t 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 which--O 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 a