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FRACAIENTS OF A PRISONER'S DIARY
prived only of those things that he had acquired from others. That would be mediaeval justice : but at least justifable on the principle of might is right, which still remains the foundation of civilised law with all its legalistic hypocrisy. But to deprive one of the only birth-right-of that which is a gift of nature--that is really a crass contradiction of the fundamental principle of criminal justice. My life belongs to me. Only my parents can claim any right on it on the ground that it is their creation. But cven they were mcrcly instrumental in the creation of my lifc, which was an act of nature. So, according to the principle of criininal justice, which includes penology, one's right on one's own life is inalienablc. He should have unlimited freedom as regards it. But i prisoner, whatever may be his formal sentence is deprived of this right. Logic as well as morality demand that each victim of criminal justice be given the option of killing himself instcad of undergoing the punishment inflicted on him. The option could be easily given, because very few would excrcise it. Fear of death contributes so very considerably to the slavery of man.
However, let me record the story of the old man who killed his wife. When he married, (1 do not remember whether it was for the third or the fourth time), he was not yet sixty. So, his action was not altogether unjustifiable. But he made the mistake of overlooking the fact that 208
