Page 96 - erewhon

CHAPTER X: CURRENT

OPINIONS

his is what I gathered. That in that country if a man falls
Tinto ill health, or catches any disorder, or fails bodily in
any way before he is seventy years old, he is tried before a
jury of his countrymen, and if convicted is held up to public
scorn and sentenced more or less severely as the case may
be. There are subdivisions of illnesses into crimes and mis-
demeanours as with offences amongst ourselves—a man
being punished very heavily for serious illness, while fail-
ure of eyes or hearing in one over sixty-five, who has had
good health hitherto, is dealt with by fine only, or imprison-
ment in default of payment. But if a man forges a cheque, or
sets his house on fire, or robs with violence from the person,
or does any other such things as are criminal in our own
country, he is either taken to a hospital and most carefully
tended at the public expense, or if he is in good circum-
stances, he lets it be known to all his friends that he is
suffering from a severe fit of immorality, just as we do when
we are ill, and they come and visit him with great solici-
tude, and inquire with interest how it all came about, what
symptoms first showed themselves, and so forth,—ques-
tions which he will answer with perfect unreserve; for bad
conduct, though considered no less deplorable than illness