I persuade myself, however, that it will be made apparent to every one, that the charge cannot be supported, and that the maxim on which it relies has been totally misconceived and misapplied.
That we may be sure, then, not to mistake his meaning in this case, let us recur to the source from which the maxim was drawn.
Now, upon the most diligent enquiry into the former lives of these two brothers, I find, besides the cursed and hellish
maxim of policy above mentioned, another reason for the captain's conduct: the captain, besides what we have before said of him, was a man of great pride and fierceness, and had always treated his brother, who was of a different complexion, and greatly deficient in both these qualities, with the utmost air of superiority.
And finally, as it is not enough, before commencing to rebuild the house in which we live, that it be pulled down, and materials and builders provided, or that we engage in the work ourselves, according to a plan which we have beforehand carefully drawn out, but as it is likewise necessary that we be furnished with some other house in which we may live commodiously during the operations, so that I might not remain irresolute in my actions, while my reason compelled me to suspend my judgement, and that I might not be prevented from living thenceforward in the greatest possible felicity, I formed a provisory code of morals, composed of three or four
maxims, with which I am desirous to make you acquainted.
All that kind of policy by which nations anticipate distant danger, and meet the gathering storm, must be abstained from, as contrary to the genuine
maxims of a free government.
Up to that time, whether from devotedness or from want of power to act against it, this
maxim, without being generally adopted, nevertheless passed from theory into practice; but the notes did it injury.
The transcendental
maxim that "Life per se is precious" is the ruling
maxim here.
He points out, very truly, that the same stimulus, repeated, does not have the same consequences, and he argues that this is contrary to the
maxim, "same cause, same effect." It is only necessary, however, to take account of past occurrences and include them with the cause, in order to re-establish the
maxim, and the possibility of psychological causal laws.
I shall say nothing of those remote nations where YAHOOS preside; among which the least corrupted are the BROBDINGNAGIANS; whose wise
maxims in morality and government it would be our happiness to observe.
D'Artagnan, who as a Gascon, was inclined to sobriety, seemed not so sure as his friend of the truth of Athos's
maxim, but he did his best to keep up with his host.
All people of broad, strong sense have an instinctive repugnance to the men of
maxims; because such people early discern that the mysterious complexity of our life is not to be embraced by
maxims, and that to lace ourselves up in formulas of that sort is to repress all the divine promptings and inspirations that spring from growing insight and sympathy.
"Likewise, Sancho," said Don Quixote, "thou must not mingle such a quantity of proverbs in thy discourse as thou dost; for though proverbs are short
maxims, thou dost drag them in so often by the head and shoulders that they savour more of nonsense than of
maxims."