These two things are exactly indicative of the gradual decay of the national mind under the influence of two schools. The first teaches that man’s primary object in life is to “get on in the world;” hence we have this exaggerated estimate of the value and sanctity of property. The second school teaches that love can exist without reverence, mercy without justice, and liberty without obedience; and as the logical result of such teaching, we have lost all clear and healthy knowledge of what justice really is, and invent a system of punishments which is not even really punitive, and without any element of retribution at all. Let us have instead a justice that not only condones the crime, but also makes a profit out of the criminal. And we get her; but note the irony of Fate: when our modern goddess does pluck up heart to be angry, she seems doomed to be angry in the wrong way, and with the wrong people. Here is a late instance (the printed report of which I send you):— William Hawkes, a blind man and very infirm, was brought up, having been committed from Marlborough Street, to be dealt with as a rogue and vagabond. On being placed in the dock, Mr. Montagu Williams, as amicus curiæ, said he had known the prisoner for years, from seeing him sitting on Waterloo Bridge tracing his fingers over a book designed for the blind to read, and in no instance had he seen him beg from those who passed by, so that he was practically doing no harm, and some time ago the late Sir William Bodkin had dealt very mercifully with him. Something ought to be done for him. Mr. Harris said he could corroborate all that his learned friend had stated. The Assistant-Judge said he had been convicted by the magistrate, and was sent here to be sentenced as a rogue and vagabond, but the Court would not deal hardly with him. Horsford, chief officer of the Mendicity Society, said the prisoner had been frequently convicted for begging. The Assistant-Judge sentenced him to be imprisoned for four months.—May, 1874.