1831.3 Specimens of' Cant. 9 



that it overthrew that ancient dynasty, and federalism along with it, for 

 ever. 



But here we have Dr. Lushington, a civilian too, a judge moreover, 

 and a liberal, a saint and a spouter of the first dimensions openly declar- 

 ing in Exeter Change— the largest, the worst built, and, six times a week, 

 the worst filled hall in London — that capital punishments were " repug- 

 nant to the laws of God." Did the pious doctor ever look at a law-book, 

 called Deuteronomy ; is he cognizant of the existence of the IMosaic 

 code ; or has he ever been at church, and in some moment, undevoted to 

 Doctors' Commons, ever by accident heard the Decalogue ? We call 

 on the learned doctor to " eat his words." 



Any man, but the learned doctor, might have recollected, that capital 

 punishment is ordained in the inspired code for almost every species of 

 crime, in its deeper grade ; and that it is even appointed for the dis- 

 obedience of a child to its parents, of course, under strong and defined 

 circumstances. Let the doctor then venture to say, if he will, that this 

 code was contrary to humanity, and that such punishments were re- 

 pugnant to the laws of Heaven. Judge, civilian, and saint as he is, he 

 is mistaken. We are by no means hostile to any effort to improve the 

 condition, the minds, or the morals of prisoners. But we are decidedly 

 hostile to the party-style of humanity, the politico-brewery-saccharine- 

 gunpowder-Mauritius molasses-humanity. ^Irs. Fry circuits it no more. 

 The annual summer barouche excursions, " with my brother, my tracts, 

 my tea-kettle, and my patterns for the new prison reforming-cap and 

 pinners," are at an end. We will not charge the lady with any thing 

 beyond the rashness of attempting objects not merely beyond her means, 

 but which her exertions have in all probability made more remote than 

 ever. But we need not dissemble our delight at any circumstance 

 which might have put an end to her excursions, pleasant, picturesque, 

 and pathetic as they were. We mean no offence to the fair quaker, drab- 

 coloured and didactic as she was ; and still less, if possible, to that wiser, 

 more innocent, and lovelier portion of the sex, who, seeing that nature 

 dresses the fields and skies in beauty, that a star is as sparkling as a 

 diamond, and by parity of reason, that one is just as criminal as the 

 other, and who have never in the course of their travels, heard of a 

 drab-coloured rose, dress the beauty that nature gave them in the colours 

 that creation supplies : yet we avow our belief, that the ladies are not the 

 best propagators of parliamentary reform, prison regulations, evangelical 

 preaching, nor even of anti-slavery petitions. As this is the age of 

 " codification," we shall, at some time or other, publish our code, enacting 

 that no unmarried lady shall ever display herself in those meetings, but 

 under penalty of her being suspected of having past her five-and- 

 thirtieth year ; that a committee-woman shall be reputed an old maid ; 

 and that " president or secretary" shall be equivalent to a declai-ation, 

 that she is hopeless of marriage, even with a half-pay lieutenant of the 

 local militia. 



We give a specimen of the female-prison-reform accomplishments : — 



Wants of a N'ewgate Nymph. — The following correspondence, dated 

 " Newgate, 10th of March," was found on a prisoner who was apprehended 

 on Wednesday:—" Elizabeth Brookes,— This comes hoping to find you well. 

 I hear you are out, and am sorry to hear that Tim and you arc parted. I hope 

 you will do what you can for nic among the chaps, for, when they were in, 

 they said if 1 could bring them some baccy thev would do the same for me. 



M.M. iVew ^me*.— Vol. Xn. No. (57. " C 



