294 Notes for the Mo?ith. [MARCH, 



ignorance in which members of all things that exist immediately about 

 them, that Mr. Justice Burrough should not be aware, that the manage- 

 ment of business before the Commissioner of Bankrupts is universally 

 considered the very scandal of the legal profession. It is most costly to 

 parties : and very much objected to by the respectable solcitors concerned 

 in Bankrupt business. We have by us (as the thing happens) a great 

 number of communications upon this very subject : and shall take an 

 early opportunity of more directly addressing ourselves to it. 



The practice of sewing ladies in bags, and throwing them into the 

 sea Vide Byron's Giaour, and all other Turkish authorities though 

 favoured in modern times in the East, does not clearly appear to have 

 been of Ottoman origin. In the reign of Charles the 6th of France, a* 

 historian of the time (Juvenal des Ursins) says, it was the custom to 

 enclose persons who gave offence at court, in a similar manner : and to 

 throw the sacks in, at high tide, to swim down the river j with a large 

 label attached to them, on which was written Laissez passer la justice 

 du Roi!" 



In the same reign (A. D. 1405) Charles's Queen, Isabella of Bavaria, 

 was extravagantly given to the vices of sloth, fine dressing, and gour- 

 mandise. The main occupations of this princess consisted in the 

 devouring of meats, and the amassing of money ; between which, 

 engagements, she relaxed from time to time, in regulating the costume 

 of the ladies of her court which was so excessive particularly in the 

 item of an enormous and pefectly indescribable head-dress that it was 

 with difficulty the unfortunate bearers could make their way through 

 the narrow doors and passages of the times, in passing, on their affairs, 

 from one chamber to another. The Queen herself, wore the same garb ; 

 but were less incommoded by the disability it produced ; as, already, 

 from her excessive embonpoint (occasioned by her eating) it was difficult 

 for her even to walk, and, while Regent of the kingdom, for this cause 

 she declined always appearing at the councils. An Augustin monk, 

 even in that day of despotism however, who had courage to strike at the 

 follies of his time, acquired great reputation by the firmness with which, 

 even in the Queen's hearing, he attacked her Majesty's vices, and 

 those of her subjects and dependants. " Great Queen !" said the valiant 

 ecclesiastic, who was known by the name of Jacques le Grand, in the 

 course of a sermon delivered on some state occasion, before the whole 

 court and in the Royal presence " Great Queen ! I could well wish 

 that my duty could accord with the desire which I feel, to say nothing 

 here that shall not be welcome. But your souls health is more dear to 

 me than your favour ; and, even though I should be so unfortunate as 

 to displease, it is impossible for me not to exclaim against the empire 

 which the goddess of pleasure and effeminacy has established in your 

 court. She has for her inseparable attendants, sloth and good cheer ; 

 who turn day into night, and pass that in dances and dissolute revelry. 

 And these two scourges of virtue do not only corrupt the morals they 

 enervate the strength and the courage of your subjects. They hold in 

 bonds and shameful idleness, your feeble knights and esquires, and 

 make them shun the battle, to which they would rather rush, if honour 

 as heretofore were only to be acquired in it ; or if they did not dread lest 

 these effeminate forms, by wounds should be difigured !" Passing from 

 this point to the luxury of dress, which was the chief passion of the 

 Queen, and after having condemned its indulgence for a thousand 

 satisfactory causes he added " Your Court, Madame, is but toe 



