causes may generally be ranged under incompetence, indecision, want of economy, and indolence. This class of persons may be fairly considered to contain many individuals, who, under more favourable circumstances, will become useful members of society. If a man steal because he is in want, it is only fair to suppose that, other things being equal, when he ceases to want he will cease to steal; and if he wants because he cannot earn food, that he will cease to want when he can earn food. Now, a new colony is admirably adapted to such persons. There work is always to be had, and none can live without doing a portion of it.

The incompetent consist of such persons as, from various causes, are unfit for the particular department of labour in which they are placed; and this may have arisen from imperfect education, want of capacity, or inattention. Many young men have, after a long apprenticeship, found themselves unable to compete with other workmen in their own trade; so much so, that they have found themselves unable to obtain or to retain employment; and in an evil hour they have become dishonest, and rendered themselves amenable to the penalties of the law. To such persons transportation may be a blessing. With the opportunity of obtaining a ticket of leave, they may be able to earn an honest and good living. They cannot build the mansion, it may be; but they are not the less adapted to construct the cabin or the hut. Besides, such men are removed from the sphere of their degradation, and can breathe freely. They may again not only be respected, but feel that they are so. We say that the change of place and circumstances to such men is an advantage, for they are at once removed from the circumstances which induced the crime, and from the degradation attendant upon the punishBut supposing the incompetency to arise from natural causes, even then the remarks applying to the incompetent from defective education will apply with still greater force to him. He cannot successfully compete with other men, and never will be able to do so. Well, by being transported he is removed from the necessity of trying. The kind of work which he has to perform is of so simple a character that it is next to impossible that he should fail to give satisfaction.

ment.

Then, as it respects those who fail to support themselves through indecision, want of economy, and indolence,-how admirably suited is a well-directed system of transportation to meet any or all of these cases! The evidently principal thing which such persons require is a severe course of physical and moral training; and a good system of transportation provides these. If a man is undecided, he has, whilst under training, no room to be so, for his work and hours of work are both prescribed by a rule which he is obliged to observe. If he is naturally wasteful, he has now no opportunity to be so, for he has no funds at his disposal; and should he be indolent, should his present discipline fail to cure him, it is to be feared that nothing will.

In every wise system of transportation, two things will be always prominent,—certain punishment to those who break the laws of their prison, and certain hope for all those who keep them. By these means a double motive is placed before the convict for improvement. He knows that while in a state of probation if he do wrong, or act disorderly, he must suffer for it; and he knows that if he do right the day will come when he will regain his liberty, together with the power to provide honestly for himself, and may be for his family; and he will be permitted to take his standing in society as an honourable and honest man. In this respect the position of the reclaimed transport is incomparably better than that of the prisoner who is "let loose" upon society after a few weeks' or months' imprisonment in a city prison. Few persons will so far sympathize with such a man as to assist him in obtaining employ ment; hence no resource is left him, after his imprisonment, but to fall back upon his old pursuits or die of starvation.

II. There is a class of thieves who are so hardened that it is almost hopeless that they will ever be anything else. They steal because they would rather live by stealing than by work. Ought these persons to be transported? We answer, Yes. First, Because, having wilfully violated the laws of their country, they do not deserve to be retained in or supported by it; and transportation ` effectually puts it out of their power to injure home society again. Secondly, Be cause transportation presents the only means of reclaiming them, short of the power of

We have thus, it will be perceived, considered transportation in its adaptation to the circumstances and prospects of the conviet himself, and we felt the importance of doing so, as this phase of the subject had received so little previous attention in the course of the debate. It now only remains for us to briefly review the arguments of our opponents, and to suggest such refuting thoughts as we believe a just view of the subject will naturally prompt.

