MORALS. 125 



sentimentality ? From the point of view of organisa- 

 tion, and for penal purposes, we may divide criminals 

 into two classes. In one, and perhaps the larger, 

 class, although there is insufficiency or abnormality 

 of moral nerve, yet mental nerve and sensory or 

 cutaneous nerve are not materially wanting. The 

 criminal of this class, who has no moral conception of 

 crime, as such, no repugnance (possibly the reverse) to 

 it in prospect, and no remorse after its commission, has 

 nevertheless an intellectual conception of crime and a 

 sensitive skin. He knows that his fellow-men have a 

 hatred of it which, to him, is inexplicable ; he knows 

 that its detection brings bodily and possibly intel- 

 lectual discomfort. He possesses, in fact, a sort of 

 substitutional or artificial morality, built on mental 

 and skin foundations. This would, indeed, seem to be 

 the only moral outfit of a not inconsiderable number 

 of seemingly respectable men and women. A vivid and 

 widespread impression that the lash, discreetly but 

 freely used, would certainly follow evil deeds, especially 

 all deeds of violence, would operate on this class more 

 powerfully than all other methods combined. But you 

 will completely demoralise him ? He cannot be 

 demoralised ; he is congenitally demoralised ; by 

 organisation or by injury he is devoid of moral nerve. 

 But you merely drive crime under the surface ? It 

 is an admirable result ; it is all we can hope for. 

 For the other class, in whom intellectual as well as 

 moral nerve is more or less inadequate, and in whom 

 cutaneous sensation itself is often torpid, there is 

 nothing left but restraint. Surely this, on every 

 ground, ought to be of life-long duration. Would that / 

 legislation could so contrive that neither class should 

 reproduce its like. 



