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however, but that all men understand what stratagems, 

 deceits, and lying are, and this they cannot have, with- 

 out possessing a comprehension of " truth." 



It is an unquestionable fact that different groups and 

 sections of mankind differ as to their estimate of the 

 moral character of certain actions; but this does not 

 prove that there are any tribes of men who are devoid of 

 all moral perceptions. The prevalence in any tribe of 

 practices which shock us, does not prove that they have 

 no apprehension of morality. Men are not necessarily 

 devoid of it because they draw their ethical lines in 

 different places from those we do. The most horrible 

 actions (such, e.g., as the deliberate slaying of aged 

 parents) may really be the result of true moral judgments 

 formed under peculiar conditions. It is said to be done by 

 some savages in obedience to the wish of their fathers and 

 mothers, who think thereby to escape further suffering 

 in life, and to procure prolonged happiness after death. 

 Their parricidal children reason accurately from mistaken 

 principles they make mistakes as to matters of fact. 

 Men certainly do not always agree, even in England, 

 about the application of moral principles : what they 

 agree about is that there are moral principles. Thieving 

 may be, here and there, encouraged and advocated, yet 

 dishonesty is nowhere erected into a principle, but is 

 reprobated in the very maxim " honour amongst 

 thieves." Frightful cruelty towards prisoners was 

 practised by the North American Indians, but it was 

 towards prisoners, and cruelty was never advocated as an 

 ideal to be always aimed at, so that remorse of conscience 

 should be felt by any man who happened to have let 

 slip a possible opportunity of inflicting torture. 



Men have often thought it " right " to do things 

 which were in fact unjust, but they have never thought 



