PROGRESS OF MAN. 197 



In contrast with this, compare our criminal 

 code with that of James the First, or even 

 George the Third ; or compare the past and 

 present criminal codes of the Continent. The 

 total abolition of capital punishment throughout 

 Europe cannot be much longer delayed. Even 

 war is very different now to what it was at 

 the beginning of the century. It is seldom 

 deliberately undertaken by civilised nations 

 except as a dire necessity, and its inevitable 

 evils are mitigated as much as possible, not 

 only by those actually engaged in it, but 

 even by disinterested bystanders. So great 

 at present is the public feeling against war 

 and oppression of every kind, that patriotism 

 itself is often branded with an opprobrious 

 appellation ; and any patriot who finds it 

 necessary to engage in even the most just 

 and necessary war, or to use the porwers 

 at his disposal with even the appearance of 

 severity, to prevent greater evils, is sure to be 

 misunderstood and denounced. And so anxious 

 are we now to put an end to even the 

 appearance of oppression that there is often 

 danger that great injustice may be done 

 in the attempt to right fancied or exaggerated 



