Geographical Distribution of Crimes. 349 



individually, is different with respect to crimes against property, as will be 

 seen by the table. This class of crimes is most numerous relatively to 

 the population in the north, next in the east, and the west, south, centre, 

 follow in this order. In the latter region, these crimes are not half so 

 frequent as in the north, in proportion to the population. 



Among the departments, that of the Seine, in which the capital is situ- 

 ated, ranks first, as might be expected, in the scale of crimes against pro- 

 perty ; there being one accused to 1368 inhabitants. In Creuse, which 

 exhibits an equally favourable morality in regard to this as to the other 

 class of crimes, there is only one accused to 20,235 inhabitants. The 

 mean for the whole kingdom is one to 6031 : 62 departments present more 

 favourable proportions than the mean, 24 are above it. 



The distribution of the two classes of crimes is in general such, that by 

 a happy compensation, those parts of the kingdom which shew the greatest 

 number of crimes against the person are least fruitful in offences against 

 property. There is an exception, however, in prejudice of the departments 

 of Corsica, Seiue-et-Oise, Mozelle, and Loz^re, which stand unfortunately 

 high in both scales. 



M. G. enters at some length into the consideration of the causes which 

 most materially influence the varied prevalence of crimes of each class. 

 He sees reason to attribute the marked distinction in the distribution of 

 crimes against the person, chiefly to differences of generic character among 

 the tribes that constitute the population of France ; all of whom still retain 

 to a certain extent their own languages, customs, and traditional preju- 

 dices. The inhabitants of the south, where these crimes most abound, 

 differ considerably in race and organisation from the inhabitants of other 

 parts of France. The livelier sensibility and hastiness of temper which 

 characterize them, give rise to numerous disputes and broils ; and the 

 passions of jealousy and revenge are not unfrequently evidenced in personal 

 outrages among them. 



With respect to the distribution of crimes against property, their appa- 

 rent connection with the advancement of commerce and industry affords 

 ground for very instructive inquiry. The question of the influence of 

 wealth and poverty on national morals is one of the most intricate that 

 Statistics can be brought to elucidate : but as yet we are in want of docu- 

 ments sufficiently authentic to deserve much attention. It must not be 

 forgotten, in considering the influence of other causes on the amount of 

 crime, that the absolute amount of wealth in a district is far from being an 

 accurate index to the condition of the great bulk of the population. The 

 recent researches indeed of M. do Villcneuve Bargemont fully confirm M, 

 G.'s snpjjosition, that the pauperised districts in France, as in other coun- 

 tries, arc precisely those in which at the same time wealth is most abun- 

 dant.* Hence, the destitution and misery prevailing in a district where 

 •In the northern region, the chief scat of tlic cotton manufactories of France, 

 No. 5— Vol. 1. 2z 



