his own mind that all here was best; but I could sufficiently
discern that, in his natural instincts, if not mounting up to the
region of his thoughts, there was a continual protest going on
against much of it; that nature and all his inarticulate
persuasion (however much forbidden to articulate itself) taught
him the futility and unfeasibility of the system followed here.
The Visiting Magistrates, he gently regretted rather than
complained, had lately taken his tread-wheel from him, men were
just now pulling it down; and how he was henceforth to enforce
discipline on these bad subjects, was much a difficulty with him.
"They cared for nothing but the tread-wheel, and for having their
rations cut short:" of the two sole penalties, hard work and
occasional hunger, there remained now only one, and that by no
means the better one, as he thought. The "sympathy" of visitors,
too, their "pity" for his interesting scoundrel-subjects, though
he tried to like it, was evidently no joy to this practical mind.
Pity, yes: but pity for the scoundrel-species? For those who
will not have pity on themselves, and will force the Universe and
the Laws of Nature to have no "pity on" them? Meseems I could
discover fitter objects of pity!

In fact it was too clear, this excellent man had got a field for
his faculties which, in several respects, was by no means the
suitable one. To drill twelve hundred scoundrels by "the method
of kindness," and of abolishing your very tread-wheel,--how could
any commander rejoice to have such a work cut out for him? You
had but to look in the faces of these twelve hundred, and
despair, for most part, of ever "commanding" them at all.
Miserable distorted blockheads, the generality; ape-faces,
imp-faces, angry dog-faces, heavy sullen ox-faces; degraded