University of Virginia Library

A jury's like a door, no doubt,
The hardship is to make it out;
Yet by the help of tongue and brain,
I hope to make the likeness plain.

Juries, like doors, empannel'd are,
And both secur'd by a bar:
Exactly balanc'd doors should be,
On equal hinges, turning free:
So juries right from wrong divide,
Not leaning false to either side;
But on two hinges justly act,
The one call'd law, the other fact.
A door is made to turn about,
To let folks in, or shut them out;
And with a lock and key made certain,
To keep the door and post from parting.
So to the duties of his station,
A jury's bound by admin'stration
Of oath, or solemn affirmation;
Which like a lock should keep them tight
To posts of justice fix'd upright;
But then the judge still keeps in pocket
A key to lock or to unlock it;
Knows all the wards, and springs, and screws
That bolt it fast, or let it loose;
For by the law, expounding conscience,
He'll make an oath, or sense, or nonsense;
Extent of affirmation measure,
Most learnedly by will and pleasure:
And prove that words in sense may vary,
And two opposed meanings carry;
The one for those of common sort,
The other for the learned court:
And so warp juries to that side
Which most shall please his wrath or pride,
Surrounding them with legal fences,
Until they've almost lost their senses:
Then blind their eyes, that he may shew
The way in which they ought to go.
And this explains what Adrian means,
By calling juries mere machines.