The assertion is true, that those pests of society the charlatans and nostrum-mongers “_quarter_” themselves only on the ignorance and credulity of mankind, and that their patrons and supporters are wealthy but ignorant men, and superstitious old women, or profligate and thoughtless rakes; but this is a miserable excuse, and but lame kind of reasoning: if it means any thing, it proves the necessity of public protection from the abominable and anti-christian nuisance. Can there be greater libel on the utility and operation of English law, than that vermin of the description of the “_Balsam of Rackasiri_” empirics[M] should be tolerated and allowed to spread their mischief and destruction among the population of a country professing Christianity and civilization, and forsooth, to boast of “the thousands they pay yearly to the government and the public press,” in the form of duty to the one for _its sanction and licence_, and to the other in the form of remuneration for giving a disgraceful and destructive publicity to their nefarious designs.[N] Nor is the absence of a proper discrimination between right and wrong of a certain prating brazen-faced “barrister” less reprehensible. I love and venerate “the Bar;” but I must be free to say that when a man can be found so devoid of just and proper feeling as to appear, for the paltry remuneration of a few pounds, or for _any_ remuneration however large, in the defence and propagation of NAKED AND DISGUSTING FRAUD AND PECULATION—aye, and THE SECRET AND WIDE-SPREADING DESTRUCTION OF HEALTH AND LIFE too!—it evidently proves that there are some members of that distinguished profession who are not possessed of the high and honourable feelings which belong to those who are gentlemen by birth and breeding, scholars by education, and Christians and honourable men from moral and religious feeling. But it is to be hoped that there will never occur again a similar exhibition to that which took place at Marlborough-street on the infamous Rackasiri-balsam fraud, practised on Miss May, by “the _learned graduates_ of Petticoat-lane,” and “_regularly bred physicians_,” the Jew pedlars and old clothesmen “of _wonderful abilities_,” the “_Doctors_” C. and J. Jordan; who “feel _awkwardness_ in recommending to public notice their _uncommon discoveries and talents_.” The more I consider that transaction, the more I am satisfied that the magistrates are to blame for having allowed the piece of impudent effrontery and imposture to have had the semblance of their sanction, by their singular taciturnity which happened on that occasion. Of the newspapers which gave currency and circulation to the artful and fiend-like exculpation, language will not afford terms strong enough to express one’s abhorrence and indignation. O shame! where is thy blush? How much human misery and destruction has the insertion of those disgraceful and wicked puffs occasioned, by inducing the weak and credulous to give credit to that