latter-day pamphlets-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　and　the　group　said　nothing；　only　smiled　and　nodded；　answering　by　new　tobacco…clouds。　　〃What　to　do　with　our　criminals？〃　asked　the　official　Law…dignitary　again；　as　if　entirely　at　a　loss。〃I　suppose；〃　said　one　ancient　figure　not　engaged　in　smoking；　〃the　plan　would　be　to　treat　them　according　to　the　real　law　of　the　case；　to　make　the　Law　of　England；　in　respect　of　them；　correspond　to　the　Law　of　the　Universe。　　Criminals；　I　suppose；　would　prove　manageable　in　that　way：　　if　we　could　do　approximately　as　God　Almighty　does　towards　them；　in　a　word；　if　we　could　try　to　do　Justice　towards　them。〃〃I'll　thank　you　for　a　definition　of　Justice？〃　sneered　the　official　person　in　a　cheerily　scornful　and　triumphant　manner；　backed　by　a　slight　laugh　from　the　honorable　company；　which　irritated　the　other　speaker。〃Well；　I　have　no　pocket　definition　of　Justice；〃　said　he；　〃to　give　your　Lordship。　　It　has　not　quite　been　my　trade　to　look　for　such　a　definition；　I　could　rather　fancy　it　had　been　your　Lordship's　trade；　sitting　on　your　high　place　this　long　while。　　But　one　thing　I　can　tell　you：　　Justice　always　is；　whether　we　define　it　or　not。　　Everything　done；　suffered　or　proposed；　in　Parliament　or　out　of　it；　is　either　just　or　else　unjust；　either　is　accepted　by　the　gods　and　eternal　facts；　or　is　rejected　by　them。　　Your　Lordship　and　I；　with　or　without　definition；　do　a　little　know　Justice；　I　will　hope；　if　we　don't　both　know　it　and　do　it；　we　are　hourly　travelling　down　towardsHeavens；　must　I　name　such　a　place！　　That　is　the　place　we　are　bound　to；　with　all　our　trading…pack；　and　the　small　or　extensive　budgets　of　human　business　laid　on　us；　and　there；　if　we　_don't　know_　Justice；　we；　and　all　our　budgets　and　Acts　of　Parliament；　shall　find　lodging　when　the　day　is　done！〃The　official　person；　a　polite　man　otherwise；　grinned　as　he　best　could　some　semblance　of　a　laugh；　mirthful　as　that　of　the　ass　eating　thistles；　and　ended　in　〃Hah；　oh；　ah！〃

Indeed；　it　is　wonderful　to　hear　what　account　we　at　present　give　ourselves　of　the　punishment　of　criminals。　　No　〃revenge〃O　Heavens；　no；　all　preachers　on　Sunday　strictly　forbid　that；　and　even　（at　least　on　Sundays）　prescribe　the　contrary　of　that。　　It　is　for　the　sake　of　〃example；〃　that　you　punish；　to　〃protect　society〃　and　its　purse　and　skin；　to　deter　the　innocent　from　falling　into　crime；　and　especially　withal；　for　the　purpose　of　improving　the　poor　criminal　himself；or　at　lowest；　of　hanging　and　ending　him；　that　he　may　not　grow　worse。　　For　the　poor　criminal　is；　to　be　〃improved〃　if　possible：　　against　him　no　〃revenge〃　even　on　week…days；　nothing　but　love　for　him；　and　pity　and　help；　poor　fellow；　is　he　not　miserable　enough？　　Very　miserable；though　much　less　so　than　the　Master　of　him；　called　Satan；　is　understood　（on　Sundays）　to　have　long　deservedly　been！

