ong to allow them altogether to deter us, where the reasons
on the other side are so urgent. It may be possible, by keeping to such
individual efforts as those of Mr Nash, or to those of little
unobtrusive societies, to prevent much of the evil apprehended. And it
may also be practicable, as we find is proposed, to arrange that there
shall be a legal claim upon parents for the expenses incurred in
reforming their criminal offspring. Thus none who are not themselves
destitute, could safely leave their children to the chances of a
criminal life. It is also most desirable, that the state should limit
its interference to grants of money in proportion to the sums advanced
by private or local effort, and to the enforcing of a law for the
detention of vagrant and criminal children where it may be necessary.
Under such precautions, we think most of the advantages might be
obtained, with a much less admixture of evil than many would now be
disposed to expect.[1]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The reader will find excellent matter on this subject in Mary
Carpenter's recent volume on Reformatory Schools, and in a 'Report of
the Proceedings of a Conference on the Subject of Preventive and
Reformatory Schools, held at Birmingham on the 9th and 10th of December
1851.'

'MEN OF THE TIME.'

A neat little volume, well filled with information, has made its
appearance under this title;[2] the object being to present sketches of
living notables--men who, in their several walks of life, tread in
advance of the general multitude in this and other countries; and from
whose actions we may learn the character and aims of the passing era.
The idea of gathering together materials of this kind, and laying the
result in an accessible form before the public, is a good one. All will
depend, however, on the manner of execution. The attempt before us,
being the first of its kind, is perhaps necessarily imperfect, and we
may expect some improvements should the work realise the expectations of
its publisher. For example, we miss the names of various men of note, to
whom England owes many acknowledgments--such as Dr Neill Arnott, Mr
Edwin Chadwick, Archibald Alison, &c.--and in several instances, also,
the sketches actually given are very deficient in attainable facts;
while there occur notices of individuals whose names can scarcely be
said to be known to the public. With these imperfections, the work is a
handy biographic compendium, full of amusing pa