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an article out of several submitted to view, the recommendations of that one are said to be greater than of the rest, and nothing more needs really be said in describing the transaction. It may happen for a moment the opposing attractions are exactly balanced, and decision suspended thereby. The equipoise may even continue for a length of time, but when the decision is actually come to, the fact and the meaning are that some consideration has arisen to the mind, giving a superior energy of motive to the side that has preponderated. This is the whole substance of the act of choosing. The designation, liberty of choice, has no real meaning, except as denying extraneous interference." In the same vein, he continues, " The term responsibility, is a figurative expression of the kind called by writers on rhetoric, ' metonymy,' where a thing is named by some of its causes, effects, or adjuncts, as when the crown is put for royalty, the mitre for episcopacy, etc. Seeing that in every country where forms of justice have been established a criminal is allowed to answer the charge made against him, before he is punished, this circumstance has been taken up, and used to designate punishment. We shall find it conduce to clearness to put aside the figure, and employ the literal term. Instead, therefore, of responsibility, I shall substitute punishability; for a man can never be said to be responsible, if you are not prepared to punish him, when he can not satisfactorily answer the charges made against him." In another passage, he gives concisely his notion of the method of moral suasion. " There is one form of stating the fact of ability that brings us face to face with the great metaphysical puzzle. It not uncommonly happens that a delinquent pleads his moral weakness in justification of his offence. The school-boy whose animal spirits carry him to a breach of decorum, or whose anger has made him do violence on a school-fellow, will sometimes defend