Leading historians present a fascinating collection of essays on the eighteenth century legal system and those who passed through it. “Close, meticulous scholarship, imagination, a joyous use of literary and ‘qualitative’ evidence ... and the driving force of commitment make it memorable.”—The Guardian

“Immensely advances our understanding both of Hanoverian England and of the relationship between law and society in general.”—Keith Thomas, author of Religion and the Decline of Magic

“Provocative, full of insights into neglected phases of eighteenth-century social history, and at times profound.”—J. H. Plumb, The Observer

“Erudite ... and elegantly pungent.”—Claud Cockburn, author of Beat the Devil and Aspects of English History