Theological Essays and Other Papers — Volume 1De Quincey, Thomas
Religion
Theological Essays and Other Papers — Volume 1
De Quincey, Thomas
English essays -- 19th century
in the far coarser and less irritable animal organization which
must be the basis of an insulated physical sensibility. Brutes
can neither suffer from intellectual passions, nor, probably, from
very complex derangements of the animal system; so that in them the
motives to suicide, the temptations to suicide, are prodigiously
diminished. Nor are they ever alive to 'the sublime attractions
of the grave.' It is, however, a humiliating reflection, that, if
any brutes can feel such aspirations, it must be those which are
under the care of man. Doubtless the happiness of brutes is sometimes
extended by man; but also, too palpably, their misery.
Why suicide is not noticed in the _New Testament_ is a problem
yet open to the profound investigator.
VI. _Duelling_.--No one case, in the vast volume of casuistry,
is so difficult to treat with justice and reasonable adaptation to
the spirit of modern times, as this of duelling. For, as to those
who reason all upon one side, and never hearken in good faith to
objections or difficulties, such people convince nobody but those
who were already convinced before they began. At present, (1839,)
society has for some years been taking a lurch to one side
_against_ duelling: but inevitably a reaction will succeed;
for, after all, be it as much opposed as it may to Christianity,
duelling performs such important functions in society as now
constituted--we mean by the sense of instant personal accountability
which it diffuses universally amongst gentlemen, and all who have
much sensibility to the point of honor--that, for one life which
it takes away as an occasional sacrifice, it saves myriads from
outrage and affronts--millions from the anxiety attached to inferior
bodily strength. However, it is no part of our present purpose
to plead the cause of duelling, though pleaded it must be, more
fairly than it ever has been, before any progress will be made in
suppressing it.
But the point which we wish to notice at present, is the universal
blunder about the Romans and Greeks. They, it is alleged, fought
no duels; and occasion is thence taken to make very disadvantageous
reflections upon us, the men of this Christian era, who, in defiance
of our greater light, _do_ fight duels. Lord Bacon himself is
duped by this enormous blunder, and founds upon it a long speech
in the Star-Chamber.
Now, in the first place, who does not see that, if the Pagans really
_were_ enabled by their religion to master their movements of
personal anger and hatred, the inevitable inference will be to the
disadvantage of Christianity. It would be a clear case. Christianity
and Paganism have been separately tried as means of self-control;
Christianity has flagrantly failed; Paganism succeeded universally;
not having been found unequal to the task in any one known instance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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