hristian, will feel the force
of such high authority."

"Truly, Mr. Gracelius," said Mary, "I do take the Bible as my highest
standard of truth; and it is from the principles taught by the Bible
that I have the assurance that piracy is awfully criminal. And I am
utterly astonished that a man of your apparent piety, and who so well
understands the doctrines of Christianity, can for a moment think that
the Bible justifies such crimes."

"My dear young sister," said the minister, "you are begging the
question when you call piracy a crime, for that is the very thing you
are to prove. But let us see what piracy is:

"In order to clear away rubbish, and to arrive at once at the point,
let me remind you that it is simply the _essential_ character of
piracy which we are discussing. Piracy itself is nothing more than the
appropriating of the products of another's labor and skill, without
his consent or contract. The absence of the contract, or the consent
of the producer, does not alter the nature and extent of the pirates'
right. The case is analogous to that of parents and children. A father
has a right to the productions of his child's labor during his
minority, without the contract or consent of the child, and he may
even transfer that right. But I grant that this does not justify the
father in doing anything to the detriment of the child, either
morally, intellectually, or physically. And, beyond doubt, this is the
true light in which Christianity would have pirates regard their
relations. The capture of a vessel, and the treatment of prisoners,
involve a great responsibility. Nothing more should be done than is
absolutely essential to the maintenance of the peculiar institutions
of piracy. It is not the relation of the pirate to the producer or
prisoner which is sinful, but infidelity to the solemn trust which
that relation creates. It does not follow, because he has a right to
the produce of another's labor or skill, that he has also a right to
inflict unnecessary violence on his person, or take from him all means
of livelihood. Whenever it can be done, without jeopardizing the
well-being and interests of our society and institutions, we ought to
spare the prisoner's life, make him comfortable while in our hands,
place him as soon as possible where he can return to his home, and
leave him means enough to keep him from starving or absolute
destitution.

"To include in the idea of piracy, that also of robbery and murde