"Lancaster. J. B. one of the industrious class of persons called cotton spinners was made a bankrupt in the Month of November, 1812, upon the oath of petitioning creditors whose debts were falsely sworn to as J. B. believed, to the amount of 2001. J. B. applied to an attorney to make the requisite inquiry and paid him 17. for his trouble therein. The attorney proceeded and found the amount of the debts sworn to 1997. 198. being less than the amount imperatively required by the statutes concerning bankrupts. A petition from the bankrupt was prepared and presented to the Lord Chancellor, for superseding the Commission of Bankruptcy; the supersedeas was ordered upon hearing counsel for and against the petition, which was superseded accordingly. The property of the bankrupt had been sold under the Commission so superseded, and the creditors refused to make satisfaction to J. B. for the injury he had sustained thereby. And an action was brought to seek reparation in damages against the petitioning creditors and the auctioneer who sold J. B.'s effects. The cause went to trial at the Assizes, and was referred to an arbitration, and an award made in J. B.'s favour of 2097. 10s. damages and costs were awarded to him, besides 46l. 13s. 8d. the costs on the supersedeas, making together 255l. 14s. 6d.-and paid by the defendants to J. B.'s attorney, who presented him with a bill for 3291. Os. 8d. making J. B. his debtor 73. 6s. 2d. at the end of September 1813. J. B. was unable to pay the 73l. 6s. 2d.; his credit was ruined by bankruptcy, he was arrested by the attorney for that sum, went to prison, and, after four months confinement, was discharged under the provisions of the Insolvent Act. The attorney was made assignee of the estate, and J. B. is without remedy. The bona fide creditors have nothing to hope for from the assignee, as it is a maxim in law, no man can sue himself," and there is no other property but what he holds, as received subsequent to the Bankruptcy." p. 64, 5.

There are several other instances equally striking, which we wish we had room to quote; but, we believe, these will be sufficient. The evil is abundantly manifest; but the more important 'object remains ;-the remedy. To effect this, Mr. M. submits that a board of commissioners might be delegated by the executive government, with the sanction of Parliament, to take into mature consideration the cases of the poor who may either wish to sue, or be compelled to defend, in which might be invested power to compel the attendance, and take depositions of witnesses. It is also proposed to legalize the establishment of a fund, as well as to allow of individual assistance, in cases where, at present, the exercise of charity would be punished as criminal. Then the Society for the relief of persons imprisoned for small debts, might expend part of their benevolent contributions, in preventing the evils they at present cure. An institution somewhat on the plan of the national Vaccine establishment might be founded with the fairest prospects of success. A limited number of Council, Attornies, Masters in Chancery, and other officers, might be appointed at certain salaries in annual rotation, or be paid according to a ratio fixed by the Governors. It is furthre

suggested that either a court should be erected for the sole con sideration of the claims of paupers; or that Judges from the several courts, one from each, should sit either individually or collectively for the same purpose. In the country, Barristers might be locally authorised to consider the petitions of poor litigants, and to make reports as to their title to assistance. By this means, the equitable intentions of the legislature would be carried into effect, and perjury and collusion effectually prevented. The benefits which might be expected from such regulations, will be best expressed in the author's own language.

"In many instances, it would be found that, upon a favourable report of the pauper's right, his opponent would be induced to compromise or relinquish the contest: or to court a termination of the dispute by submitting to an award upon arbitration, which is a mode of adjustment frequently found beneficial in ordinary instances of dispute. Numerous cases would thus be decided, satisfactorily to the parties concerned, with less profit to the lawyer, less fees to the counsel, and less expense to the unsuccessful litigant; but substantial justice would thus be obtained, and much inconvenience obviated. Parochial burthens would be considerably lessened by a restoration of property to the right owners, who are not unfrequently objects of charity; crines would diminish because right would relieve necessity; and those to whom justice would be administered would, in some instances, be enabled to contribute to the relief of others; many of the receptacles for needy and insane persons would have fewer applicants and inmates, and the unhappy who are entitled to the benefits of such institutions, would have the opportunity of seeking redress against abuses, for which they have at present no remedy, because no means legally to seek it." p. 121.

We take our leave of Mr. Minchin with feelings of satisfaction with his book and gratitude to himself. The book, it is true, is not given to the public in a style of much elegance, The anecdotes, though entertaining and useful, arè told with a good deal of circuity and quaintness. But the intention of the whole is highly laudable; the arguments are clear and convincing; and the narrative, we doubt not, quite authentic. We heartily wish success to his exertions in behalf of the poor, which success, we are persuaded, he will regard as the best reward for his labours,

ART. XI. Remarkable Sermons of RACHEL BAKER, and pious ejaculations delivered during sleep, taken down in short hand: with remarks on this extraordinary phænomenon. By Dr. MITCHELL, M.D. Professor of Physic, The late Dr. PRIEST

LEY, LL. D. and DR. DOUGLASS. With some other extraordinary facts of the same kind, in which no delusion has been practised. "Several hundreds every evening flock to hear this most wonderful preacher, who is instrumental in converting more persons to Christianity, when asleep, than all the other ministers together, whilst awake." Letter from America. London: Cox and Son; Sherwood, Neely, and Jones; Callow; and Underwood. 1815. price 4s. 6d. Pp. 256.

