User_gary  +  314384 Fri, 12 Jan 07 02:42 PM If misery be the effect of virtue, it ought to be reverenced; if of ill-fortune, to be pitied; and if of vice, not to be insulted; because it is perhaps, itself a punishment adequate to the crime by which it was produced; and the humanity of that man can deserve no panegyric who is capale of reproaching a criminal in the hands of the executioner. Could anyone explain the meaning of above paragraph? User_gary Joined on Fri, Jan 5 2007 Senior Member 2,577 Honesty is the best policy Paragraphs

	Lil' Ruby Rose  +  314483 Fri, 12 Jan 07 06:31 PM The writer is talking about situations where misery might have a positive outcome. If someone is miserable as a result of doing a good deed, you should consider the misery a holy state, and not interfere. If someone is miserable as the result of bad luck, you should pity them. If someone is miserable as the result of doing a bad deed, you should consider the misery as part of the punishment for that bad deed.  The last part means that a person who would cricitise a criminal who was about to be executed lacks empathy, and others would not think well of them. Overall, the passage sounds like someone giving some (not very convincing) reasons not to help out another person in misery. Lil' Ruby Rose Joined on Wed, Dec 20 2006 Regular Member 879 Enlightenment is always preceded by confusion.

	User_gary  +  314687 Sat, 13 Jan 07 03:49 AM Thank you very much. I understood everything except the following line : The last part means that a person who would cricitise a criminal who was about to be executed lacks empathy, and others would not think well of them. Could you explain this sentence? User_gary

	Feebs11  +  314780 Sat, 13 Jan 07 11:57 AM People who shout rude things at a person being hanged are people of low worth and poor behaviour. Feebs11 Joined on Thu, Nov 23 2006 UK Veteran Member 5,015