est; namely, that they
differed "in their views regarding Providence, the moral government of
the world, and the efficacy of virtuous deeds for happiness." This idea
informs Byron's tragedy on the subject. In "Cain" the younger, brother's
offering is burnt up with supernatural fire, while the elder's altar
remains unkindled; whereupon Cain inveighs against God's partiality, and
denounces the bloody sacrifice which finds greater favor than his own
peaceful tribute of fruit and flowers. He then advances to scatter the
relics of Abel's offering from the altar, but is thwarted by his brother
who resists the sacrilege. Abel is felled in the struggle, and Cain, who
had no intention of killing him, finds himself an actual murderer before
his brother's corpse.

We are bound to conclude that the first quarrel in the world, like
nine-tenths of those that have occurred since, was about religion. Cain
thought God should be worshiped in one way, Abel thought he should be
worshiped in another; and they settled the question, after the manner of
religious disputants in all ages, by the stronger knocking the weaker on
the head. In religion there is no certitude on this side of the grave;
if we are ever destined to know the truth on that subject, we must die
to find it out. We may therefore argue fruitlessly until the day of
judgment. The only effectual way of settling a religious problem is to
settle your opponents.

After the murder the Lord paid Cain another visit, and asked him where
Abel was. Cain replied that he was not his brother's keeper and didn't
know. He does not appear to have thought God a particularly well
informed person. Then the Lord said that Abel's blood cried unto him
from the ground. "And now," he continued, "art thou cursed from the
earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from
thy hand; when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield
unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be on the
earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, my punishment is greater than I
can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the
earth; and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitive and
a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass that every one
that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore
whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And
the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest any finding him should kill him