id to be
a masterly analysis of the entire evidence of the case, concluded by
stating, "that having been accustomed to all kinds of evidence all his
life, he had never known a case in which the accused had obtained a more
complete and triumphant justification than Lieutenant P--- had done in
the late trial."

Now the Cockney, who is said to have been a very foppish Cockney, was
perfectly right in what he said, and therein manifested a knowledge of
the English mind and character, and likewise of the modern English
language, to which his catechist, who, it seems, was a distinguished
member of the Scottish bar, could lay no pretensions. The Cockney knew
what the Lord of Session knew not, that the British public is gentility
crazy, and he knew, moreover, that gentility and respectability are
synonymous. No one in England is genteel or respectable that is "looked
at," who is the victim of oppression; he may be pitied for a time, but
when did not pity terminate in contempt? A poor, harmless young
officer--but why enter into the details of the infamous case? they are
but too well known, and if ever cruelty, pride, and cowardice, and things
much worse than even cruelty, cowardice, and pride were brought to light,
and, at the same time, countenanced, they were in that case. What
availed the triumphant justification of the poor victim? There was at
first a roar of indignation against his oppressors, but how long did it
last? He had been turned out of the service, they remained in it with
their red coats and epaulets; he was merely the son of a man who had
rendered good service to his country, they were, for the most part,
highly connected--they were in the extremest degree genteel, he quite the
reverse; so the nation wavered, considered, thought the genteel side was
the safest after all, and then with the cry of, "Oh! there is nothing
like gentility," ratted bodily. Newspaper and public turned against the
victim, scouted him, apologized for the--what should they be called?--who
were not only admitted into the most respectable society, but courted to
come, the spots not merely of wine on their military clothes, giving them
a kind of poignancy. But there is a God in heaven; the British glories
are tarnished--Providence has never smiled on British arms since that
case--oh! Balaklava! thy name interpreted is net of fishes, and well
dost thou deserve that name. How many a scarlet golden fish has of late
perished in the mud a