The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-02-22
WHAT IS
JUSTICE?
BY MAURICE r1AETERLINCK. Philosopher
and Dramatst

f.
& 81 the beams I'd peimeng OF an old patrican man
q "a d sion Brugez which every traveller visits
And SO, too, might c@rIaim, within nc
there more"-EVEIIY LAW OF MORALITY
every ineligible mystery.
There may be many others above and below rs but If these arc
to remain forever unknown they become for if they did not
exist and, should their existence day revealed to u.s. it can
only be because they already Us, ALREADY ARE OURS
within there more, and entitled to add PERHAPS y
have nothing to fear for what is within me-
This much IS at least certaint the active inhabited region
Of the mystery Of justice is be found within ourselves Other
regions lack consistency They probably imaginary and must
inevitably be deserted and sterile.
They may have furnished mankind with illusions that served some
purpose, But NOT ALWAYS WITHOUT DOING HARM and
though may scarcely be entitled demand that all illusions should
be destroyed they should least man opposed to our
conception of the universe
Today seek in all things illusion of truth 1t is not the
last perhaps the best the only possible but is the one
which present regard honorable AND THE MOST
NECESSARY
In the heart Of every there admirable love of truth
and justice and observe incesant activity the depths of
our heart watch blending with all think and feel and do
shall quickly discover which things that throw light pon
and which those that plunge in darkness which things
that guide and which those aray; we shall learn what
nourishe AND WHAT ATROPHIES what attacks and what
defends
Is justice than the human instinct of preservation and
deense Is the pest product or rather to be
regarded composed Of number of those forces which
often right though directly opposed reasofes that
III themselves kind of unconscious
conscious invariably accor5 startled approval when has
reached the heights whence kindly feelings long had behed
what itself was unable to see?
JUSTICE DEPENDENT ON INTELLECT OR RATHER ON
CHARACTER?
All men love justice but with the ardent fierce excu-
sive love- have they all the scrup the same sensveness
OR THE SAME DEEP CONVICTION.
We meet people highly developed instinct the sense of
what husband unjust is infinitely less delicate clearly marked
than IN others whose intellect would mediocre for here
great part played by that little known i'll defined of ourselves
that we term the CHARACTER, and yet difficult to tell how
much less unconscious intellect of necessity 90 with
character that is UNAFFECTEDLY honest.
The point iso increase within our DESIRE for Justice
and 1t certain that the character directly nu-
enccd by desire for justice than intellect development
OF which this desire IN large CONTROLS and the cooperation
OF the intellect which recognizes and encourages intention
necessary for this penetrate into character That
portion of love justice therefore WHICH DEPENDS ON
OUR CHARACTER will benefit passage through the intel
ec for in proportion the intellect rises acquires enlightenment
will succeed in mastering enghenn and transforming our minds
How shall we then increase and purify within ourselves the
for justice?
We have conception of the ideal approach
but how changeabe still and usory is this ideal essencd by
all THAT is STILL UNKNOWN to us in the universe by all that
we do not perceive perceive completely by question too
supcrfcalIy.
BY LEARNING TO KNOW OURSELVES, BY NOT ACTING UNTIL
THEM AND THEN ACTING ACCORDANCE WITH ALL OUR DE-
SlRES HAVING GREAT CARE ALWAYS NOT lNJURE
OUR NEleHsoR, SHALL LAST BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT
JUSTICE is.