WnXIAM  ROSCOB.  553

which  makes  Man  proud^  and  what  is  worst  of  a\],  proud  of  others'
disgrace,  which  he  ought  to  consider  his  own.  If,  on  the  other  hand,
tiie  piinishmeDt  he  not  capital,  the  inflicti<m  of  igncmiiny  almost  predudes
the  chance  of  reformation.  It  exiles  the  poor  victim  from  all  social
sympathies;  it  begets  either  deadly  resentment,  or  utter  shamekssness;
it  induces,  nay  compels,  a  wretch,  to  whom  solitude  must  needs
be  unindurable,  to  herd  with  those  whose  glory  is  in  their  shame.
Rather  let  the  code  of  Draco  be  executed  by  Rhadamanthus,  and
every  offence  be  visited  with  the  avenging  sword,  than  condemn  that
man  to  live,  whom  the  law  has  made  a  bye-word,  and  a  plague-spot.
In  the  ensuing  parts  of  his  work,  Mr.  Roscoe  considers  the  subject
of  capital  and  secondary  punishments  minutely.  The  infliction  of  death
he  appears  to  disapprove  in  toio,  and  appeals  to  the  good  success  attend,
ing  its  abolition  by  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  in  1786.  Whatever
may  be  the  tendency  of  individual  opinions  on  the  lawfulness  or  expe-
diency of  taking  life  for  life,  it  is  highly  unadvisable  to  moot  the
point  in  the  present  state  of  pubHc  feeling.  Such  discusrions  could
only  retard  that  mitigation  at  which  the  advocates  of  himianity  are
aiming,  by  weakening  their  most  taking  argument;  viz.,  the  apparent
injustice  of  subjecting  unequal  crimes  to  equal  penalties.