THIS prolix and circumstantial title-page spares us the trouble of detailing the contents; so that we have only to state the impression remaining upon our minds, after having read it with due attention. The respectable names adduced in evidence, and the plain simple integrity which appears in the statement, forbid us to doubt the reality of the fact of these sermons (better called rhapsodies, since a sermon is the illustration of a text, not a string of invocations and aspirations) having been really pronounced by Rachel Baker, while in a state of imperfect, symptomatic sleep, or somnium as we are by this work instructed to call it. This same phænomenon might with great propriety have formed the subject of an article in the Medical Journals, and Philosophical Magazines; it might have supplied useful data for metaphysical inquiries; and one of these involuntary nocturnal exhortations, well attested, might, in all conscience, have sufficed as an example of this remarkable excitement of the moral faculties during the suspension of volition and of most of the physical powers. But we cannot, without wonder and pity, read of grave physicians, theologians, and philosophers, attending night after night, with assiduity and reverence, to these involuntary effusions of a silly, dreaming girl!-It was thought extraordinary that Miss Rachel Baker should be voluble and eloquent in her sleep, while during her waking hours she was as stupidly silent as any body. But few appearances are unaccountable, when steadily and coolly investigated. If the damsel was insane, her talking and walking too in sleep was not extraordinary. If she was sane, two reasons may be assigned for her being silent when other people speak the one, that shyness customary to her age and sex, which might render her unwilling to hold forth on sacred subjects before her elders and superiors; the other, that exhaustion of her spirits by involuntary exertions during the night, which might render her unable to speak. We give an

extract from one of her discourses, which our judicious readers will consider a great deal more than long enough.

"Look, then, to the Lord Jesus, and give him your affection, for Jesus is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother; Jesus is a friend that is nearer than any other friend, that is nearer than any other friend can possibly be; as every other tie must be broken asunder; husbands and wives must shake parting hands; and we see the same things taking place; we see husbands and wives parting; death calls, and they must go, but it is impossible to separate from the love of Jesus Christ. Parents and children are separated from each other; we all must die. And, except we have the religion of Jesus Christ, we are of all men most miserable, for we are bound to the indignation and wrath of God, and it will be poured out without measure; and I, even 1, must, without this religion, lie down in this lake of fire, for ever and ever: this must be the lot of all; for we must die, and without we have the blood of Jesus Christ, we must live under the wrath of God for ever. The last enemy is death. Where will we go to avoid this death? if we go into the sea, Death is there-the fishes die; if we should go into the wilderness, the beasts die; where shall we go to hide ourselves? to hide from this grim mouster, DEATH? we can go to none but Jesus Christ, for he has taken away the sting of death.

Tho' I walk through the gloomy vale,

Where death and all its terrors are,
My heart and hope shall never fail,

For God my Shepherd's with me there.

It is, therefore, of the greatest importance; we must say the Lord is our Shepherd; we must be able to say, the Lord is our Shepherd; he will lead me through the valley of the shadow of death, in spite of all my foes.

The Lord my Shepherd is,

I shall be well supplied;
Since He is mine, and I am his,
What can I want beside?
He leads me to the place

Where heavenly pasture grows;

Where living waters gently pass,
And full salvation flows.

If e'er I go astray,

He doth my soul reclaim,

And guides me, in his own right way,

For his most holy name.

While he affords his aid,

I cannot yield to fear;

Though I should walk through death's dark shade,

My Shepherd's with me there.

In sight of all my foes

Thou dost my table spread;

My cup with blessings overflows,
And joy exalts my head.

The bounties of thy love

Shall crown my following days;

Nor from thy house will I remove,

Nor cease to speak thy praise." p. 29,

The young woman had been reading some of the versions of the psalms, and having raved about one or two of them inter somnia, her absurd admirers have managed to serve up the above among other Bakerian dainties. After all, she is one of the worst of poets, and Moorfields and Tower Hill would be disgraced by having such a preacher. Her whole conduct strongly denotes a degree of that species of insanity which medical practitioners term "mental hallucination." We hear of no "foes" whom this unhappy girl ever had. Indeed she was only seventeen years of age, and had lived a quiet domestic life with her parents, who were honest Presbyterians in low

circumstances.

The most interesting part of the volume is an Essay on the Theory of Dreams, Somnambulism, the Incubus, and other habits and accidents of the human mind, compiled from the writings of Doctors Hartley, Rush, Priestly, Goldsmith, and Mr. Addison. Some parts of the theory, which relate to the propensities and powers of the mind, correspond in a curious manner with the systems of Doctors Gall and Spurzheim, and open to the medical student an interesting field of enquiry.

ART. XII.-Vathek. A Londres; chez Clarke, New Bond Street. 1815. pp. 218.

"Les éditions de Paris et de Lausanne étant devenues extrêmement rares, j'ai consenti enfin à ce que l'on republiât à Londres ce petit ouvrage tel que je l'ai composé. La traduction, comme on scait, a paru avant l'original: il est fort aisé de croire que ce n'étoit pas mon intention-des circonstances, peu intéressantes pour le public, en ont été la cause. J'ai préparé quelques Episodes; ils sont indiqués, à la page 200, comme faisant suite à Vathek-peut-être paroitront-ils un jour.

1 Juin, 1815.

W. Beckford."

THIS HIS is in every respect an extraordinary work. The circum stance of its having been written by an Englishman in pure French, is nearly unique, and the wildness of imagination displayed in it, and that property of genius which elicits from a reader a corresponding train of thought, and distinguishes character or describes passion by a few striking traits, claim for the author of Vathek not only our praise, which we are always unwilling to deny to laudable exertion, but that admiration which is due to distinguished merit. The manners of the piece and some historical allusions evince a familiar acquaint