Foreword At our request, Mr. A. N. Ray gave the first S. N. Banerjee memorial lectures at the Institute early this year. No better person could have been chosen for this, for apart from the fact that he is a former Chief Justice of India; he knew Mr. S. N. Banerjee personally and had figured with him in law-suits, sometimes on the same side, sometimes as his opponent. It is delightful to have him talk about how Mr. Banerjee, with a minimum of words, would tear apart his opponent's case which perhaps the latter had built up after hours of learned oratory. But more delightful to hear are, however, the anecdotes he has to tell about, Mr. Banerjee's human qualities. Because he knew Mr. Banerjee intimately, he was witness to many episodes showing how affectionate and generous he was. Mr. Banerjee earned fabulous sums as a lawyer, but he spent lavishly, enjoying life and helping his relations, besides making extensive charities. Mr. Banerjee attributed his meteoric rise in his career to the grace of Swami Vivekananda with whom he had lived as a boy and to whom he had had also the privilege to render personal service.
Mr. Ray, appropriately enough, dealt with the topic 'Common Law' in his two lectures, for this is a subject not many students of law nowadays pay much attention to. His lectures were listened to by large and appreciative audiences, comprising, understandably, many men and women of law.
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