If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.

Summary

This quote suggests that once someone engages in a heinous act like murder, their moral boundaries start to erode. It implies that committing one wrongful act can lead to a cascade of increasingly immoral behaviors. From robbery, it progresses to further vices like drinking, breaking religious laws, and eventually devolving into incivility and procrastination. The quote highlights the potential dangers of crossing moral lines, suggesting that a small deviation from morality can pave the way for greater ethical deterioration.

Topics