The whole working of moral retribution, on the contrary, is to torture the sensitive-souled, who would never do much harm any way, while the really hard cases of society, by their very hardness, avoid all suffering.

And then, again, see how merciful and reformatory is the working of physical retribution compared with the pitilessness of the moral retribution of memory.

A man gets over his accident or disease and is healthy again, having learned his lesson with the renewed health that alone makes it of any value to have had that lesson.

But shame and sorrow for sin and disgrace go on for ever increasing in intensity, in proportion as they purify the soul.

Their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.