So far as the essence of justice is concerned, there is no difference between one of the cases of punishment which you called barbarous, and one in which the penalty follows the offence within the hour.

There is no way of joining the past with the present, and there is no difference between what is a moment past and what is eternally past." "Then the assassin as he withdraws the stiletto from his victim's breast is not the same man who plunged it in." "Obviously not," replied the doctor.

"He may be exulting in the deed, or, more likely, he may be in a reaction of regret.

He may be worse, he may be better.

His being better or worse makes it neither more nor less just to punish him, though it may make it more or less expedient.