Page:Henry Northcote (IA henrynorthcote00snairich).pdf/86

 "I agree. But what a world we should have if they had not."

"It is not at all clear to my mind," said the solicitor, "that in the long run these fellows of whom you are speaking have not done more harm to the world than they have done good. Not only did their abnormal egotisms run amôk during their own lives, but after their deaths, which as you suggest were often brutal and unnecessary, they continued in the guise of saints and martyrs, and inspired teachers to wreak iconoclasm and discomfort upon mankind."

"One can readily believe," said the young man, "that you, sir, in your capacity of a member of the comfortable classes, to which by fortune and education you belong, would fetter the march of ideas by every means in your power."

"Yes," said the solicitor, drawing peacefully at his cigar; "few things are more distasteful to me personally than ideas. Particularly those lawless ones which proceed from ill-regulated and ill-balanced natures. It seems to me that they are responsible for nine-tenths of the misery that is in the world."

"Do I take it that, in your opinion, so far from these so-called 'great men' of whom we are speaking meriting esteem from their fellows, their doctrines as well as their persons should be pursued with the fire and the sword; and that means should be adopted to exterminate the growth of these 'great' ones from the comfortable republic which is inhabited by the average person?"

"I would suggest it. I have given little thought to this subject, but I cannot think of a single his