 | Theism |  |
Truth.
That Truth is not to be observed to enemies in open war,
As not always to madmen, is received for sound morality:
Nor shall I now adventure upon that perplexing argument,
Even if it seem probable that some deeper mind hereafter
Will establish the sterner doctrine that Truth is never violable.
Let some hints here suffice, for warning and for protest.
As not always to madmen, is received for sound morality:
Nor shall I now adventure upon that perplexing argument,
Even if it seem probable that some deeper mind hereafter
Will establish the sterner doctrine that Truth is never violable.
Let some hints here suffice, for warning and for protest.
He who, being captured by an enemy, is exposed to questions,
And from patriotic motives gives false replies,
Loses all his toil, unless he be willing upon demand
To confirm by oath most solemn every plausible falsehood.
If you shrink and shudder before such contingency,
Ask yourself, why this shuddering and painful doubt?
Perhaps you feel that Truth is due, not to your enemy,
But to God and to your own soul, and that perjury will defile you?
If it be so when oath is made, is it not the same without oath?
For God is present and hears, whether we invoke him or not,
And to deceive by word or by oath differs not in kind.
If so, will not virtue find other modes of escape,
Which save patriotism without violating truth?
May not a prisoner appeal to the patriotic principle,
And plainly avow that he will not betray his country,—
That no truth is due from him and no truth shall be got from him,
And that he must not be trusted, and it is useless to ask his evidence?
Indeed, after such protest, falsehood itself may seem truth.
He who is bold enough so to act, may need a martyr's spirit,
But he may save patriotism and truth alike,
And may either excite sympathy and win moderation,
Or by his single suffering establish a new right of captives.
And from patriotic motives gives false replies,
Loses all his toil, unless he be willing upon demand
To confirm by oath most solemn every plausible falsehood.
If you shrink and shudder before such contingency,
Ask yourself, why this shuddering and painful doubt?
Perhaps you feel that Truth is due, not to your enemy,
But to God and to your own soul, and that perjury will defile you?
If it be so when oath is made, is it not the same without oath?
For God is present and hears, whether we invoke him or not,
And to deceive by word or by oath differs not in kind.
If so, will not virtue find other modes of escape,
Which save patriotism without violating truth?
May not a prisoner appeal to the patriotic principle,
And plainly avow that he will not betray his country,—
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And that he must not be trusted, and it is useless to ask his evidence?
Indeed, after such protest, falsehood itself may seem truth.
He who is bold enough so to act, may need a martyr's spirit,
But he may save patriotism and truth alike,
And may either excite sympathy and win moderation,
Or by his single suffering establish a new right of captives.
One act or word of falsehood may have its justification,
Real, or else plausible, so as to satisfy most minds,
And save the soul from the degradation of conscious guilt.
But when falsehood is not an act, but a series of acts,
A pervading principle, a tissue of life,
It cannot but debase and weaken the whole man.
Thus notoriously is it with an oppressed enslaved race,
Which lives in smouldering warfare, crushed and not reconciled,
With whom fraud becomes patriotism or natural self-defence,
So that fraud is their atmosphere, their breath, their daily life.
If we believe some systems of morality, the fraud is justifiable;
Yet hardly, alas! is virtue possible to such men,
Nor will the laxest moralist undervalue the mischief
Engrained in the whole character, where fraud is thus pervading.
Real, or else plausible, so as to satisfy most minds,
And save the soul from the degradation of conscious guilt.
But when falsehood is not an act, but a series of acts,
A pervading principle, a tissue of life,
It cannot but debase and weaken the whole man.
Thus notoriously is it with an oppressed enslaved race,
Which lives in smouldering warfare, crushed and not reconciled,
With whom fraud becomes patriotism or natural self-defence,
So that fraud is their atmosphere, their breath, their daily life.
If we believe some systems of morality, the fraud is justifiable;
Yet hardly, alas! is virtue possible to such men,
Nor will the laxest moralist undervalue the mischief
Engrained in the whole character, where fraud is thus pervading.
So too, if a man, to attain some secular promotion,
Perform one religious act contrary to his heart's consent,
(As some have qualified for office by sacred bread and wine,
And others by subscription of articles and by oaths to statutes,)
Such falsehood is a sin and an evil, and in itself indefensible;
Yet the more isolated from the daily life, the less its corrupting force:
Especially if half-forgotten, and buried from public consciousness.
