LEGAL ENGLISH

When Gandhi arrived in London on September 29, 1888, he was about 18 years old. To qualify for admission to any Inn one had to have a liberal education. One could either take and pass a public examination at a university or pass a special entrance examination. Those who wished to become barristers could do so by enrolling in one of the four “Inns of court” namelyGray’s Inn Lincoln’s Inn The middle Temple and Inner Temple The inner Temple being the most expensive. The members of each Inn lived, argued and debated together. They took their meals in a common dining hall where lectures were regularly given. With a great amount of dedication and hard work Gandhi passed his London Matriculation. The curriculum of law was easy. There were regular text books prescribed for the examinations which Gandhi mastered. He read the Roman law in Latin language which he had learnt in London matriculation. 

Gandhi also read the common Law of England by Herbert Broom, a big but interesting volume, the principles of Equity by Snell and the leading cases by Thomas White and Owen Davies Tudor. Gandhi also read the book “Real property” by William Edwards with lot of interest. Gandhi thus passed; his examination and was called to the bar on the 10th of June 1891 and enrolled in the High Court on the 11th of June 1891.During his stay in England Gandhi met Mr. Fredrick Pincutt who was a barrister and a mentor to a number of Indian students in England. Mr.Pincutt advised Gandhi to read Kaye Malleson’s history of the Mutiny of 1857 and also to read Lavator’s and Shemmel Pennick’s books on physiognomy to understand human nature. 

Mr.Pincutt advised Gandhi to read Indian culture. Gandhi became deeply interested in vegetarianism and study of different religions. His stay in England provided opportunities for widening horizons and better understanding of religions and cultures. Gandhi successfully completed his degree at the inner temple and was called to the Bar on 10thJune 1891 and enrolled in the High court of the 11th June 1891.