AN APOLOGY FOB HUMANITY.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3438, 31 December 1879, Page 4

AN APOLOGY FOB HUMANITY.

(To the Editor of tlio Evening Star.) Sib,—There is a very common idea gone forth that man is a very bad being, ! and that he is growing worse every day. I am of a different opinion to this, and should like to state my reasons for so j thinking—not that I wish' to state it dogmatically as being conclusive and final, but modestly, as your humble servant. Ido not deny bat that there is a jfreat deal of badness about men, and thil " man's inhumanity to man causes countless millions to mourn," but if man ■were more just and courteous to man, it would prevent many a heart ache. Notwithstanding this dark side of the picture of humanity, I am inclined to the belief that there is good in all, and none all good. I was confirmed in this thought when reading Scott the bushranger's defence, a man that was looked upon as a monster, and had deservedly forfeited civil rights, and deserved to be shot down liko a wild beast. And yet I do not think that he was totally bad. When the badness in us operates upon someone else's badness that has a tendency to develop the Devil, then we might be inclined to believe in the depravity. But this is only one side of the picture. We have been accustomed to look upon man not as he is, bat through oar theology. It must be acknowledged that where real distress is found there is a general response and a strong desire and effort to relieve it. This is known to us all. And where there is distress and danger, how many trilling bands there are to s^ve life and property if they have an opportunity. We have all met with silent unassumed goodness from quarters least expected, and, although a great deal can be said about this goodness, more still can be said about woman's goodness of heart. The first deep impression we get of this is from our mothers, and that impression continues with us down to death, when we remember the forethought, the care, the continued labour —night and day—and such a forgetfulness of self, being so absorbed in relieving pain and making those around her comfortable —yea ! sacrificing their lives in trying to accomplish this end. lam not now speaking of one here and there, but this is very common. What will not a woman do and suffer for the man she loves? In some cases it amounts to great sublime heroism. I have known women cleare to the men they love, and would nofe leave them through toil, suffering and abuse. This was long after the poetry and moon-shine of courtship had passed by. Then a woman is caught with black eyes and bruises given to her by her husband; with what difficulty you get to know who did It, when at last it ouses oat that he did it. She then commences to make excuses for him; she says John is very kind to her when sober,-but it was the nasty drink that made him do it. This is just like woman, and yet we are told there is nothing good about her. I think to persuade a man that he is naturally bad and nothing good about him has a tendency to make him so. When Topsy in Uncle Tom's Cabin was asked why she was so wicked she said she could not tell. She 'spected it was her wicked heart. I think if man was taught that he had a great and noble nature and was capable of great, and good things it would have a better effect than telling him that he is one half devil and the other half brute. These are my views, and I should not like to hold the opposite. Ifc is uncomfortable to think that each man and woman you meet is a villian. In order to see this and other moral subjects clearly, it is necessary to have the mental vision cleared of self-interest, old " customs, and corruption. Or if man breaks away from a firm belief in God he hecomes lost in space, and has no centre of attraction to gravitate to. In that case he labors under a great disadvantage towards being virtuous.—lm, &c, J. Hosn.

Dicembftr 27th, 1879.