Henry Fielding

Name: An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers — Section VIII — Of the Difficulties which attend Prosecutions.
Author: Henry Fielding

An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

Summary

“An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers — Section VIII — Of the Difficulties which attend Prosecutions.”, published in 1751, is a work by Henry Fielding. It explores elements such as the Life of a Man, tender and Robber.

Quotes from An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (Henry Fielding)

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ Secondly, As he is a good-natured Man, he will behold all Injuries done by one Man to another with Indignation. What Cicero says of a Pirate, is as true of a Robber, that he is hostis humani generis; and if so, I am sure every good-natured Man must be an Enemy to him. To desire to save these Wolves in Society, may arise from Benevolence; but it must be the Benevolence of a Child or a Fool, who, from Want of sufficient Reason, mistakes the true Objects of his Passion, as a Child doth when a Bugbear appears to him to be the Object of Fear. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ Robbery is an Offence not only against the Party robbed, but against the Public, who are therefore entitled to Prosecution; and he who prevents or stifles such the Prosecution, is no longer an innocent Man, but guilty of a high Offence against the Public Good. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ With Regard to the former of these, it is certain, that a tender-hearted and compassionate Disposition, which inclines Men to pity and feel the Misfortunes of others, and which is, even for its own Sake, incapable of involving any Man in Ruin and Misery, is of all Tempers of Mind the most amiable; and tho' it seldom receives much Honour, is worthy of the highest. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ For Want of this Wisdom, a benevolence and tender-hearted Temper very often betrays Men into Errors not only hurtful to themselves, but highly prejudicial to the Society. Hence Men of invincible Courage, and incorruptible Integrity, have sometimes falsified their Trust ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ But as it hath pleased God to permit human Societies to be constituted in a different Manner, and Knaves to form a Part, (a very considerable one, I am afraid) of every Community, who are ever lying in wait to destroy and ensnare the honest Part of Mankind, and to betray them by means of their own Goodness, it becomes the good-natured and tender-hearted Man to be watchful over his own Temper ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ First, As he is a good Man, he should consider, that the principal Duty which every Man owes, is to his Country, for the Safety and Good of which all Laws are established; and therefore his Country requires of him to contribute all that in him lies to the due Execution of those Laws. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ The natural Energies of this Temper are indeed the very Virtues principally inculcated in our excellent Religion; and those, who because they are natural, have denied them the Name of Virtues, seem not, I think, to be aware of the direct and impious Tendency of a Doctrine that denies all Merit to a Mind which is naturally, I may say necessarily, good. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ Why, of one who being too lazy to get his Bread by Labour, or too voluptuous to content himself with the Produce of that Labour, declares War against the Properties, and often against the Persons of his Fellow Subjects ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ Indolent, and will not give themselves the Trouble of a Prosecution; or,
4. Avaricious, and will not undergo the Expence of it; nay perhaps find their Account in compounding the Matter; or,
5. Tender-hearted, and cannot take away the Life of a Man ”

Henry Fielding

Summary

Quotes from An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (Henry Fielding)

Common terms

Similar works

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature