AND

Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, &c.

FRU-NEW WORKS

DOMESTIC DUTIES; or, Instructions to TICETUM BRITANNICUM: of Complete Ency

In 2 vols. poat 8vo. price 124. ; or the Second Volume separately, MR. BENTLEY has just published the

on the PHYSIOLOGY DEBRETT'S COMPLETE PEERAGE sion of portable laboratories."—Vide Preface.

AND

Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, &c.

No. 1054.

LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1837.

REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS,

*

PRICE 8d. Stamped Edition, 9d.

and assuming in the conventicle the dictatorial | of its morality; and I own that, in defiance of the Memoirs of a Peeress; or, the Days of Fox. importance of a conscript-father. But Sir Oba-example of a most domestic court, the noble Edited by Lady Charlotte Bury. 3 vols. 12mo. diah was gone to his long-his very long, ac- ladies, my contemporaries, would have little to London, 1837. Colburn. count, leaving to Lady Lavinia the disposal of learn from the levities of their grand-daughTHIS work purports to have been written by his two tall daughters and half a million of ters. Though less graced with superficial acsome late Lady Blank, alias Asterisks, and Oriental amassings. The girls were of an age complishments than the damsels of to-day, our to be only indebted to Lady Charlotte Bury to be presented in society; but, as prayer-meet-reasoning faculties were at that time better for the duties of editing. How the case may ings and religious dissipation had not then been cultivated. We performed no miraculous conbe we cannot tell. The beginning relates to introduced into fashionable life, Lady Lavinia certos, competed for no prizes at the Society of the follies and vices of the fashionable world was perplexed in what way to reconcile her Arts; but we were the chosen associates of a half a century ago, and possesses considerable views for their aggrandisement with the forms Johnson, a Cowper, a Sheridan. We listened liveliness; and the latter pages bring us to of sanctity forced upon her adoption by her more, we chattered less. But this superiority the death and burial of Charles James Fox. marriage. Lavinia, the eldest, was evidently a of intellectual cultivation added only a new Many of the characters are introduced in puritan at heart; but I sometimes fancied 1 page to the annals of gallantry. It was only their own names, while others are mystified, detected a gleam in the dark eyes of my cousin the conversion of Laïs into Aspasia. From but yet not so much as not to be readily Clara, indicative of the repressed gaiety of a Mrs. Robinson to my lovely relative, the danrecognised. The same may be said of the in- child of perdition. In their mother's presence, ger was but magnified through the atmosphere cidents, which are often real, though occasion- however, both sisters maintained the rigid per- of refinement surrounding the meretricious ally adapted to foreign localities and persons. pendicularity of the twin towers of Westminster charms of the goddess of voluptuousness. In The early career of the Prince of Wales and Abbey. * Though its highest circles of haut ton, London already his associates is the staple of the performance; London was then comparatively circumscribed, emulated the witty profligacy of Paris under and the fêtes of Carlton House, Devonshire and the outworks of the great world were far the sceptre of Louis XV., and the influence of House, Ranelagh, and other rendezvous, of the more strongly set up against the approaches of a Boufflers and a Du Deffand. Of these, gaiety of a preceding generation, are decked aspiring opulence, society was less easy to col- enough, and too much, has been consigned to out with the tinsel and flowers, which cannot lect into a focus. There existed, as in Paris, us in the memoirs of their day. But, saving hide, but only add repugnance to the contem- distinct societies of the court and the town; in the archives of Doctors' Commons, nothing plation of the tomb. and Windsor Castle ate its roast mutton, while remains to perpetuate the peccadilloes of our The heroine is a country squire's daughter, Carlton House fed upon devilled kidneys. Re- grandmothers; for England is a prude who, who mixes with the élite of London, under her ligion and politics, if less potential, were more like the Spartan virgins, heeds not that her aunt, a beautiful, giddy, and imprudent duch- polemic. People did not slide from a house zone should be unbound, so it be done in silence ess, whose frailty is severely punished. She where high church implied salvation, to one and obscurity. Nevertheless, a few septua herself marries a poor but most accomplished where low church was all in all; or glide from genarians, like myself, are not hypocritical man, whose miseries and death, amid duns and an assembly given by a Whig premier, to a ball enough to witness, unmoved, the canonisation bailiffs, afford other tragical topics. The ori- graced by the blessed hierarchy of the Tories. of our century. Like