REVIEWS. 419 



that can engage the minds of the thoughtful and benevolent. It 

 would be impossible for us here even to touch upon each distinct 

 branch, or to attempt maintaining the connection of the reasoning. 

 If in hastily running through it again for this purpose we can succeed 

 in bringing forward a few passages of independent interest, which may 

 lead attention to the book itself, our object will be fully answered. 

 ^ At p. 24 is a curious estimate, apparently not exaggerated, of the 

 loss to society by 16 thieves, whose names, ages and length of criminal 

 career are given, amounting to no less than 5626,500. This must, at 

 least, serve to give one striking, though in reality the least important, 

 view of the interest attaching tq the subject. 



At the beginning of the second chapter, entitled " How are our Con- 

 victs made?" after referring to the specimens, if we may so speak, of 

 criminals given in the preceding pages, the author proceeds : 



" But these persous have not suddenly become so lest to all good, so completely 

 the slaves of sin. We should try to gain some insight into the nature of the tempt- 

 ations and circumstances which have plunged them to such a depth of wretched- 

 ness. Befbie attempting to cure we must learn the nature of the disease, and we 

 must endeavour to ascertain whether there are not evils for the existence of which 

 society is directly responsible, which must, unless removed, forever perpetuate ia 

 our midst the mass of corruption from which we are suffering. 



" How do men and women arrive at a condition of so much depravity ! 



"How far is society, directly or indirectly, to blame in the matter? 



"These are questions which we sliall endeavour to answer in the present 

 chapter. 



" Here is a history of a criminal career given by an old offender himself to th» 

 Chaplain of the Gaol, Rev. W. Osborn, of Bath : — 'I have been told a thousand 

 times to go and get work, but it was never said to me during twenty years, while 

 in or out of prison, ' I'll give you work.' Hence I have cost the country some two 

 thousand pounds, and I expect to cost a great deal more yet. / was sent to gaol 

 for two months when a boy for stealing a loaf of bread, and no one cared for me. 

 I walked to the seaports, but in vain. I tramped, sore footed, thousands of miles 

 when I was a lad, in order to get honest employment, but it did not answer. I 

 was tempted to steal . I stole. I was imprisoned. I was sent to Bermuda. I 

 have learnt the trade of a professional thief, and now I intend to follow it. I 

 believe all philanthropy to be a mockery, and religion to be a dslusion, and I 

 care neither for God nor man. The gaol, penal servitude, and the gallows, are 

 all alike to me.' 



" This is, probably the history of thousands ; and who is to be blamed ? Are 

 there no accessories to the life this man is leading ? How was the boy who would 

 'tramp sore footed thousands of miles to get honest employment' transformed 

 into a man who disbelieved humanity, — who scoffed at religion, and consequently 

 defied the laws of God and man ?" 



Vol. X. DD 



