would be
fair, and draw forth solid conclusions, were the woman supposed at the
time to be under the direction of a calm and unembarrassed mind; but the
moment we reflect that her mind was violently agitated with a conflict
of passions and terror, an irrational conduct may appear very natural.

Allow me to illustrate this truth by a case. A lady, who, thank God! has
now been perfectly recovered many years, in the last months of her
pregnancy, on a fine summer's evening, stept out, attended by her
footman, to take a little air on a fine new pavement at her own door, in
one of our most even, broad, and quiet streets. Having walked gently to
the end of the street, where there was a very smooth crossing place; she
thought she would go over, for a little variety, and return towards her
house by walking along the other side of the street. Being heavy and
not unmindful of her situation, she was stepping very slowly and
cautiously, for fear of meeting with any accident. When she had advanced
a few steps in crossing the street, a man came up on a smart trot,
riding on a cart, which made a great rattling noise. He was at a
sufficient distance to let her get quite over, or to return back with
great deliberation; and she would have been perfectly safe, if she had
stood still. But she was struck with a panic, lost her judgment and
senses, and the horror of confusion between going on, or returning back,
both of which she attempted, she crossed the horse at the precise point
of time to be caught and entangled in the wheel, was thrown down, so
torn and mashed in her flesh and bones, that she was taken up perfectly
senseless, and carried home without the least prospect of a recovery.
This lady was in the prime of life, living in affluence, beloved by her
family, and respected by all the world. No imagination could suggest an
idea of her intending to destroy herself; but if her situation in life
at that time could have favoured such a supposition, we see in fact that
the most unquestionable proof that she could have saved herself, either
by going on, or by turning back, or by standing still, would have
signified nothing towards proving that she had intended to put an end to
her own life and to that of her child. One shudders to think that
innocent women may have suffered an ignominous death, from such
equivocal proofs and inconclusive reasoning.

Most of these reflections would naturally occur to any unprejudiced
person, and therefore