the devil's advocateginals of these pictures are easily to be traced; There were as many divisions and subdivisions general, whose duty it is to plead against every and this circumstance throws a doubt upon the in society, as there are canals in the city of new aspirant to the honours of the kalendar, alleged authorship of the memoirs. It is, how. Ghent, where a thousand bridges are indis- I lift up my voice to attest that the last age ever, a question of small consequence; and we pensable to enable neighbour A to live on was a sinner in its generation; and, unmisled shall merely offer a few brief extracts, to shew neighbourly terms with neighbour B. Under by maternal blindness or bitterness, have no what sort of book the public have to expect. such disadvantages, a general picture of society hesitation in tracing the effeminacy and fatuity "We dined the following day in St. James's must be less accurate than at the present time, of certain lords of the creation and the realm of Square; when Lord Rawborne's carriage, which when all is imitation,-all echo,-all tauto- the present day, to the enervating and vicious was always sent for us, followed to the door the logy;-when half the platform just reflects habits of their progenitresses. When I arrived stately equipage of Lady Lavinia Shanstone. the other,' and the aristocracy of rank stands in London, its ways were 'pleasant, but As we watched her ascend the stairs, escorted grimacing, like a posture-master on its pedestal, wrong.' It was something, at least, that they by her two tall daughters, Clara and Lavinia, in order that its illegitimate brother, the aris- were pleasant;' for I have since found them my aunt exclaimed in a peevish tone: This is tocracy of wealth, may try to prove affinity, by wrong,' yet mightily disagreeable." the first time my sister has found it convenient aping every contortion, and out-vaulting every We conclude with one other morsel. to drive here this winter; I lay my life that leap. Nevertheless, some generalities existed "Although a topic peculiarly unfitted to Medway has arrived.' Is she so fond, then, that serve to inscribe the epoch on my memory. Rochester House and the prince's presence, of her nephew?'' So fond, that she wants to Much as has been said of the demoralisation of there were few other times and places where the make him her son-in-law. Those horrid girls the higher classes during the decrepitude of embarrassments of the prince were not just then have enormous fortunes; and Lady Lavinia is George IV., the demoralisation prevalent during discussed. From the day of obtaining his mawild to have them form great matches.' A his youth was far more remarkable. Paris, jority, he had laid the foundations of expensive saint, yet so ambitious? A saint, because so like a repentant Magdalen, affected, just then, buildings at Carlton House, and of debts of ambitious. What but the desire of high dis-on the death of a vicious, and the accession of a honour and **** innumerable. Every folly tinction in paradise is the origin of saintship?' virtuous sovereign, the most prudish propriety; of the day grew to excess under his cultivation. My sanctimonious and, as Horace Walpole used to say of France He out-drove Sir John Lade-he out-diced relatives added little to the conviviality of our and England, that, like the sea and land, one Charles Fox. Ten thousand guineas were exfamily party. Lady Lavinia, a woman of nar- could not gain without the other being a loser,' pended in a single year on his toilet; and, berow understanding, was the widow of a man the vices put out of countenance by Louis XVI., tween play-debts and debts of gallantry, the rewarded by government with a baronetcy for took refuge under the protection of the Prince turf and the tailor's-shop, it was hard to say the same line of conduct in the East, which, of Wales. Madame du Barri retreated into the in what quarter his royal highness's pecuniary afterwards brought Warren Hastings into West- obscurity of her pavilion at Luciennes, and the engagements lay heaviest. But the nation, or minster Hall. Sir Obadiah Shanstone, on his emblazoned chariot of a Perdita drove trium- (as the London part of the nation is called) the return from Bengal, thought to gloze over, in phantly through the parish of St. James. From public, was satisfied! So long as he shared the eyes of man, the sin of his low extraction, the days of Alcibiades, however, to those of Brum- his hazard with Charles Fox, his claret with by bribing into wedlock the daughter of an mel, fine gentlemen have existed, like excres- Sheridan, not a syllable was to be said. The earl; and to gloze over, in the eye of Heaven, cences on the oak, the disease and not the product sordid respectability of Kew, or the petty Gerthe sin of his Oriental peculations, by trying to of the age. It is rather from the women, the man-courtliness of Windsor, might be lammake a conventicle of the House of Commons, matrons of the times, I would draw deductions pooned by Wolcot, reviled by Junius, and