The first and most formidable objection to transportation is its alleged injustice to society in the penal settlements. This is what E. W. S. designates "an act of gross injustice abroad," and what B. S., under the authority of Lord Bacon, denounces as "a shameful and unblessed thing." But how do our friends arrive at this conclusion? E. W. S. does so by asserting that its origin, in the early part of the eighteenth century, was in the "fear and incapacity" of the government, and by referring to the fact that the inhabitants of some of the colonies have protested against the importation of more convicts among them. In reply, we need only say that the working of a measure, not the circumstances of its origin, must alone decide its character as good or bad. Yes, friend E. W. S., "the axiomatic words of Christ, "By their fruits ye shall know them,' hold true here" also. With regard to the repugnance which the colonists manifest to receive convicts amongst them, we may say that this has not been always, nor generally the case, and that it has never been maintained that transportation to any colony, under any circumstances, is desirable. Society ought to be as much progressive in the colonies as in the mother country; and if this be so, the period will arrive in the history of every colony when not only more convicts ought not to be introduced, but when even penal settlements will be required for their convicts.

With respect to Lord Bacon's opinion, as quoted by our generally sagacious opponent B. S., we may remark, that it was not intended by its author to apply to our modern system of transportation, as he flourished long anterior to it, and that the transportation to which he objected was one that allowed men, to use his own words, to "be lazy," to "do mischief," and "live like

a system would not be advocated by us.

That our own system of transportation has been properly carried out we have never heard asserted; and in maintaining that it ought not to be abolished, we would not be understood as implying that in our opinion it needs no reform. Experience will suggest defects in the best conceived system, and it is the province of wisdom to address itself to their removal.

Transportation has been objected to on account of its expense; but "L'Ouvrier" has satisfactorily shown that, as compared with imprisonment at home, there is "an evident saving in favour of transportation."

Again, it has been asserted that transportation has lost its terrors as a punishment, and that "the labouring classes of this country are largely imbued with the idea that transportation is a fortunate event." In opposition to this, the unsupported assertion of B. S., we place the testimony of the present Lord Chief Justice of England, as given in our opening article, together with the natural love of the human heart for home and fatherland. That there have been cases in which transportation has been coveted we do not deny; nor will B. S. deny that there are numerous cases in which crimes are committed for the sake of the imprisonment; and if from the former he concludes that transportation has lost its terrors to the majority of the people, and therefore ought to be abolished, he ought from the latter to conclude that imprisonment has lost its terrors, and ought likewise to be abolished! The one conclusion is as reasonable as the other.

But, if transportation is to be abolished, what substitute for it would our opponents suggest? Here, we fancy, they will find their ingenuity fail them, for the work of construction is a more difficult one than that of destruction. The accumulation of our criminals in prisons and penitentiaries, at the rate of some six or seven thousand annually, the enormous expense of their maintenance, and the contaminating influence of their society, would be no small evils to overcome. In the success of the newly-invented ticketof-leave system we have no faith; but believe with Sir A. Alison, the historian of Europe, "that these tickets of leave will be tickets of leave for the convicts to return to their old haunts, and to commence their old habits again."

J. M. S.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

164. Conversation.-So "R. F. F.," the proposer of this question is anxious to obtain "influence and power of impression in company." As yet no one has advised him as to what course he should adopt to secure "so powerful a means of fascination," allow me, as Christmas is approaching, to direct his attention to a good and lively work on the subject, published under the title of "The Art of Conversation, with Remarks on Fashion and Dress," by Captain Orlando Sabertash. From a perusal of this little volume he will learn, if he has not learned before, that fluency of speech and smoothness of utterance are not the principal requisites to enable a man to shine in intelligent company. On this subject the captain says:-"Fluency of tongue, and a little modest assurance, though very well for imposing on the unwary, go but a very short way when you have to deal with those who are really worth pleasing. How can a persen shine by conversation in elegant and educated society, whose thoughts have never ranged beyond the gratification of foolish vanity and mean selfishness; who has never reflected on life, men, and manners; whose mind has not turned to the contemplation of the works and wonders of nature; and who, in the events of his own time, has not seen the results of the many deeds of sorrow, shame, greatness, and glory, that crowd the pages of the world's variegated annals? Whoever would shine in polite discourse must at least be well versed in the philosophy of life, and possess a fair acquaintance with general and natural history, and the outlines of science. And though he need be neither a poet nor an artist, he must be well read in poetry, and acquainted with the fine arts; because it is only by their study that taste can be cultivated, and fancy guided. A familiarity with the fine arts is necessary, in fact, to give him a Just perception of the sublime and beautiful, the very foundation whence our emotions of delight must arise. Any one attempting to shine in conversation without possessing the trifling acquirements here mentioned,-for I bave said nothing of learning and science,-will most assuredly make an indifferent figure, and had better therefore content himself with simply pleasing by unaffected cheerfulness and good humour, which is within reach of all." S. G.

