William Henry Maule

"There is no presumption in this country that every person knows the law: it would be contrary to common sense and reason if it were so."

"Fictions of law must be consistent with justice."

"If a man go into the London Docks sober without means of getting drunk, and comes out of one of the cellars very drunk wherein are a million gallons of wine, I think that would be reasonable evidence …"

"You silly old fool, you don't even know the alphabet of your own silly old business."

"My lords, we are vertebrate animals, we are mammalia! My learned friend's manner would be intolerable in Almighty God to a black beetle."

"In the eye of the law no doubt, man and wife are for many purposes one: but that is a strong figurative expression, and cannot be so dealt with as that all the consequences must follow which would res…"

"As the crow flies"—a popular and picturesque expression to denote a straight line."

"An enactment for the favour and liberty of the subject ought to have a liberal construction."