He is thought also to have entertained an extravagant opinion of the merits of celibacy, and a passage is quoted from the fragment of a treatise on the Resurrection of the Flesh, attributed by some to Justin, in which marriage seems to be condemned as unlawful. But to this it may be replied, that the fragment in question is not known to be his. His genuine and acknowledged writings, however, contain some expressions on this subject, which will not bear to be construed too rigidly. They look a little ascetic.

Again, it has been said, that he condemned the use of oaths, in every instance. But we must say in justice to him, that he does little more than quote the words of the Saviour on this point. It is not quite clear what construction he put on them. Admit, however, that his language on these topics, especially the two former, is a little unguarded, the charge is, in reality, a very trifling one, and the examples adduced in support of it, do not prove his laxness, but only show that he inculcated great strictness and self-devotion. His writings breathe, throughout, a tone of pure and elevated morality, which forms a striking contrast with the corrupt principles and manners of the age.

It remains for us to treat of his opinions, particularly on points which have been brought into controversy. Of these the most important are his views of the divinity of the Saviour and the Logos. We trust that we shall prove that he corrupted the beautiful simplicity of the gospel, by an abundant infusion of Platonic opinions, that he asserted, notwithstanding, the essential inferiority of the Son to the Father, and that the modern notions of the trinity derive no support from the general tone of his language and argument. We shall conclude with some remarks on the real value of his writings as sources of historical knowledge.*

*Our remarks on the subject of Justin, we fear, may have the appearance of some severity. We beg our readers to bear in mind, however, that hitherto we have been occupied chiefly in stating his defects. Before we conclude, it is our intention to bring into view more fully those traits of intellectual and moral character, which, after all deduction for failings, really give him a title to respect. As a writer, we are not conscious of having given an exaggerated account of his defects. But the intelligent reader will hardly need to be told that these defects were not peculiar to Justin and the Fathers. They belonged to the age. To say that the Fathers shared them, therefore, is only to say that they participated in the common faults of our nature. After all, considered as a class, they will bear advantageous comparison with their pagan cotemporaries, in point of intellect and literary merit; and in a moral view they are vastly their superiors. It would be unjust to measure them by the improved standard of modern opinions.

ART. II.-A Treatise on the Police and Crimes of the Metropolis, especially Juvenile Delinquency, Female Prostitution, Mendicity, Gaming, Forgery, Street Robberies, Burglary and Housebreaking, Receiving of Stolen Goods, Counterfeiting the Coin, Exhumation, Swindling, &c. &c. Also an Account of the Courts of Justice and Prisons of London, and an Inquiry into the Causes of the Increase of Crime, with Suggestions for the Improvement of the Institutions of the Metropolis, and the Prevention of Offences. By the EDITOR of The Cabinet Lawyer,' &c. &c., and of 'An Account of Public Charities.' London. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green. 1829. 8vo. pp. 390.

THIS work, as may at once be seen by the titlepage, embraces a great variety of important subjects and suggestions relating to the police of London. It has lately appeared; and, though it would seem from the preface, it was not intended for publication by the author, its appearance at the present moment is particularly opportune, as the whole subject of the police and crime of that great metropolis is obtaining an unusual share of attention, and a deep, and even fearful conviction is gaining ground, of the necessity of applying an instant and more effectual remedy for the alarming increase of crime. We regard this new work, and the whole subject of which it treats, as highly interesting. To those who take it up only as a treatise concerning the police of a single and distant city, it may possibly appear of too local and confined a character to engage the general reader. But when it is considered that this city is London, the commercial emporium of the world, the seat of arts, of learning, of charity, of all that concerns the improvement, happiness, and glory of man; when it is remembered, that this single metropolis embraces within its limits almost a million and an half of human beings, whose safety, virtue, and even life itself, are nearly or remotely concerned in its municipal restraints; and that of this vast population, there are thousands of strangers, of whom some of our own friends and fellow countrymen are at all times a part, and who, from ignorance, rashness, and the peculiar exposures incident to strangers, may possibly become the partakers or the victims of its crimes either amenable to its justice, or in person, property, or reputation, suffering from its corruption-the subject will hardly be passed over without interest. But on still broader grounds, it deserves the attention of the Christian and philanthropist. In

this view, we may certainly find more than enough to engage us in a book, whose object is to expose moral evils, and suggest remedies, by which not the temporal welfare only, but the spiritual and eternal interests of multitudes of immortal beings may be affected.

Many of our readers, we presume, have met with a similar work on this subject by Colquhoun, which was long considered a standard, and has been extensively read. The writer, from his official situation, enjoyed the best opportunity for obtaining accurate knowledge; and though on some particular points, such as his calculations of the numbers of unfortunate and abandoned females, and of the amount of plunder within the city, he has exposed himself to the charge of lack of judgment, his work, in its day, was regarded as of high authority. The writer of that before us is evidently, and indeed, of necessity, indebted to it. But he has greatly improved both upon its plan and execution; and, with many valuable reflections on the causes of the alarming increase of crime even from that time, has adapted his views to the existing state of things.

