or proof. As he proceeded, the impression made by the prisoner on the
minds of the jury slowly melted away; and perhaps, so much do men soften
when they behold clearly the face of a fellow-man dependent on them for
life, it acted disadvantageously on the interests of Clifford, that
during the summing up he leaned back in the dock, and prevented his
countenance from being seen. When the evidence had been gone through,
the judge concluded thus:--

"The prisoner, who in his defence (on the principles and opinions of
which I now forbear to comment) certainly exhibited the signs of a
superior education, and a high though perverted ability, has alluded to
the reports circulated by the public Press, and leaned some little stress
on the various anecdotes tending to his advantage, which he supposes have
reached your ears. I am by no means willing that the prisoner should be
deprived of whatever benefit may be derivable from such a source; but it
is not in this place, nor at this moment, that it can avail him. All you
have to consider is the evidence before you. All on which you have to
decide is, whether the prisoner be or be not guilty of the robbery of
which he is charged. You must not waste a thought on what redeems or
heightens a supposed crime,--you must only decide on the crime itself.
Put away from your minds, I beseech you, all that interferes with the
main case. Put away also from your motives of decision all forethought
of other possible indictments to which the prisoner has alluded, but with
which you are necessarily unacquainted. If you doubt the evidence,
whether of one witness or of all, the prisoner must receive from you the
benefit of that doubt. If not, you are sworn to a solemn oath, which
ordains you to forego all minor considerations,--which compels you to
watch narrowly that you be not influenced by the infirmities natural to
us all, but criminal in you, to lean towards the side of a mercy that
would be rendered by your oath a perjury to God, and by your duty as