169. Bomilcar, Ox of Melcarth, appears to be a similar compound of the name of the god Melcarth, as the following are of the Hebrew-El, God; e.g. Adriel, 1 Sam. xviii. 19, Flock of God. Ariel, Ezra viii. 16, Lion of God. Elika, 2 Sam. xxiii. 25, Pelican of God. Gamaliel, Num. i. 10, Camel of God. Many similar compounds may be found in several Oriental languages, as the Persic Aspatha, the gift of the horse, i.e. Bramah, &c.

W. G. H.

174. The Ancient Britons.-Allow me to recommend to "T. H. W.," who is desirous of studying the history of the ancient Britons, J. A. Giles's History of the Ancient Britons," 2 vols., price £1 10s. The work is published by Bell.

The "Cambrian Register," and the "Cambro Briton," are, I believe, old books, but might, perhaps, be obtained at second-hand book-shops. A. C.

190. How to study the Poets.-The most philosophical method of studying the poetry of any nation is first chronologically to notice the progress of language and expression of poetic thought; and secondly, aesthetically, or with a critic's eye and pencil to mark all beautiful thoughts which are well conceived and well expressed; for frequent reference and contemplation. I would advise "Septimus" to read the English poets in the order of their appearance, and, if his taste be not yet fixed, to choose only those of the first-class, such as Spencer, Milton, Shakspere, Pope, Cowper, Young, and Wordsworth: by this means, if he reads with attention, his taste will in all proba bility be a pure oue; leave the minor poets for a more leisurely study. After having done this, be should review his work, and, relying on his own judgment, mark with marginal lines all such passages as strike him with their sublimity, beauty, or truth; when he has thus dissected an author, the labour of after-reviewing, which must be thorough and frequent, will be less tedious, since he already knows where the gems lie. Above all things the works of Shakspere should absorb the attention of" Septimus ;" they form in themselves a school of poetry of every description. Shakspɛre cannot be read, he must be studied, studied like Virgil or Homer, with painful diligence, with deep thought, and the reward will exceed anticipation. Another exercise I must earnestly recom mend to "Septimus," if he wishes his knowledge of English poetry to be thorough, that is parallel reading. Read Hamlet's soliloquy, "To be or not to be," side by side with Cato's soliloquy by Addison, "It must be so;" and whilst studying the penetrating analyzation of human character in Shakspere's dramatic works, read Pope's "Essay on Man." Read Young's "Night Thoughts" with Milton; Campbell's "Pleasures of Hope" with Pollok's "Course of Time," and so on.

If

Septimus" adopts this plan, strictly following it out to the very letter, he will acquire a pericet knowledge of English poetry, and moreover by the exercise his intellectual faculties will be strengthened, his mind elevated, his judgment fixed, and his soul being full of beautiful and sublime thoughts will stretch to their magnitude, and become fitted for higher and still greater exertions. O'DELL.

196. Building Societies. - Having for some years past paid especial attention to all institutions having for their object the promotion of provident habits among the industrious classes, and of which institutions building societies, properly constituted and managed, stand foremost, I shall be very happy, on some early occasion, to furnish A. T. M., and the other readers of this valued periodical, with some authentic informa tion relating to the origin, constitution, and past and present position of benefit building societies, freehold land societies, and other institutions of a similar character. C. W., Jun.