small-pox, would be dispensed with; but Hoquen, in opposition to our commands, signified to them to attend indiscriminately, whether having or -not having had that disease; regardless of the intention of our government to shew to foreign tribes our kindness and consideration. The motives of his conduct herein it would be difficult to investigate.

"10th. The minister of state, Su-lin-go, was entirely deaf, and worn out by age and infirmity; yet, because he was connected by marriage with Ho-lin, the younger brother of Ho-quen, his incapacity to discharge the duties of his situation was artfully concealed from the emperor's knowledge.

"11th. The officers Ou-sung-lau, Ly-ham, and Ly-quang-yun, having received their education at the house of Ho-quen, have been since promoted to the most respectable offices in the state.

"12th. Many of the principal officers, whose names have been registered in the different civil and military departments, have been, in instances too numerous to be particularized in this place, removed and dismissed according to his pleasure, and by his sole authority.

“13th. In the late confiscation of the property of Ho-quen, many apartments were found to be built in a most costly manner, of the imperial wood hau-moo, and several ornamented terraces

and separate inclosures, were observed to have been constructed in the style and resemblance of the imperial palace of Hing-shen-Kung: the gardens likewise laid out in a style little differing from that of Yuan-ming-quen, and Fung-too-yas-tay, but with what view or design we cannot imagine.

"14th. Among his treasures of pearls and precious stones, upwards of two hundred strings or bracelets of the former were discovered, many times exceeding in value those in our imperial possession. One among the pearls belonging to Hoquen was of an enormous size, and exceeded even that which adorns the imperial crown. There were likewise found various buttons distinguishing princely rank, carved out of precious stones, such as his situation by no means entitled him to wear. Many score of these gems were discovered, besides pieces of the same kind in the rough state, to an incalculable amount, and in an endless variety, unknown even among the imperial treasures.

"15th. An estimate of the property in gold and silver which has been confiscated is not yet completed; but the sum is already found to exceed many millions of ounces of silver.

"16th. The avarice by which he appears to have been actuated, and the corruption by which his wealth has been amassed, cannot be equalled in the history of preceding ages." (Sir G. Staunton's Penal Code of China, p. 494.)

THE LAW OF THE NOVELS.

Those of our legal readers who, like Curran, go to bed with a romance in their hands, and, instead of the Novels of Justinian, study those of 'Sir Walter Scott, must often have been shocked at the marvellous mistakes in points of law, into which the Heroes and Heroines of those works so

frequently fall. We could cite numerous ex. amples, but the two following will suffice. The first is from Mrs. Brunton's excellent Novel of "Self-Control." Hargrave, as our readers will recollect, attempts to enforce his suit by a latitat, and despatches two bailiffs to his mistress as in

tercessors.

"I cannot procure the money just now, even though I were willing," said Laura, with spirit, " and I do not believe that you have a right to remove me." "Oh, as for the right, Miss, we'll let you see that.-There is our warrant properly signed and sealed. You may look at it in my hand, for I don't much like to trust you with it."

And what sort of an instrument does the reader imagine this formidable warrant was? why,

"The warrant was stamped and imposingly written on parchment: with the tautology which Laura had been taught to expect in a Law-paper, it rung changes upon the permission to seize and confine the person of Laura Montreville, as heiress

of William Montreville, debtor to John Dykes of Pimlico. It was signed as by a Magistrate, and marked with the large Seals of office. Laura no longer doubted."—

Miss Edgeworth, in many of her novels, is exceedingly technical, but where she has meddled with the law she has been eminently unsuccessful. In "Patronage" there is a great display of professional knowledge in the person of Mr. Alfred Percy, a young Barrister, who thus narrates the mode in which he took advantage of the Statute of Limitations.

"A little while after my interview with Lord Oldborough, his Lordship, to my surprise, for I thought his offer to assist me in my profession, if ever it should be in his line, was a mere courtier's promise, sent his Attorney to me in a cause of Col. Stanton's. The Colonel has gone to law (most ungrateful as he is) with his uncle, who was his guardian, and who managed all his affairs for years. I need not explain to you the merits of the suit, or the demerits of the plaintiff. It is enough to tell you that I was so fortunate as to perceive, that the Colonel's claim was what we call barred in law by the Statute of Limitations. I, all-glorious with the hope of making a good point, which had escaped the other Counsel employed on our side, went into Court with my act in my hand; but when I was beginning to make

my point, the Senior Counsel would not permit me to speak, snatched the book from my hand, stated my objection as his own, never even acknowledged the assistance he had received from me,-obtained a nonsuit against the Colonel, and had all the honor and triumph of the day. Some few gentlemen of the Bar who were near me knew the truth, and they were indignant. I hear that my Senior, whose name I will never tell you, lest you should hate it, has got into great practice by the gaining of this suit." (Patronage, v. ii. p.172.)

SIR FRANCIS PEMBERTON.

"The Lord Chief Justice Pemberton was a better practiser than a Judge, for, being made Chief Justice of the King's Bench, he had a towering opinion of his own sense and wisdom, and rather made, than declared, law. I have heard his lordship say that, in making law, he had outdone Kings, Lords, and Commons. This may

seem strange to such as see not the behaviour of Judges, and do not consider the propensity of almost all to appear wiser than those that went before them. Therefore, it is the most impartial character of a Judge to defer to eldership, or antiquity. But to proceed: this man's morals were very indifferent; for his beginnings were debauched, and his study and first practice in the gaol; for having been one of the fiercest town