Let us represent to ourselves the judges who condemned Calas to die, apologizing for their conduct with the reasoning of Paley. Admitting that it was a great misfortune to the individual, but none to the public, and that even to the individual the misfortune was greatly alleviated by the reflection, that his example would tend to deter parents in future from embruing their hands in the blood of their children, and that in his instance the sufferings of the innocent would prevent the crimes of those who had a propensity to guilt. With what horror and disgust would not every well formed mind shrink from such a defence!!

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When we are weighing the evil of the punishment of one innocent man against that of the impunity of ten who are guilty, we ought to reflect, that the suffering of the innocent is generally attended in the particular instance with the escape of the guilty. Instances have, indeed, occurred like that which I have already mentioned of Calas, where a man has been offered up as a sacrifice to the laws, though the laws had never been vio lated where the tribunals have committed the double mistake of supposing a crime where none had been committed, and of finding a criminal where none could exist. These, however, are very gross, and therefore very rare examples of judicial error. In most cases the crime is ascertained, and to discover the author of it is all that remains for investigation; and in every such case, if there follow an erroneous conviction, a two-fold evil must be incurred, the escape of the guilty, as well as the suffering of the innocent. Perhaps amidst the crowd of those who are gazing upon the supposed criminal, when he is led out to execution, may be lurking the real murderer, who, while he contemplates the fate of the wretch before him, reflects with scorn upon the imbecility of the law, and becomes more hardened, and derives more confidence in the dangerous career upon which he has entered.

J. M'CREERY, Printer, Black Horse Court, London.