“Was the cow crossed?"
"No, your worship, it was an open cow.”
A. P. Herbert book Uncommon Law
"The Negotiable Cow".
Uncommon Law (1935)
Quotes from bookUncommon Law
Uncommon Law is a book by A. P. Herbert first published by Methuen in 1935. Its title is a satirical reference to the English common law. The book is an anthology of fictitious law reports first published in Punch as Misleading Cases in which Herbert explores, as he saw it, rather absurd aspects of the law, and upholds his civil liberties with the protagonist Albert Haddock, representing Herbert's point of view, taking many to court. It includes perhaps the best-known of these cases, The Negotiable Cow. Herbert himself said "Albert Haddock made his first public appearance, in Punch, in 1924. I have always understood that I invented him: but he has made some disturbing escapes into real life".Over his lifetime Herbert published five collections, entitled Misleading Cases in the Common Law, More Misleading Cases, Still More Misleading Cases, Codd's Last Case and Bardot M.P.?. Stray cases also appear in his collections of miscellaneous humorous essays, such as General Cargo. Virtually all the cases were assembled into two omnibus volumes, Uncommon Law in 1935 and More Uncommon Law in 1982. A shorter selection, Wigs at Work, appeared in 1966.
“Justice should be cheap but judges expensive.”
A. P. Herbert book Uncommon Law
"What Is a Judge?"
Uncommon Law (1935)
“The critical period in matrimony is breakfast-time.”
A. P. Herbert book Uncommon Law
"Is Marriage Lawful?"
Uncommon Law (1935)
“A highbrow is the kind of person who looks at a sausage and thinks of Picasso.”
A. P. Herbert book Uncommon Law
"Is 'Highbrow' Libellous?"
Uncommon Law (1935)
