle, under the patronage of the legislature, published a digest of the decisions of the court of appeals, in two volumes.

Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. In 1834, James F. Conover, of the Cincinnati bar, published a digested index of all the reported decisions in law and equity of the supreme courts of the states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, embracing the first five and the first part of the sixth of Hammond's reports, the first volume of Blackford, and Breese's reports.

Digest of Southern and Western Reports. A digested index to the reported decisions of the several courts of law in the Southern and Western states was published in 1824, by Thomas J. Wharton. In his advertisement Mr. Wharton says; "This index contains a systematic arrangement of the cases decided and published in the following states; Maryland, Virginia, since the publication of Munford's digest, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee."

In addition to the foregoing, there has been published in five volumes, a digested index to the reported decisions of the several courts of law in the United States. The first, published in 1813, by John Anthon, the second in 1816, by Thomas Day, the third in 1824, and fourth in 1825, by T. J. Wharton, the fifth in 1830, by G. S. Smith and F. J.