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of the powerful and active…minded； sunk in egoistic scepticisms； busied in chase of lucre； pleasure； and mere vulgar objects； looking with indifference on the world's woes； and passing carelessly by on the other side； and the select minority； of whom better might have been expected； bending all their strength to cure them by methods which can only make bad worse； and in the end render cure hopeless。 A blind loquacious pruriency of indiscriminate Philanthropism substituting itself； with much self…laudation； for the silent divinely awful sense of Right and Wrong；testifying too clearly that here is no longer a divine sense of Right and Wrong； that； in the smoke of this universal； and alas inevitable and indispensable revolutionary fire； and burning up of worn…out rags of which the world is full； our life…atmosphere has （for the time） become one vile London fog； and the eternal loadstars are gone out for us！ Gone out；yet very visible if you can get above the fog； still there in their place； and quite the same as they always were！ To whoever does still know of loadstars； the proceedings； which expand themselves daily； of these sublime philanthropic associations； and 〃universal sluggard…and…scoundrel protection…societies；〃 are a perpetual affliction。 With their emancipations and abolition principles； and reigns of brotherhood and new methods of love； they have done great things in the White and in the Black World； during late years； and are preparing for greater。
In the interest of human reform； if there is ever to be any reform； and return to prosperity or to the possibility of prospering； it is urgent that the nonsense of all this （and it is mostly nonsense； but not quite） should be sent about its business straightway； and forbidden to deceive the well…meaning souls among us any more。 Reform； if we will understand that divine word； cannot begin till then。 One day； I do know； this； as is the doom of all nonsense； will be drummed out of the world； with due placard stuck on its back； and the populace flinging dead cats at it： but whether soon or not； is by no means so certain。 I rather guess； _not_ at present； not quite soon。 Fraternity； in other countries； has gone on； till it found itself unexpectedly manipulating guillotines by its chosen Robespierres； and become a fraternity like Cain's。 Much to its amazement！ For in fact it is not all nonsense； there is an infinitesimal fraction of sense in it withal； which is so difficult to disengage；which must be disengaged； and laid hold of； before Fraternity can vanish。
But to our subject；the Model Prison； and the strange theory of life now in action there。 That； for the present； is my share in the wide adventure of Philanthropism； the world's share； and how and when it is to be liquidated and ended； rests with the Supreme Destinies。
Several months ago； some friends took me with them to see one of the London Prisons； a Prison of the exemplary or model kind。 An immense circuit of buildings； cut out； girt with a high ring…wall； from the lanes and streets of the quarter； which is a dim and crowded one。 Gateway as to a fortified place； then a spacious court； like the square of a city； broad staircases； passages to interior courts； fronts of stately architecture all round。 It lodges some thousand or twelve hundred prisoners； besides the officers of the establishment。 Surely one of the most perfect buildings； within the compass of London。 We looked at the apartments； sleeping…cells； dining…rooms； working…rooms； general courts or special and private： excellent all； the ne…plus…ultra of human care and ingenuity； in my life I never saw so clean a building； probably no Duke in England lives in a mansion of such perfect and thorough cleanness。
The bread； the cocoa； soup； meat； all the various sorts of food； in their respective cooking…places； we tasted： found them of excellence superlative。 The prisoners sat at work； light work； picking oakum； and the like； in airy apartments with glass roofs； of agreeable temperature and perfect ventilation； silent； or at least conversing only by secret signs： others were out； taking their hour of promenade in clean flagged courts： methodic composure； cleanliness； peace； substantial wholesome comfort reigned everywhere supreme。 The women in other apartments； some notable murderesses among them； all in the like state of methodic composure and substantial wholesome comfort； sat sewing： in long ranges of wash…houses； drying…houses and whatever pertains to the getting…up of clean linen； were certain others； with all conceivable mechanical furtherances； not too arduously working。 The notable murderesses were； though with great precautions of privacy； pointed out to us； and we were requested not to look openly at them； or seem to notice them at all； as it was found to 〃cherish their vanity〃 when visitors looked at them。 Schools too were there； intelligent teachers of both sexes； studiously instructing the still ignorant of these thieves。
From an inner upper room or gallery； we looked down into a range of private courts； where certain Chartist Notabilities were undergoing their term。 Chartist Notability First struck me very much； I had seen him about a year before； by involuntary accident and much to my disgust； magnetizing a silly young person； and had noted well the unlovely voracious look of him； his thick oily skin； his heavy dull…burning eyes； his greedy mouth； the dusky potent insatiable animalism that looked out of every feature of him： a fellow adequate to animal…magnetize most things； I did suppose；and here was the post I now found him arrived at。 Next neighbor to him was Notability Second； a philosophic or literary Chartist； walking rapidly to and fro in his private court； a clean； high…walled place； the world and its cares quite excluded； for some months to come： master of his own time and spiritual resources to； as I supposed； a really enviable extent。 What 〃literary man〃 to an equal extent！ I fancied I； for my own part； so left with paper and ink； and all taxes and botherations shut out from me； could have written such a Book as no reader will here ever get of me。 Never； O reader； never here in a mere house with taxes and botherations。 Here； alas； one has to snatch one's poor Book； bit by bit； as from a conflagration； and to think and live； comparatively； as if the house were not one's own； but mainly the world's and the devil's。 Notability Second might have filled one with envy。
The Captain of the place； a gentleman of ancient Military or Royal…Navy habits； was one of the most perfect governors； professionally and by nature zealous for cleanliness； punctuality； good order of every kind； a humane heart and yet a strong one； soft of speech and manner； yet with an inflexible rigor of command； so far as his limits went： 〃iron hand in a velvet glove；〃 as Napoleon defined it。 A man of real worth； challenging at once love and respect： the light of those mild bright eyes seemed to permeate the place as with an all…pervading vigilance； and kindly yet victorious illumination； in the soft definite voice it was as if Nature herself were promulgating her orders； gentlest mildest orders； which however； in the end； there would be no disobeying； which in the end there would be no living without fulfilment of。 A true 〃aristos；〃 and commander of men。 A man worthy to have commanded and guided forward； in good ways； twelve hundred of the best common…people in London or the world： he was here； for many years past； giving all his care and faculty to command； and guide forward in such ways as there were； twelve hundred of the worst。 I looked with considerable admiration on this gentleman； and with considerable astonishment； the reverse of admiration； on the work he had here been set upon。
This excellent Captain was too old a Commander to complain of anything； indeed he struggled visibly the other way； to find in his own mind that all here was best； but I could sufficiently discern that； in his natural instincts； if not mounting up to the region of his thoughts； there was a continual protest going on against much of it； that nature and all his inarticulate persuasion （however much forbidden to articulate itself） taught him the futility and unfeasibility of the system followed here。 The Visiting Magistrates； he gently regretted rather than complained； had lately taken his tread…wheel from him； men were just now pulling it down； and how he was henceforth to enforce discipline on these bad subjects； was much a difficulty with him。 〃They cared for nothing but the tread…wheel； and for having their rations cut short：〃 of the two sole penalties； hard work and occasional hunger； there remained now only one； and that by no means the better one； as he thought。 The 〃sympathy〃 of visitors； too； their 〃pity〃 for his interesting scoundrel…subjects； though he tried to like it； was evidently no joy to this practical mind。 Pity； yes： but pity for the scoundrel…species？ For those who will not have pity on themselves； and will force the Universe and the Laws of Nature to have no 〃pity on〃 them？ Meseems I could discover fitter objects of pity！
In fact it was too clear； this excellent man had got a field for his faculties which； in several respect