earnestly recommended moderation in politics, deserves commendation instead of blame. It was certainly in the strictest keeping with the judicial character, and is known to have been almost instantaneously productive of the happiest results as regards the magistracy and chief inhabitants of the place.

The only passages relating to Legal Reform, in the King's Speech at the close of the Session, were the following:

"I have not failed to observe with approbation, that you have directed your attention to those domestic questions which more immediately affect the general welfare of the community, and I have had much satisfaction in sanctioning your wise and benevolent intentions by giving my assent to the Act for the Amendment and better Administration of the Laws relating to the Poor in England and Wales. It will be my duty to provide that the authority necessarily vested in commissioners nominated by the crown, be exercised with temperance and caution; and I entertain a confident expectation that its prudent and judicious application, as well as the discreet enforcement of the other provisions of the Act, will, by degrees, remedy the evils which at present prevail; and whilst they elevate the character, will increase the comforts and improve the condition of my people.

"The amendment of the Law is one of your first and most important duties ; and I rejoice to perceive that it has occupied so much of your attention. The establishment of a Central Court for the trial of offences in the metropolis and its neighbourhood, will, I trust, improve the administration of justice within the populous sphere of its jurisdiction, and afford a useful example to every other part of the kingdom.

"To the important subjects of our jurisprudence and our municipal corporations, your attention will naturally be directed early in the next session. You may always rest assured of my disposition to co-operate with you in such useful reformations.”

Our expectations have been most agreeably disappointed by the mode in which the Central Board of Poor Law Commissioners has been filled; namely, by the appointment of Mr. Frankland Lewis, Mr. Shaw Lefevre and Mr. Nicholl, to be Commissioners, and of Mr. Chadwick to be Secretary. Still thinking that Mr. Chadwick had fairly merited a commissionership, we are certainly not prepared to say that either of the actual Commissioners could be advantageously displaced for him, now that his valuable services are otherwise secured. Mr. Frankland Lewis, the president, has long been considered (notoriously by Canning) as one of the best practical statesmen and men of business of his time. Mr. Shaw Lefevre enjoyed a high reputation both at the University and the Bar, and has received a good training for an administrative department of affairs at the Colonial Office. Mr. Nicholl, in co-operation with Mr. Becher, was the chief originator of the Southwell system of management; at the time of his appointmeut to his present office, he was principal manager or agent for the Bank of England at Birmingham, and we are informed, gave up a larger and securer income than he receives. Mr. Shaw Lefevre also gave up the situation of Under Secretary to the Colonies, worth 17007. or 18001. a year; and Mr. Lewis resigned the representation of Radnorshire. No. change of political opinion was required of Mr. Lewis; and his acceptance of the situation received the cordial approval of his friends. The provincial commissionerships are left, it is understood, at the exclusive disposal of the Board, who are resolved on exercising the strictest impartiality in disposing of them indeed, as they will be obliged to act with reference to the information supplied from the provinces, the success of the bill will depend in a great measure

upon their choice. There are about one thousand candidates of almost all grades and conditions of society.

The newspapers opposed to the bill avail themselves of every possible opportunity of raising a prejudice against it; and with this view they have lately fallen foul of a meritorious magistrate, Mr. Shutt. Two or three children being brought before him on the charge of escaping from the workhouse with the workhouse clothes, instead of inflicting the punishment of imprisonment (which he might have inflicted), he simply told the overseer or keeper to take them home and whip them, which really appears to us the most sensible and humane course that could be pursued. By changing whip into flog—a term rich in associations of cruelty-and representing the children as quitting the workhouse from no other motives than a laudable feeling of independence and the wish to earn a livelihood for themselves,-which to any one acquainted with the general character of workhouse children, is ridiculous,—the journals have contrived to make Mr. Shutt a parallel for the worst monsters of antiquity. Yet we distinctly remember, that when, not long ago, some country magistrates, at sessions, sent two or three boys of the same age to prison for apple-stealing or some equally trifling offence, one of these very papers exclaimed, how much better had it been to give them a sound flogging and send them home.

The sympathy expended on the reporter excluded from the Mary-le-bone Police Office, is also palpably misplaced. A reporter of parliamentary debates must be a man of education and ability; the only necessary qualification for a reporter of police matters is a certain perception of the ludicrous, and so long as he can excite laughter, he evidently cares little for justice or truth. Those cases only are selected which give scope to his peculiar talent, and he thinks nothing of reducing and colouring, when light and shade would otherwise be wanting in the sketch. Every person, therefore, who appears at a police-office, runs the risk of being made the laughing-stock of his acquaintance for a week; and with this fear before their eyes, there can be no doubt that the majority of persons suffering from minor offences against the law, as the misconduct of hackney-coachmen &c., do actually decline appearing there, to the great encouragement of offenders of the sort. For a fixed sum, to be shared amongst the reporters, it is understood that any given case may be suppressed; unless it happens to be one of the grossly disgusting class, which they generally reserve for the public, as a shopkeeper reserves a peculiarly fine dish for an epicure. Far then from thinking police reporters, as at present constituted, a benefit, we think them a positive nuisance. They check the administration of justice; they debase the morals by pandering to the corrupt tastes of the community; whilst, by their notorious disregard of accuracy, they have long rendered themselves totally useless as a check. That reporters have no general right to remain in a police-office, is plain in all preliminary inquiries, for instance, the magistrates would certainly be justified in excluding them. We are not sufficiently acquainted with the facts to say whether this reporter was legally turned out; but we know that the intimation from the Home Office copied by the newspapers, was only sent in consequence of Mr. Shutt's declaring, that, having afforded the gentleman an opportunity of trying the right, by ejecting him twice, he should take no further notice of him.