There is a good deal about the prince's mar. riage, and the Princess (afterwards Queen) Caroline, and, in short, about all the fashionables who flourished from fifty to thirty years ago; and also about the politics of the day, Westminster election, &c. &c. &c. the which we now consign to the readers who want to learn how their predecessors acted on the stage of life, mingling notoriously in its vainest pursuits, phantasına, and crimes.*

Of British Guiana we have long and particular details; but we can only copy a little bit of animal anecdote, and a curious account of medical education, as specimens.

burned in effigy by Wilkes's mob; while the whether few or many, with fresh beef of the doctors are a distinguished and a greatly privi fine, gay, bold-faced of Carlton House best quality, and at a cheaper rate,,than what leged class: they are called Peijmen, pronounced was a thing to be applauded in play-houses, the salt provisions cost the country before they Pe-ai-men; and, before the young aspirant can and rewarded with prodigal grants by his ma- are delivered out to the soldiers' messes. This obtain his degree, he has to undergo a rather jesty's court of parliament. Well!-Heaven of itself, one would imagine, was sufficient to severe apprenticeship. It is thus described by mend us! The cardinal virtues of this vir- cause inquiry; but when I add, that more than my excellent friend, Dr. M‘Turk, who was at tuous kingdom of Great Britain have ever been a third of that mortality which is so dark a pains to make himself master of the whole proa stiff-necked and perverse generation! Time feature in our colonial military service, is occa- ceeding: - The person who is desirous of out of mind, our sovereigns expectant have sioned by that rottenness of the constitution learning the art, or whatever it may be called, waged war against our sovereigns regnant, with which is produced by improper and unwhole- applies, either personally or through his father, a ready faction at their heels; while the mob some diet (and I do not state this upon slight or to the elders of the family of the peijman who stands as patiently as a lord in waiting, with untenable grounds), it is a question that ought is to teach him. The peijman hears the applia mantle, purple and ermine, to throw over the seriously to engage the attention of our civil, cant patiently, who relates to him his history, raggedness of the prodigal son of majesty. The as well as our military rulers. The salted and that of his family, and where he resides: exemplary 'best of royal husbands and fathers,' meats, I readily admit, are the best that can be these statements proving satisfactory, the peijwith his experimental farms, and Handel, and procured, and are most excellent of their kind; man takes his pupil the first night apart from Dr. Johnson, had not a huzza at command. but to the soldiers in the West Indies they are every house or dwelling, and sings and bellows The prince, who threw away on the bouquets doubly pernicious. In the first place, they do over him the whole night, occasionally puffing of his footmen thrice as much as the Berkshire not furnish a sufficient quantity of nourishment tobacco-smoke in his face. This ceremony farmer on his turnip-fields, whose anthems to the body, while the superabundance of the being over, which commences at six o'clock in were opera airs, whose Wyatt was Nuovo- muriate of soda, as every physician knows, pro- the evening, and continues till six o'clock in lieschi, whose West, Sherwin,-whose John- duces that unnatural and unhealthy state of the morning, without intermission, he is put son, Dick Sheridan; the Prince was the uni- the blood which is so characteristic of a scor- into the peij-house (a house built and used for versal idol !" butic tendency; and, in the second place, this no other purpose), closed in at top and sides, diet excites such a craving for liquids that no leaving only a small aperture for a door, which, resolution nor strength of mind can overcome it. when shut, renders the inside quite dark. Hunger is a severe suffering, but thirst is far Here the new initiated remains for a week, more distressing; and, were death