Speaking at the EU Civil Justice Day conference at the Law Society last week, the Master of the Rolls, Sir Anthony Clarke, made the perhaps none-too-shocking revelation that 'we judges have not always been willing to confess our weaknesses'. To back this up, he pointed to the attitude of the Lord Justices of Appeal in 1882, who were asked to draft an address to Queen Victoria on the occasion of the opening of the new Royal Courts of Justice. The MR said the first draft began: 'Ma'am, conscious as we are of our manifold weaknesses we wish to congratulate your Majesty....' According to Sir Anthony, this did not go down well with one of the Lords Justices, who said he was not conscious that he had any weaknesses, 'whether manifold or otherwise'. This prompted Lord Justice Bowen to suggest a further draft, reading: 'Ma'am, conscious as we are of each other's manifold weaknesses...'