crimes committed in each of these regions into two classes-i. e., 'crimes against property,' and 'crimes against the person,' the following table, taking one hundred as the number of crimes committed in France, gives the result of his calculations. SOUTH.-Ardèche, Arriège, Aude, Aveyron, EAST.-Ain, Basses Alpes, Hautes Alpes, WEST.-Charente, Charente Inférieure, CENTRE.---Allier, Cantal, Cher, Correze, Corse Population. 4,826,493 5,840,99 7,008,788 5,238,905 185,079 TOTAL POPULATION 31,857,961 * M. Guerry takes the number of persons accused, as the basis of his calculations; for where there is a person accused, there, he says, naturally enough, there must be a crime committed; but it may so happen, that where five or six persons are accused of a crime, only one may have committed it, and vice versá. This is among many of the observations that might be REGIONS. REGIONS. Crimes against the Person. 1825. 1826. 1827. 1828. 1829. 1830. Average. North 25 . 24 23 26 25 24 25 1825.1826. 1827. 1828. 1829. 1830. Average. 42. 42. 43. 44. 44 North 41 42 Of all the marvellous calculations ever yet published, this calculation is perhaps the most marvellous; for whatever the basis on which the computation is made,* it is not a whit the less wonderful that it should in six successive years give an almost similar result; and this, not in one species of crime-not in one division of France, but in all the divisions of France, and in each distinct class of crime! Thus maintaining between the different portions of the kingdom, a particular and almost invariable criminal ratio, (if I may thus express myself,) which none of the many casualties to which human life is subject, seem effectually to alter or control. A difference of this kind cannot be the effect of law, for the law in all parts of France is the same -it cannot be the effect of accident, because, it would not, surely, in that case, perpetually What has instruction to do with it-I mean that kind of instruction, on which persons, considering these subjects, usually found their propositions ? recur. made upon the general accuracy of these kind of tables. Monsieur Guerry's method, however, seems as likely to be correct as another, for, in taking the basis of convictions, you would only alter your errors; and indeed the original documents are collected in the same manner by the minister of justice. It is to be regretted that we have not before us, however, all the elements from which these tables are formed-tables, which of themselves, if accurate, afford sufficient matter for the most important work on history and legislation that has yet appeared. |