ng 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
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 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 tha