ss 
324 
and of the general under whose con- 
duct they fight for it. So happy, in- 
deed, did this association prove in the 
selection of their leader, that, from be- 
ginning to end, not a step has been 
taken which has not exposed him and 
his. supporters often to defeat, and 
always to ridicule and contempt. The 
conduet pursued at the last Lancaster 
assizes towards one of their unhappy 
victims, excited feelings of a deeper 
nature in the breast of the judge, the 
audience, and even of their own 
counsel. When the trial of the 
wretched man was called on, and it 
appeared that he had been enabled to 
collect a large number of witnesses in 
his defence, the contemptible prosecu- 
tor produced his writ of certiorari, by 
which the indictment was removed at 
once into the King’s Bench, and the 
defendant was subjected to six months’ 
further suspense and confinement, and 
to double expence and trouble in the 
production ofhis evidence. This mea- 
sure fell heavily on the head of the de- 
fendant, but heavicr still, we under- 
take to say, on those of his merciless 
prosecutors. We watch anxiously to 
catch the last breath of this execrable 
conspiracy ; ; maimed and trampled 
upon asitis,it yet moves and wounds. 
We rejoice at the well-timed and for- 
cible demonstration of its mischievous 
nature which this article contains; and, 
by which, it gives us pleasure to be- 
lieve, its dissolution must be acce- 
lerated. With the liberal and just 
views of the writer on the prosecution 
of political libels, we fully coincide. A 
great-and successful experiment has 
been made, on this head, by the go- 
vernment of the United States, which 
has uniformly abstained from prose- 
cuting libels of this description ; and, 
in giving the utmost latitude to obser- 
vations on public men and measures, 
has only strengthened its hold upon the 
esteem and respect of the nation, and 
proved, that an administration which 
exists but for the benefit of the people, 
has no reason to fear any injury from 
the expression of the popular opinion. 
An amusing notice of The Elements 
of the Natur al History of Insects, by 
Mr. Kirby and Mr. Spence, conveys a 
great deal of information, mixed with 
much curious speculation respecting 
the habits and peculiarities of this 
branch of the animal creation. -Per- 
haps, their wonderful vitality is the 
most striking’ phenomenon which they 
present. 'Fhey live when deprived of 
The Philosophy of Contemporary Criticism, No. XXVI. [Nov. 1, 
their heads or intestines; some will 
exist in alcohol; others will bear to be 
frozen as hard as stone, and-yet revive. 
One species is found to inhabit boiling 
Springs. These marvels, cited by the 
reviewer, may induce us not to reject 
too. hastily the account recently given 
by Mr. Beddome, a chemist in Tooley- 
street, of the rev ivification of anumber 
of bees, which had been mixed with 
honey for more than a year, and after- 
wards boiled for a considerable time in 
water. Such amiraculous suspension 
of the faculties of life entirely baffles 
our philosophy, and leaves us only 
room to admire that hidden economy 
of nature in her most minute produc- 
tions, which we must despair ever to 
understand. 
The politics of Switzerland are consi- 
dered at some length in the sixth 
article, which discusses several conti- 
nental publications, occasioned by a 
declaration of General Sebastiani, that, 
in case of a war with Germany, France 
must, of necessity, take military posses- 
sion of Switzerland. As that country 
has been proved too-weak to debate 
this point by force of arms, her politi- 
cians have wisely taken the field be= 
forehand, to prove that this is exactly 
the thing which France should avoid 
doing. A large proportion of the 
Review is occupied by an examination 
of the military part of the question, and 
a detail of operations, which do not 
excite much interest; but, in repre- 
hending the wavering and selfish line 
of policy which the cantons have hi- 
therto pursued, and inexhorting them to 
the adoption of a more determined and 
liberal system, the reviewer has taken 
a sagacious and extensive view of his 
subject, and clearly pointed out to 
these republics the only sure path to 
honour and to safety. Existing only 
by the guarantee of the holy alliance ; 
liable to become, at any moment, the 
joint prey of ail by compact, or of one 
by violence, Switzerland has every- 
thing to dread from the gigantic des- 
potisms that surround her.. Her best 
safeguard against these is suggested to 
lie in the renovation and independence 
of Italy, and in the establishment of a 
comprehensive and eflicient federative 
government, which might control the 
oligarchies of the cantons. Pushing 
this subject still further, “we could 
dream,” saysthe writer, ‘‘ that Greece 
might still be free; and, being so, that 
a belt of mountain republics, worthy of 
their ancient glory, might extend from 
Basle 
