Withwhatfeelingsmustanenlightenedobservercontemplatethefurrowofalashimprinteduponthebodyofaman？Whatheartbeatsnotinunisonwiththesublimelawofantiquity，’ThoushaltnotinflictstripesuponthebodyofaRoman？’Thereisbutonealternativeinthiscase，onthepartofthesufferer。Eitherhismindmustbesubduedbythearbitrarydictatesofthesuperiorfortohimallisarbitrarythatdoesnotstandapprovedtothejudgementofhisownunderstanding；hewillbegovernedbysomethingthatisnotreason，andashamedofsomethingthatisnotdisgrace；
orelseeverypangheendureswillexcitethehonestindignationofhisheart，andfixthecleardisapprobationofhisintellect，willproducecontemptandalienationagainsthispunisher。
Thejusticeofpunishmentisbuiltuponthissimpleprinciple：Everymanisboundtoemploysuchmeansasshallsuggestthemselvesforpreventingevilssubversiveofgeneralsecurity，itbeingfirstascertained，eitherbyexperienceorreasoning，thatallmildermethodsareinadequatetotheexigencyofthecase。Theconclusionfromthisprincipleisthatwearebound，undercertainurgentcircumstances，todeprivetheoffenderofthelibertyhehasabused。Furtherthanthisperhapsnocircumstancecanauthorizeus。Hewhosepersonisimprisonedifthatbetherightkindofseclusion
cannotinterruptthepeaceofhisfellows；andtheinflictionoffurtherevil，whenhispowertoinjureisremoved，isthewildandunauthorizeddictateofvengeanceandrage，thewantonsportofunquestionedsuperiority。
Whenindeedthepersonoftheoffenderhasbeenfirstseized，thereisafurtherdutyincumbentonhispunisher，thedutyofendeavouringhisreform。Butthismakesnopartofthedirectconsideration。Thedutyofeverymantocontributetotheintellectualhealthofhisneighbourisofgeneralapplication。Besidewhichitispropertorecollect，whathasbeenalreadyproved。thatcoercionofnosortisamongthelegitimatemeansofreformation。Restraintheoffenderaslongasthesafetyofthecommunityprescribesit，forthisisjust。Restrainhimnotaninstantfromasimpleviewtohisownimprovement，forthisiscontrarytoreasonandmorality。