344 INFLUENCES OF WAR. 



the brutal cruelty of the bigot ; but that is too 

 strong an expression, and perhaps unjust, and 

 yet I hardly know a more appropriate. 



PISCATOR. Let us hope that some of the 

 severest persecutors acted from a sense of duty, 

 and sternly under that belief overcame their 

 humane feelings. 



AMICUS. Are you not stretching your charity 

 too far, when you say some of the severest ? 

 What think you of an Alva, or of a De Mont- 

 fort ? 



PISCATOR. That they were cruel men, and 

 acted in accordance with their disposition. 

 But even in their case, we may make some 

 allowance for character formed as theirs wasr 

 mainly in the camp and field, in war, where life 

 is thought lightly of, where there is so little 

 regard for it and for human suffering ; and duty 

 and sacrifice are the leading ideas in the 

 genuine soldier and competent leader. But I 

 must admit, and I speak from some experience, 

 that one of the worst effects of war is the 

 manner in which it hardens the heart of man, 

 and overpowers the ordinary feelings gf hu- 

 manity. 



AMICUS. On the other hand, is not this sense 



