A most unfortunate prosecution terminated on Thursday. A. man was
recently punished for selling a book containing advice in favour of the restriction of population by physical means. Mr. C. Bradlaugh and Mrs. Besant, who apparently believe such restriction beneficial, thereupon published the book, challenged prosecution, were prosecuted before the Queen's Bench, and were on Thursday found guilty by the jury,—who, however, while de- claring that the book tended to deprave public morals, declared also that they exonerated the two accused of any evil design. The subject is not one that can be discussed outside the Lancet, but there can be no doubt that the circulation of such advice, whatever the intention of particular persons, is utterly bad—destroys the sanctities of domestic life, saps one of the most peremptory of moralities, and removes one of
the strongest barriers to licentiousness. Great races are dying because they listen to such counsel, against which all Christian Churches have uniformly and steadily protested. It is in the tone revealed in trials like this, a tone which the Court should have condemned, instead of half-extenuating, that the only justification for the otherwise most condemnable action of societies like that of the Holy Cross is to be found. The Ritualists answer Mr. Forsyth by quoting Dr. Knowlton.
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