1821.] Critical Notices of Books of the Month. 161 
various adventures he met with illustrative 
of the manners and customs of the inhabi¬ 
tants, and offers only short notices of the 
different architectural remains iu the coun¬ 
tries through which he travelled. In this, 
as the latter have been so. often and so par¬ 
ticularly described, he has, we think, acted 
judiciously, especially as he appeal's to 
have been much limited iu his time, and the 
subjects of which he treats have been, 
generally speaking-, but little noticed by 
travellers. His work is well adapted to 
supply that sort of information, and will 
reward the diligence of its readers, espe¬ 
cially as the scene of this excursion lies in 
a country to which the public attention is 
at present, and may probably continue for 
some time to be strongly directed. 
One of the most powerful of the many 
corrupt and unconstitutional means gene¬ 
rally used at present, on the election of 
borough representatives, consists in the 
votes of non-resident electors. The ad¬ 
mission of those votes was the first innova¬ 
tion on the original method of election, and 
has materially contributed to the estab¬ 
lishment of the present detestable system. 
From An Essay on the Elective Franchise 
with reference to the original and common 
Law Right in Residents , by Arthur 
Kelly, Esq. Barrister at Law, we find 
that this innovation first arose from the 
necessity of the members being freemen 
of the city they represented, and as they 
were originally paid for their services, in 
proportion to their distance from the seat 
of parliament, it was the interest of the 
boroughs to have a representative residing 
as near it as possible. In this way almost 
all the distant boroughs had non-resident 
representatives. The custom of making 
conspicuous men honorary members, as 
a matter of compliment, soon became preva¬ 
lent, and this has led to the most dangerous 
consequences. This evil is traced from 
its source, to its present alarming state, in 
this interesting tract, which we earnestly 
recommend to the perusal of our readers. 
It is accompanied by an appendix, contain¬ 
ing lists of the boroughs and their various 
rights of voting, distinguished under se¬ 
parate heads. 
Although the science of medicine in 
England has at least kept pace with its 
progress on the continent, there is yet one 
branch of it in which we have long- been 
confessedly inferior to our neighbours. 
While in Germany many voluminous and 
important wwks on forensic medicine have 
been long before the public, and while in 
France the attention of the professors of 
medicine has been much engaged on this 
subject, it is only within these few years 
that any work of the kind has appeared in 
England. Dr. Farr’s Elements is said to 
be the first production on this subject, 
which we possess, and this volume made 
Monthly Mag. No. do8 . 
its appearance no earlier than thirty years 
since. Since that period the medical 
world has been favoured with Dr. Bartley’s 
Treatise on Forensic Medicine, and Dr. 
Robertson’s Treatise on Medical Police. 
Another volume has been lately added to 
these, entitled The Principles of Forensic 
Medicine, systematically arranged and. ap¬ 
plied to British Practice , by John Gor¬ 
don Smith, M.D. and we do not hesitate 
to say that this work will be found of great 
utility to those whose avocations require a 
knowledge of this very important branch 
of the medical science, upon a correct ac¬ 
quaintance with which the life and liberty 
of individuals frequently depend. How¬ 
ever skilfully a work of this kind may be 
written, as to every thing relating to that 
portion of it which is more peculiarly 
connected with the medical art, it 4s evi¬ 
dent, that the application of that know¬ 
ledge involves a considerable acquaintance 
with legal learning. It is only in this view 
that we think Dr Smith might have ren¬ 
dered his work more useful, especially to 
his legal readers, to whom, however, we 
have no hesitation in recommending it as 
an useful manual in the course of their 
practice iu criminal cases. 
The Legend of A r gyle is a novel founded 
on the attempt made in favour of the Pre¬ 
tender in 1715. We do not prouounce an 
undeserved opinion of this work, w hen we 
say that it does not rise above the ordinary 
level of the contents of the circulating li¬ 
brary. It may be skimmed over for the 
amusement of the passing moment, but 
wholly fails in making any permanent im¬ 
pression on the fancy or the heart. 
Miss Letitm Matilda Hawkins has 
recently published a new novel called 
Her aline. This lady has before displayed 
considerable ability as the author of The 
Countess and Gertrude , and other works. 
Her present effort will, w'e think, contri¬ 
bute to increase her reputation. It appears 
to be her object to make her pages the 
vehicle of moral and religious improve¬ 
ment ; an effect which may be reasonably 
expected from the good sense and correct 
sentiment with which they abound. 
Mr. Mawe’s Descriptive Catalogue of 
Minerals has reached the fourth edition, 
and is now offered to the public in an 
improved and enlarged form. The author 
has availed himself of the labours of Haiiy 
and of Professor Clarke, of Cambridge, 
and has entered more particularly into a 
detail of the physical and chemical charac¬ 
ters of minerals. Considerable credit is 
due to Mr. Mawe for the professional 
ability displayed in this elementary work, 
which is eminently calculated to answer 
its intended purpose by assisting the stu¬ 
dent in the classification of minerals and 
the management of collections. 
Amongst the works of imagination lately 
X offered 
