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！
ong 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 whe