in the cup, seated night and day on a block of wood-no it could not be resisted. Why, then, I would bed, hammock, or any article of furniture whatask, persist in measures, neither called for by ever, allowed in the house; in this condition he necessity, nor recommended by economy, and is attended by the peijman every night, who which are so conducive to the irregularities of performs the same ceremony as at the beginthe soldier, and so fatal to his health ?" ning: he also visits him daily, on which occasions he gives him to drink a quantity of tobacco-water, which vomits him until he is quite exhausted. The only food that is allowed him is about an ounce of cassava-bread, and about "The little wren which I have already men- the same quantity of dried fish, and a little tioned seems to be so alarmed and annoyed by water, daily, which he can seldom use from the what is here called the lazy-bird (the Cuculus disturbed state of his stomach. At the end of rufo), that she seeks and avails herself, as much the week the peijman gives him, by way of a as possible, of the protection of man, building finale, a calabash-full of paiwary, a drink made her nest in the most frequented rooms of the from toasted cassava-bread steeped in water, house. One actually hatched and reared her which forms a fermented intoxicating liquor: young brood under a table in the mess-room of this quantity (about a gallon) he has to drink the 25th regiment, at Eve Leary barracks-a at one draught, which is sure to vomit him; room frequented by hundreds daily, and where he is then taken out of the peij-house, looking uoise and uproar generally prevailed for half more like a spectre than a human being. It the night; yet nothing seemed to disturb her. takes some time before the new peijman can To hang up an empty soda-water bottle in the walk about, and until his strength is restored, open veranda is considered by this bird as a or that he can take his departure for his home. great boon; as in it she finds a retreat which The peij-houses are now very rare. About the lazy-bird cannot reach yet it is a most twenty years ago there was a large establishremarkable fact, that, should the lazy-bird suc- ment of this sort on the Abanacary Creek, in ceed in getting her egg placed in the little the Essequibo River, where, at stated periods, wren's nest, she not only hatches it, but is the peijmen assembled to perform their exormost indefatigable in procuring food for the cisms, and examine the younger peijmen. A ravenous maw of the alien monster that has father cannot teach a son, nor a son a father: destroyed her own natural offspring. Here, as at least, it is not the custom." in Europe, the young of the foster-mother disappear as soon as the young cuckoo is hatched. Can it be a recollection of the cruel fate of her own young, and of the additional labour she will have to undergo, that makes her thus so persevering in her endeavours to escape from the pursuit of her remorseless persecutor? I saw a lazy-bird to-day follow a wren into the drawing-room at Camp House, and was with difficulty driven out, and prevented from taking possession of the wren's nest.'

The West Indies: the Natural and Physical
History of the Windward and Leeward Co-
lonies, &c. &c. By Sir Andrew Halliday,
K.H., M.D., &c. Deputy Inspector of Army
Hospitals. 12mo. pp. 408. London, 1837.
Parker.

SIR ANDREW HALLIDAY, possessed of great
medical experience, and rich in general in-
formation, was, it seems, driven to the West
Indies by an enemy whom neither his expe-
rience nor his information could conquer, viz.
the gout; for relief from which malady he
sought a warm climate, and, while resident in
it, found the remedy he anticipated. On his
return home, however, his adversary again as-
sailed him; and, in the present instance, he has
endeavoured to mitigate his inflictions by writ-
ing the volume before us.

Whatever the limbs or body may be, it is evident that the mind has not suffered; for the work is full of useful observation, embracing various sciences, statistics, remarks on slavery and the abolition, diseases, religion, commerce, history, natural phenomena, and popular characteristics.

