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protection in another form。 It is an attempt to raise the natural
price of a commodity by saying that such and such persons； who are
able and willing to produce it； shall not do so； whereby every one
has to pay more for it。
Besides； so long as a man has not been actually killed he is our
fellow…creature； though perhaps a very unpleasant one。 It is in a
great degree the doing of others that he is what he is； or in other
words； the society which now condemns him is partly answerable
concerning him。 They say that there is no fear of any increase of
disease under these circumstances； for the loss of liberty； the
surveillance； the considerable and compulsory deduction from the
prisoner's earnings； the very sparing use of stimulants （of which
they would allow but little to any； and none to those who did not
earn them）； the enforced celibacy； and above all； the loss of
reputation among friends； are in their opinion as ample safeguards
to society against a general neglect of health as those now
resorted to。 A man； therefore； （so they say） should carry his
profession or trade into prison with him if possible； if not； he
must earn his living by the nearest thing to it that he can； but if
he be a gentleman born and bred to no profession； he must pick
oakum； or write art criticisms for a newspaper。
These people say further； that the greater part of the illness
which exists in their country is brought about by the insane manner
in which it is treated。
They believe that illness is in many cases just as curable as the
moral diseases which they see daily cured around them； but that a
great reform is impossible till men learn to take a juster view of
what physical obliquity proceeds from。 Men will hide their
illnesses as long as they are scouted on its becoming known that
they are ill； it is the scouting； not the physic； which produces
the concealment； and if a man felt that the news of his being in
ill…health would be received by his neighbours as a deplorable
fact； but one as much the result of necessary antecedent causes as
though he had broken into a jeweller's shop and stolen a valuable
diamond necklaceas a fact which might just as easily have
happened to themselves； only that they had the luck to be better
born or reared； and if they also felt that they would not be made
more uncomfortable in the prison than the protection of society
against infection and the proper treatment of their own disease
actually demanded； men would give themselves up to the police as
readily on perceiving that they had taken small…pox； as they go now
to the straightener when they feel that they are on the point of
forging a will； or running away with somebody else's wife。
But the main argument on which they rely is that of economy： for
they know that they will sooner gain their end by appealing to
men's pockets； in which they have generally something of their own；
than to their heads； which contain for the most part little but
borrowed or stolen property； and also； they believe it to be the
readiest test and the one which has most to show for itself。 If a
course of conduct can be shown to cost a country less； and this by
no dishonourable saving and with no indirectly increased
expenditure in other ways； they hold that it requires a good deal
to upset the arguments in favour of its being adopted； and whether
rightly or wrongly I cannot pretend to say； they think that the
more medicinal and humane treatment of the diseased of which they
are the advocates would in the long run be much cheaper to the
country： but I did not gather that these reformers were opposed to
meeting some of the more violent forms of illness with the cat…of…
nine…tails； or with death； for they saw no so effectual way of
checking them； they would therefore both flog and hang； but they
would do so pitifully。
I have perhaps dwelt too long upon opinions which can have no
possible bearing upon our own； but I have not said the tenth part
of what these would…be reformers urged upon me。 I feel； however；
that I have sufficiently trespassed upon the attention of the
reader。
CHAPTER XIII： THE VIEWS OF THE EREWHONIANS CONCERNING DEATH
The Erewhonians regard death with less abhorrence than disease。 If
it is an offence at all； it is one beyond the reach of the law；
which is therefore silent on the subject； but they insist that the
greater number of those who are commonly said to die； have never
yet been bornnot； at least； into that unseen world which is alone
worthy of consideration。 As regards this unseen world I understand
them to say that some miscarry in respect to it before they have
even reached the seen； and some after； while few are ever truly
born into it at allthe greater part of all the men and women over
the whole country miscarrying before they reach it。 And they say
that this does not matter so much as we think it does。
As for what we call death； they argue that too much has been made
of it。 The mere knowledge that we shall one day die does not make
us very unhappy； no one thinks that he or she will escape； so that
none are disappointed。 We do not care greatly even though we know
that we have not long to live； the only thing that would seriously
affect us would be the knowingor rather thinking that we know
the precise moment at which the blow will fall。 Happily no one can
ever certainly know this； though many try to make themselves
miserable by endeavouring to find it out。 It seems as though there
were some power somewhere which mercifully stays us from putting
that sting into the tail of death； which we would put there if we
could； and which ensures that though death must always be a
bugbear； it shall never under any conceivable circumstances be more
than a bugbear。
For even though a man is condemned to die in a week's time and is
shut up in a prison from which it is certain that he cannot escape；
he will always hope that a reprieve may come before the week is
over。 Besides； the prison may catch fire； and he may be suffocated
not with a rope； but with common ordinary smoke； or he may be
struck dead by lightning while exercising in the prison yards。
When the morning is come on which the poor wretch is to be hanged；
he may choke at his breakfast； or die from failure of the heart's
action before the drop has fallen； and even though it has fallen；
he cannot be quite certain that he is going to die； for he cannot
know this till his death has actually taken place； and it will be
too late then for him to discover that he was going to die at the
appointed hour after all。 The Erewhonians； therefore； hold that
death； like life； is an affair of being more frightened than hurt。
They burn their dead； and the ashes are presently scattered over
any piece of ground which the deceased may himself have chosen。 No
one is permitted to refuse this hospitality to the dead： people；
therefore； generally choose some garden or orchard which they may
have known and been fond of when they were young。 The
superstitious hold that those whose ashes are scattered over any
land become its jealous guardians from that time forward； and the
living like to think that they shall become identified with this or
that locality where they have once been happy。
They do not put up monuments； nor write epitaphs； for their dead；
though in former ages their practice was much as ours； but they
have a custom which comes to much the same thing； for the instinct
of preserving the name alive after the death of the body seems to
be common to all mankind。 They have statues of themselves made
while they are still alive （those； that is； who can afford it）； and
write inscriptions under them； which are often quite as untruthful
as are our own epitaphsonly in another way。 For they do not
hesitate to describe themselves as victims to ill temper； jealousy；
covetousness； and the like； but almost always lay claim to personal
beauty； whether they have it or not； and； often； to the possession
of a large sum in the funded debt of the country。 If a person is
ugly he does not sit as a model for his own statue； although it
bears his name。 He gets the handsomest of his friends to sit for