"Yes, I'd swear to you through thick and thin, "d-you!" The Judge turned towards one of the officers of the court, and said, "Let that "impudent vagabond be turned out of court immediately. I do not hold a fellow like that "deserving of credit." And this is what is called breaking down a witness by cross-examination.

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But to proceed with our description of a criminal court, witness after witness is examined and the prisoner is then called upon for his defence and he sometimes endeavours to prove what is called an Alibi, that is that he was in another place when the offence was committed; and at other times produces a host of witnesses to prove his hitherto unimpeachable good character. After which the Judge reads over what every witness has said, usually making remarks upon what they have each sworn to; and then the Jury turn round and consult with themselves upon the evidence and the Clerk of the Peace says to them; Gentlemen are you agreed in your verdict, is the Prisoner "Guilty" or "not Guilty," upon which the Foreman replies guilty or not as the case may seem to them, the Clerk then says 'You say the Prisoner is guilty, that is your verdict and thus we say all.' The Judge then proceeds to pass sentence; if for murder he sentences the prisoner to be hung by his neck until he is dead. There are numerous offences where great discretionary power is left with the Judge; in sentencing he

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may transport for life beyond the seas to work in chains as a convict, or he may imprison for a few hours; and this power is left that a judge may discriminate whether it is an old hardened offender or one new to crime.

We should have mentioned that all the twelve persons composing the Jury must be of one mind, and it has frequently happened that one obstinate man has for hours prevented a Jury from returning a verdict; after they have retired to consider their verdict, they are not allowed fire, candle, victuals nor drink, and they are shut up until they can agree; and it is said that two or three have held out in their opinions fourteen or sixteen hours and brought round the other portion to their way of thinking.

CHAPTER XVI.

EXHIBITIONS OF THE FINE ARTS.

COLISEUM.-We paid a long and very pleasant visit to a building at the south end of Regent's Park, called the Coliseum; it has a portico called Doric, and a circular roof rising from a polygon of sixteen facings and occupies an area of four hundred feet. It was built for the purpose of exhibiting a panoramic view of London and the country for several miles round London, as it may be seen from the upper part of the steeple of St. Paul's Cathedral Church; all the sketches were actually taken in 1821, by Mr. Horner, when repairs were going on and scaffolds were erected, and it was painted from those sketches by Mr. Parris upon canvass; the walls of the building are eighty feet high and the top of it is one hundred and twelve feet from the ground, the dome is seventy five in diameter and attracts universal attention from its singular shape, as well as its immense size. There is machinery that raises you to view the panorama if you wish to

decline the trouble of walking up stairs. The space of canvass that it is painted upon is said to be 46,000 square yards, and the correctness of every building that is represented, (and every building in London is shewn here,) is of that nature that we quite forgot we were looking upon a picture. But we fancied we were indeed looking from a high building upon reality. No language that we can use can possibly convey our feelings. It must be seen before any one can imagine the fidelity with which every thing, every place, is pictured. You see from a gateway a coachman driving out a stage coach, his horses are just out of the stable and full of life, and upon getting into the street they are all terrified, and you see the coachman troubled to get them together, and you are about to call to the people to take care of themselves. The illusion is complete throughout. If there is any locality with which you are intimately acquainted, any building which has any peculiarity attached to it, look to that spot and you will see the broken turret or the painted chimney, or the gothic window, every thing however minute is particularized, and it is one of the greatest works of art ever achieved.

The architect was Mr. Decimus Burton, it was commenced in 1821, and finished in 1827, and must have cost an immense sum of money. You pay one shilling for admission. We stood gazing upon this painted representation of London

and as we looked upon the various prominent buildings, forgetful that it was but a picture, we could not but think what an extraordinary place, taken as a whole, London is. We had understood that it now occupies eighteen square miles of surface and that the circumference is upwards of thirty miles. That there are twelve thousand streets, nearly two hundred thousand houses, and with strangers, who are constantly visiting London, there are perhaps two millions of people every day in that space; and that by far the greater proportion of this immense population have either by head or by hands to obtain their daily sustenance. We thought of the splendid shops of all descriptions, of the immense wealth contained within these shops. Take for instance a first rate silversmith, or silkman, or watchmaker, or linen draper, or cloth seller, or glass dealer, or china man; and think how many thousands of pounds are within each of their shops. And here we would wish to remove an error in which many of our countrymen are. Most of the natives of India are of opinion that in England only particular people in each trade can produce, and do sell, first rate genuine articles. We tell them that in all trades there are very many respectable persons who sell goods equal in quality to each other, and at the same fair prices. The greater number of respectable shopkeepers would sell to a child of twelve years old as honorably