468 NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



NOVELTY IN MERCHANDIZE. Some benevolent individuals a short 

 time since, formed themselves into a committee, sanctioned by the 

 legislature, for the purpose of providing wives for the settlers at Bo- 

 tany Bay. They dispatched several ship loads of material, which 

 arrived safe at their destination ; but their kind anti-Mai thusian in- 

 tentions of the committee have been entirely frustrated by the obstre- 

 perous and unruly conduct of their fair protegees. The committee 

 were all understood to be gentlemen of good experience, and of the 

 nicest taste ; yet, the event shows how utterly unable we are, even 

 the wisest of us, to combat the wiles of the sex. Their fair friends 

 appeared, to their patrons of the committee, as modest as May-flowers ; 

 yet the unfortunate gentlemen of Botany Bay declare they would 

 rather receive a deputation from Old Nick than such another 

 consignment. They impugn the taste of their pseudo benefactors in 

 good round terms, and declare that merchants who could ship such 

 stores, must be monstrous bad judges in the article of petticoats. They 

 decline receiving any more goods from such a sample. One great 

 cause of the failure appears to have arisen from an oversight in intrust- 

 ing so precious a freight, so capricious a cargo, to the guardianship 

 and seductive society of a crew of merchantmen. It seems these jolly 

 free-traders are equally free in their principles. What is the Lord 

 Mayor or Mr. Ballantyne about, that they do not look to this ? For 

 the sake of the moral reputation of the city, they ought to have been 

 vigilant. Had this goodly array of virgins been sent by a king's 

 ship, the result, it is affirmed by those who understand these matters, 

 would have been more satisfactory. This compliment to his Majesty's 

 navy is not unadvisedly bestowed. Your regular jack tar is a pattern 

 of purity, and a sailor officer one of the mildest and most modest of 

 human beings. 



FORENSIC RAPACITY. The following paragraph has lately ap- 

 peared in the papers : it is somewhat provocative of comment. 



" The magistrates of Middlesex have, it appears, made a laudable attempt 

 to institute what is called an intermediate sessions, in order to abridge by one 

 half the periods of imprisonment before trial of the persons charged with 

 misdemeanours ; many of whom, after some weeks' imprisonment, are every 

 sessions declared not to be guilty. This attempt of the magistrates has been 

 resisted by Mr. Alley and the other members of the bar at those sessions, and 

 the ground these learned gentlemen have taken is, that the proposed alteration 

 would be inconvenient to THEM, as the intermediate sessions would be held 

 whilst they were absent on the circuit ; and, as a consequence, the prisoners 

 would be deprived of the benefit of counsel/' 



This is the old story again : no sooner is any humane attempt made 

 to diminish the horrors of the laws, that it is met with a protest from 

 the bar, " the proposed alteration would be inconvenient." Many 

 innocent persons must still suffer " weeks of imprisonment" to suit 

 Mr. Alley's convenience. We should like to see Mr. Alley " and the 

 other members of the bar" in the situation of " the persons charged 

 with misdemeanours, many of whom, after some weeks' imprisonment, 

 are every sessions declared to be not guilty." Mr. Alley and the 

 other members of the bar, would, we imagine, under such circum- 

 stances, view the question in a very different light. The proposed 



