temper, fixed habits, determination of character, and every thing except the legal definition of infancy, are separated from this class. It will be remembered, by those who have attended to the history of the House of Refuge, that some years since a desperate plan of escape was formed and nearly executed, which cost the blood and almost the lives of several of the officers. This was the work of a boy of nineteen years of age. In the past year, several daring plans of escape, by violent means, have been detected among the older boys. It is of importance that these facts should be understood and appreciated by the community, as, by a late statute, emendatory of the act incorporating this society, every court in the state is empowered to send to the House of Refuge, such convicted children as shall be deemed by them to be proper objects. And under this authority, the managers are very frequently compelled to receive boys, sentenced hither by courts influenced by deceptive statements of the ages of the offenders, or by the suggestion, as they respectfully conceive, of ill-judging compassion, who would have been excluded by a due consideration of the nature and objects of this society. A statement of the receipts and expenditures of the society during the past year, by Cornelius Dubois, Esq. the Treasurer of the Society, is annexed to this report. Subjoined to this report will be also found a few histories of children who have heretofore been under our charge, and who were indentured under our supervision. The selection is made from a mass of cases, perhaps equally interesting, and could have been extended far beyond its present limits. In these short and simple annals, no attempt has been made by the managers to alter or suppress the language of the communications of the children whose cases are given, under the belief that their own artless, if imperfect narratives, are the best form in which their stories can be presented to the public eye. But in histories of these children, preceding their entrance into the House of Refuge, the managers have been compelled to throw a veil over many details, which would have heightened the contrast of the present situation of many of these little beings, snatched from the midst of vice of the deepest, and, in some instances, most unnatural depravity. The managers invite attention to the annual report of the Ladies' Committee, of whose services to the institution-particularly the female départment-it is difficult to speak in terms of adequate commendation and sufficiently grateful acknowledgment. In closing this report, the managers have only to observe that they are aware of no circumstances in which this institution has failed to fulfil the wishes and hopes of its founders and patrons; and, on the contrary, they feel encouraged by every view of this society and its effects, to persevere in their direction of this noble attempt on the part of the community to stay the contagion of corrupting guilt, and to direct to paths of virtue and peace the footsteps of erring and deserted childhood. The following letter from Paris gives some account of the sent state of legal literature in France : pre “M. Dupin has, in the present year, published a fifth edition of the Profession d'Avocat, the additions in which he describes in the following terms:-1. In Roman law I have specified all the works published in Germany, in consequence of the discovery of Gaius; 2. Collections of Academical Dissertations; 3. Lists of the Treatises in the collections of Zilet, Otton, Meerman, Samuel Petit, &c.' In foreign law, all was before very imperfect. Camus had given but a slight sketch of the subject: nor has it now been attempted to complete so endless a task. But, in our present frequent intercourse with the rest of the world, especially with Europe and America, it is absolutely necessary to know what are the chief collections of law in every country, and what are the best works to be consulted in commercial questions, in descents, and on other heads which arise upon the residence of Frenchmen abroad. In order to improve this part of my book, I have not only examined the best catalogues, but I have also consulted learned men every where, and even the respective embassies, for the same purpose. In French law, numerous works have appeared since the last edition was published, in 1818; first, upon the codes generally; secondly, upon the forest laws in particular; and thirdly, upon administration, which, of late, has been much more studied than heretofore. I have been greatly indebted to M. Poncelet upon the head of Roman law; to M. Pardessus, upon that of commercial law; to M. Rossi for Swiss law; to the Swedish Ambassador for the law of Sweden; and I am bound especially to acknowledge the assistance which I have received from M. B. Warée,* the elder, the extent of whose bibliographical learning is great; and who has spared no pains in verifying dates, and in clearing up doubts upon disputed points. I have included in this work certain papers, before published separately, of a few books worthy of attention for their antiquity, or for their original character.' 