Mr. Cresswell, of the Northern circuit, has received a silk gown.

The question of precedence between the Lord Advocate and the Attorney General has been determined in favour of the latter. The office of Attorney General was not in the olden time of such high importance as now; which obviously originated the doubt.

We are obliged to postpone our review of the Criminal Law Report, as also a promised article on the claim of Sir Augustus d'Este to the rank of a prince of the blood royal of Hanover.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We are obliged to a correspondent for the Report of the United Clerks' Society. We cordially wish that society success; and it appears to be as well conducted and as thriving as its supporters could desire.

An article will shortly appear upon the subject suggested by D. F.

ERRATA.

In vol. xi. p. 366, note, it is related of Lord Ellenborough, that on his return from Hone's trial he suddenly stopped his carriage at Charing Cross and exclaimed, "It just occurs to me that they sell the best black-puddings at this shop of any shop in London; buy, sir." It should be buy six; and subsequent inquiries have led the writer to believe that it was red herrings instead of black puddings that tempted the learned judge to stop.

Ante (No. 25), p. 143, the quotation beginning at line 20 should be, "They seldom look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors."

LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

A Compendium of Mercantile Law. By John William Smith, of the Inner Temple, Esq. Barrister at Law. In 8vo. price 15s. boards, pp. 554.

The Law relating to the Duties on Probates and Lettters of Administration in England, and inventories of Personal or Moveable estates in Scotland, and on Legacies and Successions to Personal or Moveable Estates in Great Britain; also the Rules and Practice of the Legacy Duty-office in London, and correct copies of the Forms used in the Department, with Instructions for filling them up. By Thomas Gwynne, Esq. Comptroller of the said Duties. In 8vo. price 9s. boards, pp. 252.

[The best book of the sort that has yet appeared.]

The Act for the Amendment of the Poor Laws, with Practical Introduction, Notes and Forms. By John Frederick Archbold, Esq. Barrister at Law. In 12mo. price 5s. boards, pp. 162.

[We shall review the several books on this subject collectively.]

The Act for the Amendment and Better Administration of the Laws relating to the Poor, with Explanatory Notes and a copious Index. By John Tidd Pratt, Esq. Barrister at Law, who assisted in preparing the Bill. In 12mo. 2s. 6d. sewed, pp. 140.

The Poor Law Amendment Act, with a Commentary on the Powers of the Commissioners; and a General Introductory View, showing how the Act affects the Law of Relief, Settlement, Removals, and Appeals; with the changes made in Gilbert's and other Incorporations; also an Account of the dropped clauses, not included in the Act, but recommended in the Report of the Commissioners. By William Theobald, Esq. Barrister at Law, the Drawer of the original Bill for the Commissioners. In 12mo. price 6s. boards, pp. 196.

A Digest of all the Election Reports, from the earliest to the present time, including the Cases at Common Law, with a copious Index: By Charles F. F. Wordsworth, Esq. of the Inner Temple, Barrister at Law. In 8vo. price 10s. 6d. boards, pp. 191.

A Summary of Colonial Law, the Practice of the Court of Appeals from the Plantations, and of the Laws and their Administration in all the Colonies; with Charters of Justice, Orders in Council, &c. &c. &c. By Charles Clark, Esq. of the Middle Temple, Barrister at Law. In 8vo. price £1 4s. boards, pp.746. [To be reviewed in a future Number.]

The Practice at the Chambers of the Judges of the Courts of Common Law in Civil Actions. By William Bagley, Esq. of the Inner Temple, Special Pleader. In 12mo. price 10s. boards, pp. 433.

[The Practice at Chambers of the Judges is now a most important part of the practice of the Courts. Mr. Bagley's statement of it appears to be correct.]

The Science of Legal Judgment; a Treatise, designed to show the materials whereof, and the process by which the Courts of Westminster Hall construct their

Judgments; and adapted to practical and general use in the Discussion and Determination of Questions of Law. By James Ram, of the Inner Temple, Barrister at Law. In 8vo. price 10s. boards, pp. 245.

[This work richly merits an article to itself: on a cursory perusal the matter strikes us to be interesting, and the plan original.]

A Review of the Chandos Peerage Case, adjudicated 1803, and of the Pretensions of Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges, Bart. to designate himself per Legem Terræ Baron Chandos of Sudeley. By George Frederick Beltz, Esq. Lancaster Herald. In 8vo. price 10s. boards.

[This work appears to us to prove most conclusively that Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges has no title whatever to the barony.]

The Practice of the Law in all its Departments; with a View of Rights, In. juries, and Remedies, as ameliorated by recent Statutes, Rules, and Decisions; showing the best Mode of creating, perfecting, securing, and transferring Rights ; the best Remedies for every Injury, as well by Acts of Parties themselves, as by Legal Proceedings; and either to prevent or remove Injuries; or to enforce specific Relief, Performance, or Compensation. And the Practice in Arbitrations ; before Justices; in Courts of Common Law; Equity; Ecclesiastical and Spiritual; Admiralty; Prize; Court of Bankruptcy; and Courts of Error and Appeal. With New Practical Forms. Intended as a Court and Circuit Companion. By J. Chitty, Esq. of the Inner Temple, Barrister. In 2 vols. royal 8vo. Part IV. price 16s. pp. 626.

[The farther Mr. Chitty proceeds, the more do we become convinced of the merits and great utility of this publication. We shall devote another article to it before long.]