The book, which is very well worth reading, belongs to the literature
of humanity and protest. Its author had to suffer much acrimonious
attack, and was probably called a Little Hollander, but the fragment
from an unpublished play which he placed as a motto to his book shows
him to have lacked no satirical power to meet the enemy:--

_Officer_.--My Lord, this is the man who murdered Betsy.

_Judge_.--He must hang for it. How did he do it?

_Officer_.--He cut up her body in little pieces, and salted them.

_Judge_.--He is a great criminal. He must hang for it.

_Lothario_.--My Lord, I did not murder Betsy: I fed and clothed and
cherished her. I can call witnesses who will prove me to be a good man,
and no murderer.

_Judge_.--You must hang. You blacken your crime by your
self-sufficiency. It ill becomes one who ... is accused of anything
to set up for a good man.

_Lothario_,--But, my Lord, ... there are witnesses to prove it;
and as I am now accused of murder....

_Judge_.--You must hang for it. You cut up Betsy--you salted the
pieces--and you are satisfied with your conduct--three capital
counts--who are you, my good woman?