Barbadoes was the first island visited by the author; where, speaking of the mortality among the troops, he observes:

"It would be both wisdom and humanity, as well as great economy, to throw aside all the English and Irish contracts for salt beef and pork, and allow the commissariat on the spot to procure those supplies of fresh meat and vegetables which are required for the proper nourishment of the troops, and are so important as regards their health and efficiency. I state it from authentic documents, and the fullest information collected on the spot, that there is not a colony, or corner of a colony, where British troops are quartered, in the West Indies, that is not capable of supplying these troops, It may be noticed, as a coincidence, that, whilst writing this review, we see the death of Mrs. Fitzherbert announced in the Brighton papers, at the great age of 93. Her part in the affairs of these times was not one of the least influence and importance.

The medical system is capital: passing our College of Physicians, or Surgeons' or Apothe caries' Halls, though they may be as useful and advantageous as Pe-ai-ism, is nothing to it!

Tobago, Trinidad, &c. are also illustrated by Sir Andrew; but we have only space to notice, that the principal feature of his book is a theory that the whole of the Caribbean Islands are the product of a vast volcanic stream, thrown off after the formation of the Andes; and the course of which, over the crust of the earth and through the sea, along the track of the hurricanes, from the equator to the Gulf of Mexico, has produced all these islands. Of the value of this opinion we cannot judge; but it is strongly supported by the able and ingenious author.

Piso and the Præfect; or, the Ancients off their
Stilts. 3 vols. 12mo. London, 1837. Smith,
Elder, and Co.

"All knowledge which the natives possess of the virtues of plants has been handed down WE cannot consider this to be a very felicitous by tradition. They have no written language; design, though there is much cleverness in its yet they can cure ulcers, destroy the poison of execution. If a modern writer of a different venomous snakes, and allay the symptoms of nation, with different manners, tries to take an various diseases, with perfect success. Their ancient people "off their stilts," he cannot

Observations on the Evidence taken before the
Committee of the House of Commons on the
Record Commission, in 1836, and the Report,
so far as it refers to the Irish Records. By
Sir W. Betham. 8vo. pp. 28. Dublin, 1837.
Curry and Co.; London, Groombridge;
Boone.

help putting them on ground which they never and forthwith condemns them both the one before; for, whatever may be alleged by Catrod. Thus Romans become partly English- for returning without his comrade, the other ledonian critics on the subject, the abuse of the men; the rest being supplied from Adam's for lingering behind; unto which barbarous aspirate has not always been confined to the Antiquities, or some such source of information decree he adds the condemnation of the cen- modern populace of Cockney-land." upon customs, marners, and habits. It is true turion, for having dared to postpone the exewe may be told that human nature is pretty cution of his own accord. Thus were three much alike in all times and climes; but it is so innocent persons put to death as a punishment modified by circumstances, that we can no for the guiltlessness of one.' more suppose a beggar or a citizen of imperial "The grim-looking personage now before Rome to resemble an Irish mendicant or al- you,' continued Scribonius Mummius, advancing derman of London, than that our lord-mayor a few steps with his nephew, in the course of is like a Cherokee chief, or our Lord Chief their progress round the room, 6 was celebrated Justice of the King's Bench like a palaver- in his day for having attempted one of the most THE worthy and intelligent Ulster King of holding African caboceer. barbarous and savage murders on record; an Arms, having been much misrepresented in In the story before us, Piso, the last of the attempt, however, in which he failed. He, and some of the evidence given before the comillustrious Calpurnian race, returns to Rome his accomplice, Marcus Silius, were detected mittee, has not deemed it consistent with his from Athens, where he has been for his edu- with daggers in their hands, prepared for the high station in the literary world, and character cation; and takes up his abode, in a retired assassination of their patron, Quintus Cassius, as a conservator of Irish records, to sit silently family villa, with his uncle, Scribonius Mum- at that time governor of Spain, and under down under these interested imputations. On mins, a pedantic piece of a philosopher. Their whom they both held inferior posts; your an- the contrary, he has in this pamphlet given entrance into the home of his ancestors will cestor being the treasurer of the province, and them such answer as a gentleman would give; afford nearly all the illustration we think it need his confederate something else. Yet, strange and, if the truth be told, it is, in the way of ful to adduce of the character of the work. to say, they both escaped unpunished, notwith-fact and argument, a very complete one, both "Welcome, O Piso, to the home of thy standing the enormity of their offence, and the as respects himself and the state of the records forefathers! Under this roof thou first sawest clear evidence on which it had been proved; in Ireland. But it is not so much our province the light; and though, alas! it seemeth cracked for such was the avarice of the governor that to enter into this very pretty quarrel," as to in many places, it may yet afford thee shelter. he could not resist a bribe, even from the hands refer to what must possess more general inHere, I trust, thou mayest at least dwell in of those who had so treacherously conspired terest; and, in this point of view, we think the peace, perhaps in comfort. Rich, indeed, thou against his life. He consented to let them off following quotation will deserve the best conart not; but Cleobulus, the son of Evagoras, for a valuable consideration, amounting to about sideration of the public at large :—

