rings, the chains, the gaudy jewellery, which must impose upon some people or they would not be so much in request, were all lost upon him, or if they had any effect it was only to make him suspicious of the

wearer.

Neither did he yield the implicit belief to a suit of numbered blue clothes that some magistrates do. Those who recollect the old Charleys of the metropolis,-the old women in dirty Witneys, with iron-hooked clubs and lanthorns,-remember their rascally perjury, their persecution of the friendless, and inordinate activity, where there was any thing to be got from the rich, must admit that the Police Force is a wonderful improvement; and, perhaps, in the metropolis and large towns, where the supervision is constant and regular, it would be difficult to improve upon the system. Many of the officers are real, keen, vigilant, enterprising fellows, with a decided taste for thief-hunting, just as some men have a decided taste for fox-hunting and sporting. They go into the force because they like the wild exciting sort of life it leads to, and not because it is easier or more lucrative than many they could follow. Doubtless there are some who go in for the mere sake of what they can get by it, but these seldom rise above mere uniform wearers, a better sort of street-keeper, with ability enough to take charge of a case of assault. The Police Force is much better adapted to towns than it is to the country. The men are scattered too wide apart, the opportunities of watchful intercourse and control are too few, and the great unpaid are too easy or too indolent to look after them as they ought to be looked after; in addition to which, the magistrates part with the power of removing inefficient or improper men themselves, by placing the sole organisation and command of the force in the hands of a chief-constable, too often a broken-down member of their own body,-with genius enough to keep in with the powers that be, and to write a plausible report to lay before sessions. Thief-taking is not the pursuit of a gentleman, and ought not to be delegated to them, unless the party-like a certain baronet's son-has a decided turn that way.

But to our story.

As the poor bashful boy came hustled in, in the unceremonious way used to prisoners and cattle, his worship thought the averted head and drooping eye did not belong to the character described in the charge sheet before him-" Charles Smith charged with attempting to break into a house in Bryanston-square."

The expedition of a police office contrasts strangely with the tedious prolixity of a wig and gown court, where learned gentlemen wrangle about nothings, and every thing is made as much of as possible. The oath, the charge, the answer, and the sentence, run on in much the manner of platoon firing at a review.

"The evidence you shall give, &c.," mutters one.
"As I was going, &c.," deposes the witness.
Chief Clerk-"Prisoner, what have you to say?"

Prisoner "Nothing."

Magistrate "Ten shilling, or a fortnight."

Away goes the prisoner, and up comes another. That expedition of course applies to the ordinary obvious routine cases of summary convie

tions.

After sundry half-crown and five shilling cases had been knocked off, it was at length our friend's turn to be stuck up like a Shrove-tide cock to be pelted at.

"Who prefers the charge ?" asked the chief clerk.

"Letter and number?" asked the clerk, without looking off his book. "Number, K division," replied the officer.

"The evidence you shall give," &c., gabbled another clerk, while the first wrote the number down, smack went the policeman's lips against a little black bound book, tied with tape, which might be a railway guide, a club list or any work of light reading-and with a throat-clearing, prefatory hem, the man of the "K" division thus began--"Please your worship, as I was goin' my round last night, I saw this ere indiwidual bearin' werry suspicious in Bryanston-square.'

"What was he doing?" asked the magistrate.

"He was reconnoiterin' a house, first lookin' at the winders and then at the doors."

"Did he whistle or make any noise?" asked the magistrate, knowing that there are more objects than one for young gentlemen beleaguering houses.

"No, your worship," replied the policeman, "on the contrary, he was quite quiet and still. Indeed the ouse is shut hup, barrin' an old woman and her usband, wot are left in charge."

"Indeed," observed the magistrate, taking a longer and more scrutinising glance at the prisoner.

"So your worship," continued the policeman, "seeing that his conduct was suspicious, I placed myself where he could not see me and watched him for a great length of time. After examinin' of the 'ouse for some time he crossed over to it, and after looking at the front door he made for the harea gate, when I comes h'up and seized him, he made great resistance, and threw something over the rails into the garden."

"Did he attempt to run away?" asked the magistrate.

