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1875, March 22.
Bequest of
James Walker, D.D., L. L. D.
(4.2.1814.)
President of Karve Univ

LONDON:
Printed by WILLIAM CLOWES,
Stamford Street.

CRIMINAL TRIALS.

INTRODUCTION.

THERE are few books which furnish a larger fund of instruction and entertainment than the State Trials. It has been erroneously supposed that these collections are valuable only to lawyers; but, in fact, their importance and interest equally extend to the general reader. The interest which they excite is universal, being founded upon the same principle which brings persons of both sexes, old and young, and belonging to all classes of society, into our courts of justice to witness the trials of criminals; that principle is to be found in the feeling of reality which prevails on such occasions, and the consciousness that the life or liberty of a fellow-creature is at stake, and the facts upon which his fate depends are actually weighed before our eyes. Hence it is that no procession or solemn show, no theatrical representation, nor the most popular preacher, ever attracted greater crowds than the trials of Hatfield or Bellingham, or, in these later years, of the Cato-street Conspirators; and no orator or actor ever addressed an audience of more breathless attention, than that which witnessed the proceedings in those memorable cases. Next in point of attraction to actual presence on such occasions, is the perusal of the written report of what has taken place; and the eagerness with which this report is sought is scarcely less remarkable than the

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persevering patience and unwearied attention of those favoured few who have endured the heat and suffocation of the day within the four walls of the Court.

This interest is not by any means confined to judicial proceedings arising out of the passing incidents of the day; a similar feeling, though less intense in degree, is produced by the perusal of the trials of former times. The truth is, that they give life and reality, and what may be termed dramatic effect, to the scenes, events and characters of history; the reader fancies himself a step nearer to the actors on the stage; his attention is strongly roused, and a more vivid impression of the facts recited is left on the memory than by the regular narrative of the historian. They exhibit also a singular variety of character under circumstances of difficulty and danger. In the results of many of them were involved not only the fate of the individuals immediately concerned, but the liberties of the whole nation; and they display, in the most impressive form, the energies of great minds powerfully excited by the consciousness of being placed in such momentous extremities. Some of the mortal struggles here recorded present examples of indignant and uncompromising defiance of oppression, with a sacrifice of all considerations of personal safety; in other cases, we meet with instances of affecting and impassioned eloquence; and in others again, of calm, dignified, and persuasive reasoning. We read all of these with something like a romantic interest; the sense of reality never leaves us, and we continually feel that we are looking upon a picture of real life, and not upon a work of the imagination. In this point of view, and with reference to the interest produced by them, Collections of Trials may perhaps be turned to good account in the study of history; for all who have had experience in the business of education

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