The History of the Last Trial by Jury for Atheism in England: A Fragment of Autobiography Submitted for the Perusal of Her Majesty's Attorney-General and the British ClergyHolyoake, George Jacob
Philosophy
The History of the Last Trial by Jury for Atheism in England: A Fragment of Autobiography Submitted for the Perusal of Her Majesty's Attorney-General and the British Clergy
Holyoake, George Jacob
Atheism -- England; Holyoake, George Jacob, 1817-1906 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Blasphemy) -- England
Whether these are sufficient reasons for the purpose, I know not; but
this I know--they are the true ones. As I very much dislike being
an object of pity, those will much mistake me who suppose that this
narrative has been written to excite it. In my estimation, imprisonment
was a matter of conscience. I neither provoked prosecution nor shrank
from it; and I am now as far from desiring it as I trust I ever shall
be from fearing it. I do not pretend to despise public approval, but
I think it should be regarded as a contingent reward, not as the sole
motive of action; for he who only works while the public (always fickle
in memory) care to remember him, is animated by a very precarious
patriotism. As I have once, before said, it is an encouragement to
me that others may profit by any public principle I may assist in
maintaining: but my interest in it is personal also. Though no one
else desired freedom, it is enough for me that I desire it; and I would
maintain the conflict for it, as best I could, though no one else cared
about it; and, as I choose to make the purchase, I do not higgle
about the price. Tyranny has its soldiers, and why not Freedom? While
thousands daily perish at the shrine of passion, what is the pain of a
sacrifice now and then for public principle or personal freedom?
G. J. H.
THE HISTORY OF THE LAST TRIAL BY JURY FOR ATHEISM.
CHAPTER I.--BEFORE THE IMPRISONMENT.
That day is chilled in my memory when I first set out for Cheltenham.
It was in December 1840. The snow had been frozen on the ground a
fortnight. There were three of us, Mrs. Holyoake, Madeline (our first
child), and myself. I had been residing in Worcester, which was the
first station to which I had been appointed as a Social Missionary. My
salary (16s. per week) was barely sufficient to keep us alive in summer.
In winter it was inherent obstinacy alone which made us believe that we
existed. I feel now the fierce blast which came in at the train windows
from 'the fields of Tewkesbury,' on the day on which we travelled from
Worcester to Cheltenham. The intense cold wrapped us round like a cloak
of ice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account