348 NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



firmed the black princes of theatres in their determination to steal, 

 and at the same time, to argue and stickle for the privilege of the 

 iniquity ; robbery has become to them ' a vested right," Last season, 

 Mr. Sheridan Knowles, on leaving Covent Garden Theatre, had his 

 pocket picked at the stage door, of a cotton handkerchief, value one 

 shilling-and sixpence : the thief observed in the fact, took to his legs ; 

 a cry was set up ; the virtuous populace yelling at the heels of the 

 offender, gave chace ; and after a painful hunt down Hart Street, 

 James Street, and through the intricacies of Covent Garden Market, 

 he was at last secured by the vigilant superintendant, Mr. Thomas 

 The rogue was immediately taken to Bow Street ; nothing could turn 

 aside the testimony of the accuser and witnesses ; the thief was sent 

 to Newgate in the van, tried for the robbery, and is now wheeling a 

 barrow, with a chain about his leg, on the works at Woolwich. Some 

 days after this robbery of the cotton pocket-handkerchief, value one 

 shilling and six-pence, Mr. Sheridan Knowles was leaving the theatre 

 with a dozen copies of The Hunchback in his pocket ; several well- 

 dressed country managers surrounded him, and in the open day, des- 

 poiled him of the dramas, and with the coolest indifference walked 

 off with the property. They lost no time in turning the stolen 

 goods to account, but made the market penny of them, by causing 

 them to be deformed for their exclusive advantage. " Well, but in 

 the name of common reason," asks the Frenchman, " were not the 

 robbers pursued ? Were they not apprehended and punished for the 

 robbery ?" " Oh, dear no ; there is no law to visit the iniquity. Ah ! 

 dear Monsieur, it is not here as with you in France/' " Why, then 

 what am I to think of the law?" " This much, Monsieur ; think that 

 it furnishes a rogue who filches a pocket-handkerehief with a wheel- 

 barrow and a log, but holds him free who filches the labour of the 

 brain ; think that in England, in the land of letters and arts, a fine 

 play of inestimable value, is not in the eye of the legislator of so 

 much worth as a bit of cotton, price one shilling and six-pence." 



PERFECTION OF HUMAN WISDOM. This was the title given to 

 LAW in tory times ; although its supporters themselves were conti- 

 nually changing it for the worse. It is absurd to term that the " Wis- 

 dom of Ages," which no man of common sense can understand 

 which no two lawyers scarcely construe alike which costs the people 

 of the country millions per annum to interpret ; which puzzles even 

 its makers to expound ! The laws of Great Britain are not like those 

 of the Medes and Persians, immutable : on the contrary, they are of a 

 chameleon character, they assume a different hue from every Judge 

 that administers them. What was black, under the Chief Justice- 

 ship of Ellenborough, became blue under that of Tenter den. A ser- 

 geant-at-law, in Dublin, being asked if so and so were the law on a 

 certain subject, properly replied, " It is so, just at present, in this 

 country ; but it may be quite the reverse to-morrow ; for, a new num- 

 ber of the Term Reports is just out, and may be expected within a 

 few hours. God knows what has been ruled at Westminster." If a 

 plaintiff have launched an action, under a full assurance that he must 