The design of the work will be best seen by a bare enumeration of the subjects of which it treats, but a small part of which we have copied from the titlepage. These are, general principles of police, and prevention of punishments; extent and municipal divisions of the metropolis; police establishments; defects in the police; general plan of police; crimes in the metropolis; gaming; bankruptcy, insolvency, and imprisonment for debt; private credit; mendicity; female prostitution; juvenile delinquency; thieves and receivers; counterfeiting the coin, and forgery; burglary; housebreaking, and street robbery; resurrection men; causes of the increase of crime; courts of justice; prisons of the metropolis; public sewers; water companies; gas-light establishments; fire police; brewers; licensed victuallers, hotel, coffee-house, and tavern-keepers; concluding remarks on metropolitan police, crimes, frauds, and manners. And to these is added an Appendix, containing brief, but, as we should think, judicious remarks on the bill recently offered in Parliament by that eminent statesman, Mr Peel, for the improvement of the police of the metropolis and its vicinity.

As may be inferred, the writer, under these general heads, embraces almost all the topics connected with the public security and accommodation, or with the crimes, miseries, and dangers of the city. He first states the population, including London and Westminster, with the out-parishes of the suburbs, as re

ported in the parliamentary census of 1821, to be one million two hundred and seventy four thousand eight hundred. Allowing for an increase for the last seven years in the same ratio as in the interval from 1811 to 1821-nothing having occurred, as he observes, within this period, to check the progress of population he makes the whole number of inhabitants, now in the metropolis, to be 1,492,228.

Of the crimes and evils, by which this vast assemblage of human beings is endangered and corrupted, mendicity, intemperance, gambling, robbery in its various forms of secret skill or violence, female prostitution, and juvenile delinquency, are the most prominent and mischievous. Upon each of these the author exhibits some astonishing, but sober details, from many of which we gladly spare our readers, referring them for what they may desire of examples to the writer himself, and willing in this article to present rather what an enlightened philanthropy may suggest for remedy, than to dwell upon the evidences of crimes, to which, in their extent, at least, and wide-spreading ravages, we of this favored community are as yet, we hope, strangers.

To every one, who, either from personal observation or report, from reading the daily journals or periodicals of that country, has acquainted himself with its records of justice, it must appear surprising, that the amount of crime and of public punishment, both in London and throughout the kingdom, should seem so greatly to exceed that of other European countries. We can hardly take up an English newspaper without disgust at the relation of awful sins and punishments, of forgeries, robberies, and murders, to say nothing of more private offences. And it is difficult to understand, that in a country preeminent for its advantages; exerting by its religion, its laws, its noble institutions, and the whole spirit of the people, so powerful a moral influence, profligacy and corruption should be so conspicuous; and that while, on the other hand, it surpasses all nations of the world in its associations for religion and charity, for the interests of learning, piety, and humanity, it should also exceed them all in the multitude and authentic records of its crimes.

One consideration, however, must be taken into view, in any attempt to explain this anomaly. It is this. Everything in Great Britain that is a subject of legal inquiry, is, by the freedom of its institutions, the subject also of public notice. Nothing occurs in its courts of justice, of which the daily journals do not take

account. Everything, therefore, is known and proclaimed. No robbery is brought to light; no forgery, of whatever condition may be the parties, is detected; nay, no violation of domestic or conjugal relations can transpire, without finding its way into the daily papers; and, such is the taste of the people, it will not fail to find also eager and echoing readers. Whereas, in France, and other continental nations, much is concealed, or, at least, never appears in print. The government suffer to be published only what their policy or their fears will allow; and there can be no question that many crimes are committed, and awfully punished too, of which none but the individuals involved in them hear or know anything.

But in addition to this, if not an obvious, yet certainly an important consideration, the writer of this book offers the following remarks. They seem to us to be well founded, though he connects them with others less satisfactory, and, indeed, as we venture to think, erroneous.

'The proportional excess of crime in England over other European countries forms a difficult problem which has not yet obtained satisfactory solution. Distinguished by superior wealth and intelligence, it seems extraordinary we should also be preeminent in that which is usually presumed to result from the absence of the advantages we enjoy. Great as is this anomaly, we think it admits of explanation, and that both the magnitude and complexion of our criminal calendar may be traced to certain obvious peculiarities in the pursuits and character of the population.

England is preeminently a commercial community, abounding in manufactories, shipping, and well-stocked warehouses; combined with these, commodities are constantly being conveyed and transferred from one to another, which affords opportunities, and enlarges the field for depredation. Commerce requires much individual confidence, and clerks, factors, and agents cannot always resist temptation. It is productive of luxury, and leads to the assembling of people together in large towns, to the creation of credit and paper money-the intoxicating and illusive stimulants to adventure and fruitful source of offences. It leads to sudden vicissitudes in men's fortunes, creates extreme inequality of condition, avidity of gain, and contempt for poverty; in short, makes the acquisition of wealth the ruling passion, and offences connected therewith the distinguishing trait of the community. Where there is little chattel property there cannot be much theft, either from the person, the dwelling, the warehouse, or in transfer; where there is little agency breaches