Here we find the practising barrister, who regularly defended individuals against capital charges, reporting executions. Boswell had an unsavoury reputation as an inveterate execution goer in an age when such activity was considered prurient for a gentleman. He was not only a lawyer and man of letters; he was also a journalist in an age when reports of executions were hard news. During this period, public executions in London were carried out at Tyburn and Newgate, with as many as 15 convicts meeting their fate at the same time. Boswell diligently noted the names and crimes of the condemned: robbery, theft, escaping a prison hulk, forgery and murder. He describes a brother and sister convicted of burglary who met their deaths holding hands, only to be separated when they were cut down from the gallows.Is there really no difference between weakness of character, and weakness of will?
The deaths were not always quick and Boswell confessed in his diary that executions gave him nightmares for nights afterwards and plunged him into bouts of depression. So why did he attend at least 21 public hangings? He explained it thus: ‘Dying publicly at Tyburn, and dying privately in one’s Bed, are only different Modes of the same Thing. They are both Death; they are both that wondrous, that alarming Scene of quitting all that we have ever seen, heard and known, and at once passing into a State of being totally unknown to us, and in which we cannot tell what may be our Situation: Therefore it is that I feel an irresistible Impulse to be present at every Execution, as I there behold the various Effects of the near Approach of Death, according to the various Tempers of the unhappy Sufferers: and by studying them, I learn to quiet and fortify my own Mind.’
Aside from the salutary nature of the experience, executions held an almost pornographic appeal for Boswell. He promised not to attend more executions but ultimately always gave in to his morbid compulsion. Boswell’s frequenting of executions despite foreswearing them, his philandering and his heavy drinking – along with myriad minor faults, such as impulsive acquisitiveness and chronic laziness – all indicate an underlying weakness of will (or ‘weakness of character’, as it would have been put in the past).
(H/t: Arts & Letters Daily)
5 comments:
I would say there is a distinct difference between a weakness of character and a weakness of will, which is on lurid display in current events.
The Islamists do not lack will. Their will is to murder everyone who disagrees with them, and they have set to their chosen task repeatedly.
They have a weakness of character in that they cannot, or do not, distinguish good from evil. On some level, they must know they do evil, otherwise the Hamas Covenant would not state that they intend to destroy their own souls. They seem to be incapable of recognizing that this is not likely to be pleasing to Allah, especially in light of His command to "Love your neighbor."
The actions of each Islamist group seem to follow the same arc: they begin by claiming to be ardent followers of Allah, they get some alliances with normal people, they get a little power, and then start murdering their allies. They bring chaos everywhere they have influence.
Valerie
Reminds me...There is a very funny passage in Boswell's biography (not his famous bio of Johnson, but the biography of Boswell himself.
While traveling on the Continent, he slept with an older woman. The next morning, he was riding in a carriage with her and feeling quite pleased with himself. The conversation that ensued, translated into modern language, was something like this:
He: Wasn't that the best sex you ever had?
She: Uh...no.
He: (looking crestfallen)
She: (kindly) But you have potential...I, myself, shall endeavor to teach you.
She: One thing I advise you to notice, as you travel across Europe, is how many wonderful things can be done by men's HANDS.
With anon, I would say that there are different types of courage, and an abundance of one does not imply others, though I imagine there is some correlation.
Current example: Professional athletes endure more pain, physically work much harder than I could, and put themselves at risk much more than I. Many do not seem to have much character, or relatedly, other types of courage. The old saying that athletics do not create character, they reveal it, is well less than half-true.
Boswell, BTW. Once traumatised by violent memories, people often do have an extra fascination that is hard to let go. Addiction may be too strong a word, but there are many terrible things that become harder for some folks to leave off than others.
If your Will is strong and you desire to be Good, that can lead to interesting places. But if your Will is strong and you desire to change the world, few destinations are good ones there.
Team sports and individual sports, different focus there. Also high level vs low level, also a difference. It's one thing to have a few stars that shatter the enemy's morale, it's quite another thing to have an even match between equally strong teams with different weaknesses and strengths. Then the one that makes the most mistakes and capitalizes on them, wins. And spiritual/mental strength is something that compensates for weak holes.
Individual pursuit of excellence is one thing, but many individuals play sports via the Olympic world. They seek not to change themselves, but the world's opinion of themselves. Which is not real individual excellence.
Post a Comment