My　friends；　will　you　permit　me　to　say　that　all　this；　to　one　poor　judgment　among　your　number；　is　the　mournfulest　twaddle　that　human　tongues　could　shake　from　them；　that　it　has　no　solid　foundation　in　the　nature　of　things；　and　to　a　healthy　human　heart　no　credibility　whatever。　　Permit　me　to　say；　only　to　hearts　long　drowned　in　dead　Tradition；　and　for　themselves　neither　believing　nor　disbelieving；　could　this　seem　credible。　　Think；　and　ask　yourselves；　in　spite　of　all　this　preaching　and　perorating　from　the　teeth　outward！　　Hearts　that　are　quite　strangers　to　eternal　Fact；　and　acquainted　only　at　all　hours　with　temporary　Semblances　parading　about　in　a　prosperous　and　persuasive　condition；　hearts　that　from　their　first　appearance　in　this　world　have　breathed　since　birth；　in　all　spiritual　matters；　which　means　in　all　matters　not　pecuniary；　the　poisonous　atmosphere　of　universal　Cant；　could　believe　such　a　thing。　　Cant　moral；　Cant　religious；　Cant　political；　an　atmosphere　which　envelops　all　things　for　us　unfortunates；　and　has　long　done；　which　goes　beyond　the　Zenith　and　below　the　Nadir　for　us；　and　has　as　good　as　choked　the　spiritual　life　out　of　all　of　us；God　pity　such　wretches；　with　little　or　nothing　_real_　about　them　but　their　purse　and　their　abdominal　department！　　Hearts；　alas；　which　everywhere　except　in　the　metallurgic　and　cotton…spinning　provinces；　have　communed　with　no　Reality；　or　awful　Presence　of　a　Fact；　godlike　or　diabolic；　in　this　Universe　or　this　unfathomable　Life　at　all。　　Hunger…stricken　asphyxied　hearts；　which　have　nourished　themselves　on　what　they　call　religions；　Christian　religions。　Good　Heaven；　once　more　fancy　the　Christian　religion　of　Oliver　Cromwell；　or　of　some　noble　Christian　man；　whom　you　yourself　may　have　been　blessed　enough；　once；　long　since；　in　your　life；　to　know！　　These　are　not　_untrue_　religions；　they　are　the　putrescences　and　foul　residues　of　religions　that　are　extinct；　that　have　plainly　to　every　honest　nostril　been　dead　some　time；　and　the　remains　of　whichO　ye　eternal　Heavens；　will　the　nostril　never　be　delivered　from　them！Such　hearts；　when　they　get　upon　platforms；　and　into　questions　not　involving　money；　can　〃believe〃　many　things！

I　take　the　liberty　of　asserting　that　there　is　one　valid　reason；　and　only　one；　for　either　punishing　a　man　or　rewarding　him　in　this　world；　one　reason；　which　ancient　piety　could　well　define：　　That　you　may　do　the　will　and　commandment　of　God　with　regard　to　him；　that　you　may　do　justice　to　him。　This　is　your　one　true　aim　in　respect　of　him；　aim　thitherward；　with　all　your　heart　and　all　your　strength　and　all　your　soul；　thitherward；　and　not　elsewhither　at　all！　　This　aim　is　true；　and　will　carry　you　to　all　earthly　heights　and　benefits；　and　beyond　the　stars　and　Heavens。　　All　other　aims　are　purblind；　illegitimate；　untrue；　and　will　never　carry　you　beyond　the　shop…counter；　nay　very　soon　will　prove　themselves　incapable　of　maintaining　you　even　there。　　Find　out　what　the　Law　of　God　is　with　regard　to　a　man；　make　that　your　human　law；　or　I　say　it　will　be　ill　with　you；　and　not　well！　　If　you　love　your　thief　or　murderer；　if　Nature　and　eternal　Fact　love　him；　then　do　as　you　are　now　doing。　　But　if　Nature　and　Fact　do　_not_　love　him？　　If　they　have　set　inexorable　penalties　upon　him；　and　planted　natural　wrath　against　him　in　every　god…created　human　heart；then　I　advise　you；　cease；　and　change　your　hand。

Reward　and　punishment？　　Alas；　alas；　I　must　say　you　reward　and　punish　pretty　much　alike！　　Your　dignities；　peerages；　promotions；　your　kingships；　your　brazen　statues　erected　in　capital　and　county　towns　to　our　select　demigods　of　your　selecting；　testify　loudly　enough　what　kind　of　heroes　and　hero…worshippers　you　are。　　Woe　to　the　People　that　no　longer　venerates；　as　the　emblem　of　God　himself；　the　aspect　of　Human　Worth；　that　no　longer　knows　what　human　worth　and　unworth　is！　　Sure　as　the　Decrees　of　the　Eternal；　that　People　cannot　come　to　good。　　By　a　course　too　clear；　by　a　necessity　too　evident；　that　People　will　come　into　the　hands　of　the　unworthy；　and　either　turn　on　its　bad　career；　or　stagger　downwards　to　ruin　and　abolition。　　Does　the　Hebrew　People　prophetically　sing　〃Ou'　clo'！〃　in　all　thoroughfares；　these　eighteen　hundred　years　in　vain？

To　reward　men　according　to　their　worth：　　alas；　the　perfection　of　this；　we　know；　amounts　to　the　millennium！　　Neither　is　perfect　punishment；　according　to　the　like　rule；　to　be　attained；nor　even；　by　a　legislator　of　these　chaotic　days；　to　be　too　zealously　attempted。　　But　when　he　does　attempt　it；yes；　when　he　summons　out　the　Society　to　sit　deliberative　on　this　matter；　and　consult　the　oracles　upon　it；　and　solemnly　settle　it　in　the　name　of　God；　then；　if　never　before；　he　should　try　to　be　a　little　in　the　right　in　settling　it！In　regard　to　reward　of　merit；　I　do　not　bethink　me　of　any　attempt　whatever；　worth　calling　an　attempt；　on　the　part　of　modern　Governments；　which　surely　is　an　immense　oversight　on　their　part；　and　will　one　day　be　seen　to　have　been　an　altogether　fatal　one。　　But　as　to　the　punishment　of　crime；　happily　this　cannot　be　quite　neglected。　　When　men　have　a　purse　and　a　skin；　they　seek　salvation　at　least　for　these；　and　the　Four　Pleas　of　the　Crown　are　a　thing　that　must　and　will　be　attended　to。　　By　punishment；　capital　or　other；　by　treadmilling　and　blind　rigor；　or　by　whitewashing　and　blind　laxity；　the　extremely　disagreeable　offences　of　theft　and　murder　must　be　kept　down　within　limits。

