and
the restoration of the Bourbons, many of his faithful followers clung
to the hope that he would return and re-establish his rule in France.
In order to aid in keeping this hope alive, a number of rings were made
which could be worn with impunity, but which could also serve when
desired as proofs of the wearers' attachment to the Napoleonic cause.
One of these is described as a gold ring on which a minute gold and
enamel coffin was set; on pressing a spring at the side of the ring a
section of the circlet sprang up and revealed a tiny figure of Napoleon
executed in enamel.76
At
the English Bar, the usage long existed that certain chosen barristers
should be given the title and superior rank of Serjeants. In important
cases, a Serjeant was usually retained as principal manager and chief
representative at the trial, and generally made the statement of the
case in court, while one or more ordinary barristers got up the
evidence and aided in the examination of witnesses ; no Serjeants have
been appointed since 1868. As with almost all the stages of an English
law-student's and barrister's progress, heavy expenses had to be born
by the new serjeant, as he was expected not only to give a splendid
dinner, or rather a series of dinners lasting for a week, to all who
were closely or distantly related to his preferment, but to bestow a
gold ring upon each one of the numerous guests, these " serjeant rings
" varying in elegance and value according to the rank of the recipient.
So
strictly was this purely traditional custom construed that a close
watch was kept to prevent any cheapening of the quality or intrinsic
value of these obligatory rings. As it had been laid down by a leading
authority
76 Szendrei, " Catalogue de la collection de bagues de Mme. de Tarnóczy," Paris, 1889, pp. 142, 143.
