Title lettered beneath image 'The First Day of Term - or, The Devil among the Lawyers' with publication line within plate "Pubd. by T O'Callaghan in 11 Bride St., one door from Ross Lane". Satire on the legal ethics of those practising in the Court of Chancery, Dublin [which exercised equitable jurisdiction in Ireland until its abolition in 1877 as part of the reform of the court system]. In the left background of the scene a giant horned devil (who has a document visible under his arm on which is inscribed “Reserved till my assistance is wanting” while another document visible behind this is inscribed “Chancery”). The devil uses both hands to distribute writs to smiling lawyers with relish, while other documents appear to fly through the air - one is inscribed "To encourage Perjury £20", another "Putting off from Term to Term to increase Costs"; "To do away Facts by Bullying £5.50 Mr Bother'em"; "Bringing Witnesses to prove what never happened [underneath this, in manuscript hand in iron gall ink and somewhat faded is written "J R Mi[..]e"] £10.10". In the foreground a dishevelled, hunched and impoverished man, pays money to a barrister, who holds a large document on which is inscribed "Gaffer Flatscull agt. [against] Ralph Clodpole [and written underneath this in manuscript hand in iron gall ink is "Mc Nally" - possibly the barrister Leonard MacNally?]. A large document on the ground in front of them is inscribed “Began in 1699 - not yet [finished]. The Chancery”. A gentleman, wearing a top hat and jacket of green coloured material who is featured at the extreme right of the scene, holds a walking stick in his right hand and has a document under his right arm that reads "Practis [sic, practice] of petty fogging [sic, pettifogging - that is placing an undue emphasis on trivial details]; this may be John Philpot Curran.