2d vol. p. 5. 6 "At a time when the Record Commissioners are understood to be contemplating an inquiry into the early writers upon English jurisprudence, it is desirable that they should take advantage of the labours of M. Dupin, and extend the inquiry to the class of French writers mentioned in the last sentence of the foregoing extract. The following account of The Counsel of Pierre Defontaines to his friend and all mankind,' will be read with interest:The book was written in the year 1253. The author was Master of the Requests to St. Louis; and President Henault considers him to be the earliest of the French lawyers; which opinion is supported by a passage in the original prologue, Nus n'enprist onques mais devant moi ceste chose dont j'ai.' He complains, that the ancient usages which the Prud' hommes kept had lately been broken in upon by the 'baillis and prévôts,' who were more * A French law bookseller. disposed to exercise their own will and pleasure, than to observe the settled customs; and that by many persons submitting to their views, rather than adhering to the acts of their forefathers, the country had almost lost its ancient usages. From which, says Pierre Defontaines, it was the hardest thing in the world to be determined who should lose, and who gain a cause. The object of his work is to disentangle this confusion; and it is compiled from the practice of all the lay courts of the time.' 2 vol. p. 705. "The 1st volume of M. Dupin's work contains numerous treatises, written by himself and by other celebrated lawyers, as introductions to every branch of jurisprudence; and as guides to the law student. The 2d volume is a Catalogue Raisonnée of 3,700 volumes of French law; and of the laws of all other nations, including Poland, Russia, and even China. "The publication of law books is not in great activity at this moment in Paris. But the 8th edition, much improved, of the excellent Manuel de Droit Francais, has been published in the present year, with the 15th volume of M. Duranton's Cour de Droit Francais; a volume on the High Court of Appeal, by M. Godart Desaponay; the Code Penal progressif, by M. Adolphe Chauveau. "There is about to be printed Une Traité des Privileges et Hypothiques, par M. Troplong, Avocat General. 6 "An important report upon the Prisons of the United States of North America, by two Commissioners sent to that country lately, is on the eve of publication, with an Essay sur la Morale Statistique de la France,' by M. Guerry. And M. Dupin states in his Catalogue that a revision of the laws upon consuls is in progress; a subject which has been, however, less neglected in France than in England. In the last session of parliament Mr. Hume moved for papers on the subject of the English consulates connected with the Colonial Office. Mr. Hume will find the French publications on this jurisdiction worth his attention, in his further inquiries." INDEX TO VOLUMES I., II., AND III. Absentees, mode of proceeding against Alfred, his severity towards the judges, America, see United States. Animals, on property in, iii. 403. Appeals, Mr. Cooper's observations on not recoverable by arbitrators, iii. 450. dence reviewed, iii. 105. Austria, law relative to prescription in, Bacon, Lord, his remarks on the uncer- tainty of the law, i. 409; a legal re- ruptcy, 61; union of bankruptcy and Baring, Mr. A., his bill relative to pri- his duty to his client, iii. 94; his duty Bell, Mr., a convert to registration, iii. Bentham, his Rationale of Judicial Evi- dence noticed, i. 326; ii. 25; his cor- Bickersteth, Mr., his evidence before the registration committee, iii. 334,340,402. of registration of, in France, ii. 39; in Blackstone, Sir W., cited, ii. 277, 470; character of his Commentaries, iii. 106; examination of his doctrine as to property Brougham, Lord, his speech on the state Campbell, Mr., bills brought in by him, Capital Punishment, see Death, Punish- ment. Cassation, Court of, account of, iii. 202. Certainty, Sir W. Scott's remarks on the Certainty of English Law reviewed, Ceylon, introduction of trial by jury at, Chamberlain, prohibition of plays by, Chambers, Mr. Justice, his opinion as to Chancellor, propriety of taking away his Chancery (see Equity), arrears of business in, i. 105; bill for reforming the Court 59; suggestions for the reform of, 83; Church-rates, ought not to be matter of Coining, new act against, noticed, iii. 438. Colonies (see India), history of the North Commissioners (see Reports, Commissions), |