7* 



Lil*raYy and Critical Proemium. 



[Feb. 1, 



variable line of direction which accordrf 

 with the tumlug of the sliip. Those who 

 believe in (he miracle of distant at- 

 trac'iions will assent to Mr. Le Count's 

 Theory ; while those who consider this 

 phenomena as purely mechanical, will 

 admire the ing-enuity and oriijinality of 

 his reasoning. This very diilicuU and in- 

 volved subject of majyiictism will reeeive 

 speedy illustration from the theory of 

 motion, by which it will be shewn to be 

 but an accident of matter. 



The inexhaastible manufactory of novels 

 in the month, has been employed in the 

 production of another, under the title of 

 Kenilicorth Castle, at M. \\s.6d. It has 

 been published too late in the month for 

 notice, but we hope it will be better 

 worth reading: than the Monastery, in 

 wbich ihe author appeared to iiave strung^ 

 together the remnants and surplusage of 

 his former works. It was reported as a 

 (jtiiz on tlie public, that Scotland did not 

 contain sufficient paper for the edition, 

 and that the printing: had been suspended 

 till supplies arrived from Eng'land ! 



Among the few good novels which have 

 somewhat too sparingly made their debiit 

 during the winter months, ue fitink we 

 may venture to include one called Cal- 

 tliorpe ; or, Fallen Fortmien, a title not a 

 little applicable to the present state of the 

 nation. We are better pleased with this 

 specimen of our author's pen, than with 

 his former one of " Mystery, or Forty 

 Years ago,'* which could only afford en- 

 tertainment to readers cf a secondary 

 class, whose muscles arc " easily moved 

 to mirth, or to " sentimental tears." 

 There is a freshness of life, and vividness 

 of description, with some interest of story 

 in Calthorpe, of which " The Mysiery'' 

 gave us little promise, and in the light aiid 

 humorous passages there is less coarseness, 

 and more true comic humour. 



The TJisfory of the Rise and Progress 

 of the Judicial or Adawlut System in 

 ihe Prc.v'dcnfit; of Bengal, together vilh 

 an Inquiry info the supposed existence of 

 the Trial by Jury in I.idia, claims general 

 attention. The vast, populous, and impor- 

 tant provinces of India that have fallen 

 under the government of British power, 

 have been too long witlioui the benefits of 

 British laws. Somelliiug like ai-ystetn of 

 regulations for the administration of civil 

 justice, was established by the Marquis 

 Coruwallis, at Bengal, and the other pro- 

 vinces immediately subject to (h:it presi- 

 dency, in 1793, when courts of circuit 

 were introduced. Various nev. institutions 

 and regulations to enlarge iiud amend the 

 original code, have been since introduced; 

 but in the more important pjirf of adminis- 

 tration, the criminal law, it is with regret 

 we perceive from the publication before 

 ui«. that the trial by jury possesses only a 



supposed existence hi India. The object 

 of the present inquiry is to trace the origia 

 of the judicial system, to illustrate its prin- 

 ciples, and to mark the occasional devia- 

 tions which have been made from thence. 

 The observations are chiefly confined to 

 the civil administration of justice. The 

 want of a Bar, where well-educated advo- 

 cates may assert and defend the rights of 

 their clienis, is said to be severely felt in 

 the iidawUit system and the administration 

 of justice, is asserted to be more difficult 

 at present than on the first institution of 

 the courts, from the multiplicity of regu- 

 lations by government for the correction 

 of jiidicia! errors. It seems, however, that 

 atlhcugh the people of India waul the ad- 

 vantagesofa European Bar, fees, duties, 

 end taxes have been pleuteously insti- 

 tuted. \Ve ciinnot enter here into an ex- 

 ainiuatioi) of the advantairesiind disadvan- 

 tages incident to thepro.-en? judicial prac- 

 tice in the East; but we think, that iu a 

 country where such a variety of casts ex- 

 ist, and a conciliatory aud just system is 

 necessary for the protection and satisfac- 

 tion of all, the privileges of pleadingand 

 of self-defence should not be of so exclu- 

 sive a kiml as the author of this able and 

 useful \vork recommends. The abolition 

 of the Vakeels or bhick pleaders, and con- 

 fining the business cf the native clients to 

 civil servants, would, we are persuaded, be 

 very impolitic. The Justinian code, where 

 it exists in our V»'est India possessions, is 

 of great advantage, and justly esteemed 

 for its liberality. 



Sliort Aryuments and Plain F«cf.», show- 

 in," that (he civibzaiion and iu.«truction of 

 the natives of InJi«, furnish the surest means 

 of upholding Ibe stiibility of our Oriental 

 Empire, by Lif.nt. Col. John Macdostald, 

 F.R.Ji. F.A.S. is nnoiher publication which 

 forcibly and justly demonstrates the necessity 

 of introducing an enlightened and humane 

 sy^lf m, becoming a government of Chris- 

 tianity, imo the British dominions in India. 

 That a powerful moral engine of general 

 instruction is requisite whereso much igno- 

 rance prevails, as among the msnj^ iniUions 

 of iia-.ives who compose the subjects of our 

 eastern monarchy few will deny. This en- 

 gine in lie opinion of Colonel Macdonald 

 is Cliristiitnity. The colonel has resided 

 many years iu India ; he is, therefore, good 

 ■;;uthorily as to the urgency in a political 

 point of view, of the dissemination of the 

 Christian doctrine ; hut it would seem that 

 those with whom the power resides of car- 

 rying .'-ucL benevolent plansinto effect, want 

 the zeal and persuasion of the Colonel. The 

 Koijourable Court are not averse to the es- 

 (ablLsbment of Ciiristianity in India ; this 

 is indicated by the facilities given to the mis- 

 sionaries ; but it is because no regular sys- 

 tem Liis been adopted or received the con- 

 currence of the directing government, that 

 a want of sincmity in the great cause may 



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