The Home Secretary on Tuesday gave a well-deserved rebuke
to Mr. Hardwicke, the new Coroner for Middlesex, for his fussy arbitrariness in ordering an inquest on the late Sir Charles Lye11. The eminent geologist had for some time been attended by Dr. Andrew Clarke for an affection of the brain, when on December 9 he slipped down stairs. He recovered, however, and died twelve weeks after of the original brain-disease. Dr. Clarke gave his certificate, and the body was enclosed in the lead coffin required for burial in Westminster Abbey, when the Coroner, for some incomprehensible reason, ordered an inquest, rejected all remonstrance, and had the lead above the face opened with all manner of instruments, including a kitchen chopper. There was no kind of doubt about the manner of death, and no reason for an inquiry which, had its subject been less eminent, would never have been ordered ; and Mr. Cross, in answer to three questions, declared that if he were Chairman of the Middlesex Sessions he would strike out the Coroner's fees for a proceeding which " was an outrage on decency and common-sense." This, however, cannot now be done. The matter has been referred to the Lord Chancellor, who has jgris-
• diction over Coroners, and Mr. Hardwicke will probably be warned not to bring his office into contempt. Limited as the functions of Coroners are, election does not seem to yield us the right men, -and might perhaps be abolished.
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