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HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS,
SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN,

13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

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JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.

PREFACE.

THIS collection, here obtaining the honour of a new edition, derives its contents from matter of truth more strange and startling than any flight of fiction however daring and fantastic. The reality displayed bears that affinity to romance which scenes produced by nature sometimes do to buildings that are the work of man. The quaint Gothic castles or classic temples of the rural architect lose much attraction if they be not allied to beautiful perspective—if they do not rest in a locality that accords with their own grotesque or graceful character: but the landscape itself can be fine without them, for it often unfolds hills and dales, glorious heights and gloomy recesses-wonderful views, whose effects it would be vain for architectural genius to attempt to enhance or adorn. So is it with regard to many of the narratives which justice, without respect of persons high or low, and without regard to the secrets of society, searches out, unravels, and puts on lasting record. They form the scenery where the romantic writer will usually go to rear his structure, but they are often of themselves so wild and wonderful that they had better not be built upon at all. Fancy, in wishing to decorate, causes deterioration: truth, as it is, often cannot be surpassed. The collection is based upon truth exactly of that description: it is the merit it respectfully claims. With such foundation, the author's main object is to present a series of those instances occurring in the administration of justice which, from some marvellous or romantic circumstance connected with them, have created great public sensation in their day, but which have since lapsed into entire or semi-oblivion. Causes of more common notoriety he has not touched upon. The Praslin affair may seem an exception to this, and if so, its peculiarly romantic features will excuse its insertion; but, strange to say, so fast in this country do judicial events pass from memory, that even now the deeplyinteresting real-life tragedy of the Duke and Duchess of Praslin is seldom to be heard fully and correctly told.

Of these narratives, scenes, and anecdotes, the author has but little more to observe by way of introduction; for, of all species of tales, they will indeed speak for themselves. One further remark, and he has done. In publications of this kind, intended for general perusal, an imperative obligation arises. that all matter of an improper or indelicate tone should be carefully suppressed: this duty, the present author is sorry to find, has been very much and sometimes very shamefully neglected by preceding editors of works of this nature. In this collection the author has been extremely cautious in purifying both the substance and language of former records, so that no objection on that score can possibly occur.

In conclusion, the author must not omit to express how much he owes for the information obtained about foreign causes, to the able works of Messieurs Mejan, Blanc, Feuerbach, and others, jurists of learning and eminence, whose well-done reports of facts have secured for their respective countries such records as, beyond what relates to state trials, England scarcely preserves at all. Our legal history suffers in consequence of a disregard of similar memorials.

In two series of English trials which have already met with favour, and in this collection which partially relates to English cases, the author has innovated an attempt, as far as lies in his power, to remedy the defect. He is glad to say that, in the favour already shown his volumes, he has met with fair encouragement, and his satisfaction will be still more ample if his endeavour lead to more extensive unrolling, before we lose them all, of the judicial muniments of domestic transactionsrecords which are more valuable and certain in their knowledge than the sibyl's books of old, because they instruct and warn about the future, through the means of an undoubted past, and because, by giving the clearest possible insight into bygone private life, they become available for a still greater object. Undeniably true, and in many instances appallingly so, their details point out, with impressive force, the utter futility and wretchedness of crime. Like the handwriting on the palace wall, they veritably and visibly bring home the announcement that the kingdom of the wicked is to be numbered and to finish.

SERJEANTS' INN.

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