a hundred and ten thousand sesterces between
the two; and it was facetiously said at the
time, that, had they been able to come down
with a still more considerable sum, he would
rather have permitted them to accomplish their
purpose, as originally designed, than have re-
jected the cash.'"

hath informed us that a measure is the best.
Here the sage paused for a moment, and, ob-
serving that his auditor was attentive, waved
his hand gracefully, and proceeded with his
discourse. These are the images of your an-
cestors, O youthful scion of an ancient stock!
How awfully do their dark countenances frown
upon us from the walls! How majestic are So much for the past. The uncle and ne-
their features! How dignified is their aspect phew mingle with the society of Rome under
and appearance! Amongst these thou wilt the Pretorian præfect, Vitalianus, and his gla-
find the most distinguished characters of an- diatorial wife, Laurentia Ogulnia; and their
cient Rome. That venerable statue with the dresses, feasts, actors and theatricals, gluttony,
broken head is no other than the great Pompey; drunkenness, intrigues, and quarrels, are all
the noseless one beside him is the wealthy related as faithfully as the materials to which
Crassus; and there stands Pliny, the statesman we have alluded enabled the author to compass.
and philosopher, whore wife was thy great- We cannot say that we are much interested
great-grandmother. But stay,' continued the in these exploits; and have only to conclude
speaker, as he walked across the apartment; with a specimen of a pseudo-Roman trait of
let us examine these inestimable relics with Basilides of Antioch.
more attention: if my memory fail me not, I
can give thee information touching them on
more points than one.'

-

"If (says Sir William) the committee had properly examined into the Irish records, and sifted the business properly, much valuable information would have been elidrawn from the true state of things, exposed. The comcited, and the impertinences by which their attention was mittees of the House of Commons are formed of twelve or slightly acquainted with the rules and laws of evidence; the fourteen gentlemen, most of whom, and often all, but consequence of which is, that nine-tenths of what is called the evidence taken before them is not entitled to that name, but consists of crude thoughts, surmises, wishes, and opinions, generally speaking of little value, often worse than useless. The witnesses are not examined on oath, nor subject to any pains or penalties for not teers, offering their testimony in support of a friend, or speaking the truth. Again, they are frequently volunoffensively against any one to whom they feel an enmity. In short, most of the witnesses are partisans on one side or the other, as may be sometimes the members of the committees; and the examination is often conducted in the most offensive and ungenerous manner, evidently more with a view to inculpate than to elicit truth. are allowed to make statements affecting the reputation of absent individuals, without the power of contradiction or cross-examination. These are printed and distributed to the public before the accused are even aware of their conduct being called in question. Public officers are particularly obnoxious to this injustice; for, if they do their duty, they will not fail to give offence to, and incur the animosity of, those whose unjust, unreasonable, or improper requests have been refused. A committee of the House of Commons, on any subject connected with revenge; and, like dismissed servants, they endeavour to their department, affords a favourable opportunity of criminate those who were too honest to comply with their demands.

