digression upon the subject in the history of Bishop Burnet. Some stress has, in a late case, been laid upon the fact of the wound being even and regular, which it was asserted would not have happened had it been inflicted by the hand of an assassin—because any struggle would have made it irregular. This is really a refinement that we do not pretend to understand. Is not convulsive action likely to disturb even the cold and calculating admeasurements of the suicide? instances have frequently occurred where even the chin has been cut during the operation, as in the case which lately occurred near the Serpentine river in Hyde Park, and yet no grounds existed to excite the least suspicion of murder.
Where the individual has perished by fire arms, the circumstance of his fingers being found discoloured by the combustion of the powder in the pan has been alluded to by authors as a proof of suicide, and it certainly carries some weight with it, although the crafty assassin might contrive to produce such an appearance. The state of the linen of the deceased, as indicating the effects of a struggle, may furnish some evidence upon these occasions; and cases have occurred where bloody marks have been discovered on parts of the body, which, from their situation, could not have been produced by the deceased. In Hargrave's State Trials[1] there is a very remarkable instance of a woman who was found in bed with her throat cut, and a knife sticking in the floor near her; three of her relations were in an adjoining room, through which it was necessary to pass to the apartment of the deceased; the neighbours were alarmed, and the body was viewed; these relations
- ↑ Vol. x, Appendix, p. 29
