This Effigy Of Majesty Is Allowed To Burn
Down To The Socket, Whilst The Hapless Matilda Was Hurried Into An
Untimely Grave.
"As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods;
They kill us for their sport."
Adieu!
LETTER XIX.
Business having obliged me to go a few miles out of town this
morning I was surprised at meeting a crowd of people of every
description, and inquiring the cause of a servant, who spoke French,
I was informed that a man had been executed two hours before, and
the body afterwards burnt. I could not help looking with horror
around - the fields lost their verdure - and I turned with disgust
from the well-dressed women who were returning with their children
from this sight. What a spectacle for humanity! The seeing such a
flock of idle gazers plunged me into a train of reflections on the
pernicious effects produced by false notions of justice. And I am
persuaded that till capital punishments are entirely abolished
executions ought to have every appearance of horror given to them,
instead of being, as they are now, a scene of amusement for the
gaping crowd, where sympathy is quickly effaced by curiosity.
I have always been of opinion that the allowing actors to die in the
presence of the audience has an immoral tendency, but trifling when
compared with the ferocity acquired by viewing the reality as a
show; for it seems to me that in all countries the common people go
to executions to see how the poor wretch plays his part, rather than
to commiserate his fate, much less to think of the breach of
morality which has brought him to such a deplorable end.
Consequently executions, far from being useful examples to the
survivors, have, I am persuaded, a quite contrary effect, by
hardening the heart they ought to terrify.
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