"No, your worship, I came upon him unawares, just as he had his 'and on the 'andle of the harea gate, so that he hadn't the chance." "And have you found what he threw away?" asked his worship. "No, sir," replied the policeman.

"Have you searched for it?" was the next question.

"No," was the answer.

"No!" rejoined the magistrate in surprise, "why you have omitted the most material thing."

"Please your worship," rejoined the policeman, "as soon as I had discharged myself of the prisoner, I was called away to a fire near the Hedgeware Road."

66

Well, you hear what this witness says," observed the magistrate, addressing himself to Charles, "do you wish to ask him any questions?" "I-I-I, that's to say, beg-that's to say, beg pardon -I mean that I-I-I was only looking-that's to say, I wasn't thinking-"

"That's not the way to ask a witness questions," interrupted the chief clerk, by way of comforting and encouraging him. The clerk had made up his mind that Charles was guilty.

"Ask the witness any questions with regard to what he has said," in

terposed the magistrate more mildly; "you are now going into your defence, I will hear that after."

Charles stood dumb-foundered, not understanding the distinction.

"The witness says that he saw you examining a house very attentively, and detected you in the act of trying the area-gate," recapitulated the magistrate slowly and distinctly, "now if there is any part of that which is not true, question him concerning it."

"I-I-1, certainly was, that's to say I-I-I admit I—I—I—”

"No, no," interrupted the chief clerk, "that's not what his worship means. Ask questions, sir," continued he, twirling his pen about, astonished at Charles's stupidity in not knowing how to do what he himself was so well up to. The clerk forgot, as many clerks do forget, that Charles did not enact the character of culprit every day.

"Well," interposed the magistrate again, "perhaps we had better hear his statement, and then ask such questions as may arise upon a comparison of it with that of the policeman."

"Attend to me, sir!" exclaimed the clerk, eyeing Charles intently, "you have heard the charge against you, you are now at liberty to make any statement relative to it that you thing proper, but I caution you, that what you say will be taken down in writing, and if necessary used in evidence against you."

Charles shuddered at the idea of taking down and ulterior proceedings. the great grim, frowning, black, Old Bailey seemed standing before him. "You can speak or not, as you think right,” observed the magistrate, think you can explain away the suspicious circumstances, it may save you further trouble, but do as you think best."

"if you

"Well-I—I—I—certainly admit-that's to say I-I—I—was in— in-in Bryanston-square, but I-I-I-deny-that I-I-I—was there for-any improper purpose

"Well, do you wish to say any thing about what you threw away? that seems the most important feature in the case."

"I-I-I-deny it-most, most, most decidedly-I swear I—I—I— had nothing whatever in my hand to-to-to-throw away."

"Does any person know any thing of the prisoner ?" asked the magistrate, after a pause.

Several of the police, some in uniform, others in plain clothes, took a good stare at him, but though one said he had seen him before, he could not charge his recollection with knowing any thing against him.

"You are sure that he threw something away ?" asked the magistrate of the policeman.

"Quite sure," replied he, with confidence.

"Did you hear it fall?"

"I heard it beat among the shrubs about the middle of the garden." "Well," said the magistrate, addressing Charles, "have you any friend in court that you would like to accompany a policeman to look

for it ?"

“I—I—I—have no friends-that's to say, not here," replied he.

"Well then, let a serjeant go," said the magistrate, on behalf of the prisoner, calling two or three by name who happened to be in the court, and letting Charles take his choice of them.

The policeman, and a serjeant of the A division, then departed on their errand.

After an absence of an hour and a half, which seemed to Charles like a year, they at length returned, and his worship was summoned from his private room, where he had gone to read the paper, to hear the result. An indifferent spectator might have seen from the countenance of the policeman that the search had been unsuccessful, but our much frightened friend construed it into the moderation of victory and the usual sobriety of justice.

To him it was a moment of intense excitement. The former rapid movement of the wheel of law seemed suspended, and the cogs of justice to want greasing. The clerk's boots creaked in a way that Charles never heard boots creak before, as he passed from the court into the retiring-room, and the rustle of the crisp Post, as his worship laid it on the table, broke upon his ear like a clap of thunder.

In another second his worship was wending his way to his chair.
His worship put the following questions to the policeman-

"Have you searched the inclosure of Bryanston-square ?"

