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no one to look after his children if he was sent to prison, he
would embrace the option mercifully permitted him by his
lordship, and pay the sum he had named. He was then re-
moved from the dock.
The next case was that of a youth barely arrived at man’s
estate, who was charged with having been swindled out of
large property during his minority by his guardian, who
was also one of his nearest relations. His father had been
long dead, and it was for this reason that his offence came
on for trial in the Personal Bereavement Court. The lad, who
was undefended, pleaded that he was young, inexperienced,
greatly in awe of his guardian, and without independent
professional advice. ‘Young man,’ said the judge sternly, ‘do
not talk nonsense. People have no right to be young, inex-
perienced, greatly in awe of their guardians, and without
independent professional advice. If by such indiscretions
they outrage the moral sense of their friends, they must
expect to suffer accordingly.’ He then ordered the prisoner
to apologise to his guardian, and to receive twelve strokes
with a cat-of-nine- tails.
But I shall perhaps best convey to the reader an idea of
the entire perversion of thought which exists among this
extraordinary people, by describing the public trial of a
man who was accused of pulmonary consumption—an of-
fence which was punished with death until quite recently. It
did not occur till I had been some months in the country,
and I am deviating from chronological order in giving it
here; but I had perhaps better do so in order that I may ex-
haust this subject before proceeding to others. Moreover I

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