And　so　you　take　criminal　caitiffs；　murderers；　and　the　like；　and　hang　them　on　gibbets　〃for　an　example　to　deter　others。〃　　Whereupon　arise　friends　of　humanity；　and　object。　　With　very　great　reason；　as　I　consider；　if　your　hypothesis　be　correct。　　What　right　have　you　to　hang　any　poor　creature　〃for　an　example〃？　　He　can　turn　round　upon　you　and　say；　〃Why　make　an　'example'　of　me；　a　merely　ill…situated；　pitiable　man？　　Have　you　no　more　respect　for　misfortune？　　Misfortune；　I　have　been　told；　is　sacred。　　And　yet　you　hang　me；　now　I　am　fallen　into　your　hands；　choke　the　life　out　of　me；　for　an　example！　Again　I　ask；　Why　make　an　example　of　me；　for　your　own　convenience　alone？〃All　〃revenge〃　being　out　of　the　question；　it　seems　to　me　the　caitiff　is　unanswerable；　and　he　and　the　philanthropic　platforms　have　the　logic　all　on　their　side。

The　one　answer　to　him　is：　　〃Caitiff；　we　hate　thee；　and　discern　for　some　six　thousand　years　now；　that　we　are　called　upon　by　the　whole　Universe　to　do　it。　Not　with　a　diabolic　but　with　a　divine　hatred。　　God　himself；　we　have　always　understood；　'hates　sin；'　with　a　most　authentic；　celestial；　and　eternal　hatred。　　A　hatred；　a　hostility　inexorable；　unappeasable；　which　blasts　the　scoundrel；　and　all　scoundrels　ultimately；　into　black　annihilation　and　disappearance　from　the　sum　of　things。　　The　path　of　it　as　the　path　of　a　flaming　sword：　　he　that　has　eyes　may　see　it；　walking　inexorable；　divinely　beautiful　and　divinely　terrible；　through　the　chaotic　gulf　of　Human　History；　and　everywhere　burning；　as　with　unquenchable　fire；　the　false　and　death…worthy　from　the　true　and　life…worthy；　making　all　Human　History；　and　the　Biography　of　every　man；　a　God's　Cosmos　in　place　of　a　Devil's　Chaos。　　So　is　it；　in　the　end；　even　so；　to　every　man　who　is　a　man；　and　not　a　mutinous　beast；　and　has　eyes　to　see。　　To　thee；　caitiff；　these　things　were　and　are；　quite　incredible；　to　us　they　are　too　awfully　certain；the　Eternal　Law　of　this　Universe；　whether　thou　and　others　will　believe　it　or　disbelieve。　　We；　not　to　be　partakers　in　thy　destructive　adventure　of　defying　God　and　all　the　Universe；　dare　not　allow　thee　to　continue　longer　among　us。　　As　a　palpable　deserter　from　the　ranks　where　all　men；　at　their　eternal　peril；　are　bound　to　be：　　palpable　deserter；　taken　with　the　red　band　fighting　thus　against　the　whole　Universe　and　its　Laws；　wesend　thee　back　into　the　whole　Universe；　solemnly　expel　thee　from　our　community；　and　will；　in　the　name　of　God；　not　with　joy　and　exultation；　but　with　sorrow　stern　as　thy　own；　hang　thee　on　Wednesday　next；　and　so　end。〃

Other　ground　on　which　to　deliberately　slay　a　disarmed　fellow…man　I　can　see　none。　　Example；　effects　upon　the　public　mind；　effects　upon　this　and　upon　that：　　all　this　is　mere　appendage　and　accident；　of　all　this　I　make　no　attempt　to　keep　account；sensible　that　no　arithmetic　will　or　can　keep　account　of　it；　that　its　〃effects；〃　on　this　hand　and　on　that；　transcend　all　calculation。　　One　thing；　if　I　can　calculate　it；　will　include　all；　and　produce　beneficial　effects　beyond　calculation；　and　no　ill　effect　at　all；　anywhere　or　at　any　time：　　What　the　Law　of　the　Universe；　or　Law　of　God；　is　with　regard　to　this　caitiff？　　That；　by　all　sacred　research　and　considerat