"I have," replied the witness, in the usual style of answering nothing more than he was asked.

"Did you find any thing?" inquired the magistrate.

Nothing," was the answer.

"Let the prisoner be discharged, then," said the magistrate, rising to resume his spell at the Post.

And Charles was discharged accordingly.

CONTINENTAL POLITICS.

INTRODUCTORY.

THE time is now arrived when the principal states of continental Europe, which have been shaken to their foundations by the consequences of the revolution of February, have reached the second act of the eventful drama of their political regeneration. The time is arrived when the promises vouchsafed by sovereigns in hours of alarm and danger are to be fulfilled, and the concessions so obtained are to be finally accepted by the people. The time is also arrived when the temporary connexion between the friends of free government and the enemies of all governments must be dissolved, if the results of this revolution are ever to assume the shape of regular institutions and established laws.

Yet what do we see in contemplating this wonderful political panorama? France framing itself a constitution doubtful whether to be presided over by poet or astronomer, by a communist, a wily diplomatist, or a doll emperor. Germany also framing itself a universal constitution, yet uncertain whether a federal provisional executive shall be a regency of princes, a presidency, or a republican executive. Each separate state framing its own constitution, the National Assembly being at the same moment, as at Berlin, at the mercy of the mob. In Austria, Bohemia, Hungary, and Croatia, provisional governments establishing themselves independent of the central legislature, whose meetings are to be opened by the emperor in person; while the Sclavonian races are asserting that

the time is come for claiming not only independence, but superiority over Magyar and German alike. In Saxony, Hanover, Bavaria, Mecklenburgh, Wurtemberg, Baden, and the lesser principalities, everywhere the same state of democratic excitement. In Denmark war-insignificant in aspect but in reality pregnant with importance to the future. In Poland, inflexible resistance which the sword alone can overcome. And last but not least, the Czar advancing with his hundred thousands of Muscovites to settle by that kind of diplomacy, which is peculiar to half-barbarous nations, all those knotty political difficulties. In Italy provisional governments and constituent assemblies, grouping around the monarch of a kingdom in embryo, at the head of an allied army, the extremities of which are already detached, and carrying on a difficult contest with an army daily increasing in numbers, and superior in discipline, stratagem, and military science. In Naples a constituent assembly claiming the suppression of the superior chambers, as at Vienna, and a reaction followed by provincial insurrection.

Never in the history of Europe were so many elements of strife and discord abroad at the same period. A more eventful epoch never presented itself to the chronicler. It is only difficult to keep pace with incidents of so strange and so remarkable a character. Everywhere, in every country in Europe-even in our own (the great example of constitutional government which is now taken as an example throughout the world)-there exists a certain party more remarkable for its daring and its violence than its numbers, which is the avowed enemy and assailant of all constitutional government and of society itself. Paris and Berlin present the extremes of an evil of this character, and that party must be conquered and brought into subjection by the great bulk of society, before any steps towards a real constitutional progress can be taken with the chance of permanence and security.

Unhappily, amidst the security so justly entertained in this country, it was impossible that we should not feel in some degree the effect of the continental revolutions. Two-thirds of the continent have not been upsetting, destroying, and reconstructing for the last three months without trade being palsied. The distress in the commercial world is great. France is wholly, and Germany and Italy are partially, withdrawn from the sphere of our mercantile correspondence. We are almost at open hostility with Spain. The greater part of the continent absorbed in statesmanship, makes nothing, imports nothing, and orders nothing. When wheels cease to play and jennies to spin, coal and iron become superfluities. Two staple trades are thus struck down in England at one blow.

It is no wonder that in such a state of things men should grow discontented. At any time distress like the present would be acutely felt. But now it is worse than at any other. To expect that men should reason calmly, wait patiently, and suffer silently under such conditions is irreconcileable with the dictates of common sense and the lessons of ordinary experience.

Two panaceas have under these trying circumstances met with public favour. One is an extensive and well arranged system of emigration, the other a new Reform movement. With regard to the first it is to be hoped that some plan or other will be really and energetically carried out. Only grant lands as a freehold tenure to the colonist and his children, and respectable emigrants will not be wanting; let the government,