seems to
exhale the merriment of a jocose and happy temperament. I speak not of
the softer sex, many of whose productions would seem to have but
little sympathy with themselves; but once for all, I would ask you
what reliance, what faith can you place in any of them? Is it to the
denizen of a coal mine you apply for information about the Nassau
balloon? Do you refer a disputed point in dress to an Englishman, in
climate to a Laplander, in politeness to a Frenchman, or in
hospitality to a Belgian? or do you not rather feel that these are not
exactly their attributes, and that you are moving the equity for a
case at common law? exactly in the same way, and for the same reason,
we repeat it, put not your faith in periodicals, nor in the writers
thereof.

How ridiculous would it appear if the surgeon-general were to open a
pleading, or charge a jury in the Queen's Bench, while the
solicitor-general was engaged in taking up the femoral artery! What
would you say if the Archbishop of Canterbury were to preside over the
artillery-practice at Woolwich, while the Commander of the Forces
delivered a charge to the clergy of the diocese? How would you look if
Justice Pennefather were to speak at a repeal meeting, and Daniel
O'Connell to conduct himself like a loyal and discreet citizen? Would
you not at once say the whole world is in masquerade? and would you
not be justified in the remark? And yet this it is which is exactly
taking place before your eyes in the wide world of letters. The
illiterate and unreflecting man of under-bred habits and degenerate
tastes will write nothing but a philosophic novel; the denizen of the
Fleet, or the Queen's Bench, publishes an ascent of Mont Blanc, with
a glowing description of the delights of liberty; the nobleman writes
slang; the starving author, with broken boots and patched
continuations, will not indite a name undignified by a title; and
after all this, will you venture to tell me that these men are not
indictable by the statute for obtaining money under false pretences?

I have run myself out of breath; and now, if you will allow me a few
moments, I will tell you what, perhaps, I ought to have done earlier
in this article, namely, its object.

It is a remarkable feature in the complex and difficult machinery of
our society, that while crime and the law code keep steadily on the
increase, moving in parallel lines one beside the other, certain
prejudices, popular fallacies--nuts, as