Truly,one of the saddest sights in these times is that of poor creatures,on platforms,in parliaments and other situations,making and unmaking "Laws;"in whose soul,full of mere vacant hearsay and windy babble,is and was image of Heaven's Law;whom it never struck that Heaven had a Law,or that the Earth--could have what kind of Law you pleased!Human Statute-books,accordingly,are growing horrible to think of.An impiety and poisos futility every Law of them that is so made;all Nature is against it;it will and can do hing but mischief wheresoever it shows itself in Nature:and such Laws lie like an incubus over this Earth,so innumerable are they.How long,O Lord,how long!--O ye Eternities,Divine Silences,do you dwell more,then,in the hearts of the le and the true;and is there inspiration of the Almighty any more vouchsafed us?
The inspiration of the Morning Newspapers--alas,we have had egh of that,and are arrived at the gates of death by means of that!
"Really,one of the most difficult questions this we have in these times,What to do with our criminals?"blandly observed a certain Law-dignitary,in my hearing once,taking the cigar from his mouth,and pensively smiling over a group of us under the summer beech-tree,as Favonius carried off the tobacco-smoke;and the group said hing,only smiled and ded,answering by new tobacco-clouds."What to do with our criminals?"asked the official Law-dignitary again,as if entirely at a loss.--"Isuppose,"said one ancient figure 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 hoable company;which irritated the other speaker.--"Well,I have pocket definition of Justice,"said he,"to give your Lordship.
It has quite been my trade to look for such a definition;Icould 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 .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 k Justice,I will hope;if we don't both k it and do it,we are hourly travelling down towards--Heavens,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 k 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."revenge"--OHeavens,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 inent 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 grow worse.For the poor criminal is,to be "improved"if possible:against him "revenge"even on week-days;hing but love for him,and pity and help;poor fellow,is he miserable egh?Very miserable,--though much less so than the Master of him,called Satan,is understood (on Sundays)to have long deservedly been!