X KEEPERS OF THE HERD OF SWINE 369 



that the herd of swine perished in consequence of 

 the entrance into them of the demons by the per- 

 mission, or order, of Jesus of Nazareth, I said : 



"Everything that I know of law and justice 

 convinces me that the wanton destruction of other 

 people's property is a misdemeanour of evil 

 example " (" Nineteenth Century/' February, 

 1889, p. 172). 



Mr. Gladstone has not found it convenient to 

 cite this passage ; and, in view of various con- 

 siderations, I dare not assume that he would assent 

 to it, without sundry subtle modifications which, 

 for me, might possibly rob it of its argumentative 

 value. But, until the proposition is seriously 

 controverted, I shall assume it to be true, and 

 content myself with warning the reader that 

 neither he nor I have any grounds for assuming 

 Mr. Gladstone's concurrence. With this caution, 

 I proceed to remark that I think it may be 

 granted that the people whose herd of 2000 swine 

 (more of fewer) was suddenly destroyed suffered 

 great loss and damage. And it is quite certain 

 that the narrators of the Gadarene story do not, 

 in any way, refer to the point of morality and 

 legality thus raised ; as I said, they show no 

 inkling of the moral and legal difficulties which 

 arise. 



Such being the facts of the case, I submit that 

 for those who admit the principle laid down, the 

 conclusion which I have drawn necessarily follows; 