But if daily duties recall the pledge, the falsehood is a daily act.
And even without pledge, daily dissimulation taints the character;
Chiefly when it is dissimulation dictated by fear.
He who represses his solemn convictions from erring philanthropy,
May weaken his own character, but does not debase it.
But he who every day and all his life suppresses truth through fear,
May hardly escape an inward and terrible degradation.
Perform one religious act contrary to his heart's consent,
(As some have qualified for office by sacred bread and wine,
And others by subscription of articles and by oaths to statutes,)
Such falsehood is a sin and an evil, and in itself indefensible;
Yet the more isolated from the daily life, the less its corrupting force:
Especially if half-forgotten, and buried from public consciousness.
But if daily duties recall the pledge, the falsehood is a daily act.
And even without pledge, daily dissimulation taints the character;
Chiefly when it is dissimulation dictated by fear.
He who represses his solemn convictions from erring philanthropy,
May weaken his own character, but does not debase it.
But he who every day and all his life suppresses truth through fear,
May hardly escape an inward and terrible degradation.
Consider the hired advocate, whose duty is one-sided,
Who proclaims plainly that he studies his client's interest,
And from whom none expect judicial and fair reasonings.
If such a man fail of truth by suppressions only,
Displaying a partial argument, such as fairly deserves account,
And leaving the opposite view to be unfolded by others;
Under such modest restraint, he may retain delicacy of conscience,
As we sometimes see in men assuredly noble of heart.
But if, claiming the license of his craft, he plunge into free falsehoods,
Though only when in Court, and only where avowedly an advocate;
Truly he may avoid reproach by pleading the sharp limits of his freedom,
Yet will he not avoid debasement and blunting of the conscience,
Nor ever retain a judgment severe and sensitive to truth:
But he is in training to become a shameless and unscrupulous politician,
Ever false and plausible and pliant to public crime.
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And from whom none expect judicial and fair reasonings.
If such a man fail of truth by suppressions only,
Displaying a partial argument, such as fairly deserves account,
And leaving the opposite view to be unfolded by others;
Under such modest restraint, he may retain delicacy of conscience,
As we sometimes see in men assuredly noble of heart.
But if, claiming the license of his craft, he plunge into free falsehoods,
Though only when in Court, and only where avowedly an advocate;
Truly he may avoid reproach by pleading the sharp limits of his freedom,
Yet will he not avoid debasement and blunting of the conscience,
Nor ever retain a judgment severe and sensitive to truth:
But he is in training to become a shameless and unscrupulous politician,
Ever false and plausible and pliant to public crime.
And oh, how vile, how pernicious, how inexcusable,
Is the habitual falsehood which many public men practise!
They rise to address, not enemies, but countrymen and coadjutors,
Professing truth and scorning to be called liars, yet really false;
And pretend that Government cannot otherwise be conducted,
And that the malarrangements brought in by falsehood are sacred,
Worthy to be maintained by hypocrisies and endless evil.
Thus the candidate for votes speaks falsehood to the people,
And trusted ministers speak falsely to the parliament,
Arguing against their own judgment, with crafty sophistry,
Disguising public facts by suppression and by false colouring,
If they do not even step onward into direct false evidence.
And others carry into Opposition the immoralities of Office,
Being notoriously without truth, true only to their ambition,
Yet are not thought unfitted for the highest places of the State.
Who can expect righteous rule, or hope to escape retribution,
Until reputed truthfulness be essential in high magistracy,
Equally as in courteous life, where no chicanery is endured?
Is the habitual falsehood which many public men practise!
They rise to address, not enemies, but countrymen and coadjutors,
Professing truth and scorning to be called liars, yet really false;
And pretend that Government cannot otherwise be conducted,
And that the malarrangements brought in by falsehood are sacred,
Worthy to be maintained by hypocrisies and endless evil.
Thus the candidate for votes speaks falsehood to the people,
And trusted ministers speak falsely to the parliament,
Arguing against their own judgment, with crafty sophistry,
Disguising public facts by suppression and by false colouring,
If they do not even step onward into direct false evidence.
And others carry into Opposition the immoralities of Office,
Being notoriously without truth, true only to their ambition,
Yet are not thought unfitted for the highest places of the State.
Who can expect righteous rule, or hope to escape retribution,
Until reputed truthfulness be essential in high magistracy,
Equally as in courteous life, where no chicanery is endured?
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