We are disposed to sympathise with the unfortunate who was deprived of his liberty, not by his prison's bars, but by a portion of the Bar of England, which often proves harder and more difficult to contend against than the most inflexible iron. Nevertheless he, of course, cannot complain, as although he was shut up in a jail, his own counsel who represented him in a free and open court was "perfectly satisfied," and most anxious to "accommodate Mr. Bodkin." If the accommodation could have been mutual—if, for example, the prison "accommodation" and the counsel's "accommodation" could have been in some way equalised—we might have seen more justice in the arrangement than either ourselves, or the learned judge who expressed his surprise on the occasion, have been able to discover. We must all admire the extreme spirit of accommodation that prevails among many of "the gentlemen" of the Bar who—though they bully each other's clients and witnesses, waste the money of suitors by neglecting to attend to their briefs, and even occasionally suffer the postponement of the case of an unfortunate captive—are nevertheless always ready to fraternise with their "learned friends," and make any concessions to each other, of which their clients have to bear the penalty.
Shall Ladies Have Votes?
"Certainly," replies a strong-minded woman of our acquaintance. "Is woman made only to sew on buttons? And if she is, you have no right to turn away the Needle from the Poll."
To Several Husbands and Various Fathers.—How to make Home Happy.—Keep out of it.
THEATRICAL NOVELTIES.
In consequence of the success of The Lancers at the Princess's—those same Lancers being only another version of The Discarded Son at the Adelphi—the following attractive novelties are in rehearsal, and will be speedily produced:—
"'The Blower of Bubbles'—being a new translation of The Game of Speculation, acted so many hundred nights at the Lyceum Theatre. Mercadet, or the Bubble-Blower (with new bubbles to be blown expressly on this occasion), by Mr. Charles Kean.
"'The Family of the Whyte Chokers'—being a completely new version of The Serious Family, which was so popular a season or two ago at the Haymarket Theatre. The part of the Reverend Aminadab Whyte Choker, by Mr. Charles Kean, in lieu of Mr. Buckstone.
"'The Mountebank'—being an improved reading of Belphegor, as performed by Mr. Webster at the Adelphi Theatre. The Mountebank (so long as the public will tolerate it) will be played by Mr. Charles Kean.
"'The Tower of Hammer-and-Nesle'—being The Tower of Nesle, as generally performed at the Surrey Theatre, but retranslated and considerably improved, with new causes and effects, and a long dissertation by Mr. Charles Kean, given away on the playbill, as to the period and costume of the drama, and a list of the bodies thrown into the Seine.
"'The Carpenter on the Road to Ruin'—being a very superior translation of a Piece, acted for many years under almost a similar title, at the Victoria Theatre. Mr. Hicks's favourite part of The Carpenter by Mr. Charles Kean.
"New versions of Pizarro, The Stranger, and The Maid and the Magpie have also been accepted, and will be produced with all the care for which the Princess's is distinguished."