Men

The good old maxim of audi alteram partem is neglected; and the accused must remain under unjust censure, or appeal to the press for his justification. The volume of the Report, &c. of the Committee on the Record Commission is a fair specimen, in every respect, of such proceedings. It consists of about 1100 pages. How much grain is to be found in this mass of chaff, let any lawyer, who knows what evidence is, declare. Will he report that there are one hundred pages of evidence in it, if the Appendix be omitted? I doubt it. The remainder is, for the most part, mere rubbish, on which no It might be

"Clad in flowing robes of embroidered silk; sparkling all over with jewels of inestimable worth; his head crowned with a tiara; his "This image to the right of Numa,' said neck encased with carcanets, and his arms he, represents a very different sort of person; bound with bracelets; his eyebrows tinged with a man of whom much may be said, although black, and his cheeks dyed with vermilion his history is comparatively little known. He this singular personage (the most illustrious was, once upon a time, a great military com- Pantomimus of the age) sailed slowly into the mander. He was valiant to a fault, and pos-room. Then, approaching his noble entersessed many other very excellent qualities be- tainer, he salaamed in the truest oriental style, sides. Unluckily, however, his temper was lifting up his hands till they almost touched his somewhat irregular and hasty. That is a me- head, and bowing down his head till it almost morable anecdote which Seneca relates con- brushed the ground. Meeting with a reception cerning him. He tells us that, a soldier having of corresponding affability,for, indeed, the returned from a foraging expedition without præfect was more than usually polite, - he his comrade, he was charged with having slain proceeded to the pronunciation of an exculhim; and Piso sentenced the supposed offender patory speech in language much disfigured with to be decapitated. His head was on the block, provincialisms. E oped,' he began, that is his neck stretched out to receive the stroke of ghness would pardon im for not harriving the axe; when the truant whom he was accusedhearlier; but really the eat ad been so hop-flicted on the public, at an enormous expense, under the of having murdered returned unexpectedly to pressive hall the morning, that e could not find his post. The centurion, whose duty it had it in is eart to urry the bearers of is litter; been to see the sentence performed, stayed the oo, poor devils! were halmost hexhausted and proceedings, and led back the culprit, with his quite hout of breath before they reached the companion, to the general; thus making ma-hend of their journey, is ouse being a long way nifest the innocence of the former, while the hoff, hat the hother side of the Haventine Ill.' whole army followed them with acclamations of joy. Now, a moderate man, under such circumstances as these, would probably have pardoned the two wretches at once: but your ancestor, in a rage, gets him up to the tribunal,

The præfect admitted the apology as valid,
though he could not help smiling at the strange
phraseology in which it was couched, He had,
however, often heard the language of Rome
marred by the natives of Syria in the same way

rational proceeding ought to be based.
worthy of consideration, whether, in all committecs
before which evidence is to be taken, a barrister of a
certain standing should not attend as an assessor, to
printing of such nonsensical rubbish as is annually ia-
correct the exuberance of testimony, and prevent the

false appellation of evidence. Would it not, also, be an
equitable regulation, where the conduct or character of
any individual be impugned, especially if he be a public
officer, that he should be sent a copy of the evidence
against him as soon as taken, and be summoned to attend
the committee forthwith, to explain and justify himself,
if he be able, and be confronted with his accusers? If
this plan were adopted, the precious time of the com-
mittees would be saved; their labours diminished; great
diminution would take place in the expense of printing;
and the nauseous labour of wading through masses, per-
haps, of malicious scandal, and intolerable nonsense,
which those who read the Parliamentary Papers, for the
sake of discovering valuable facts on any particular
subject, are now condemned to endure, would be sparedi