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sity of cases; but in putting a man to death they
ought not to be too rash, but rather employ an
abundance of considerations :

" A head once severed cannot be refitted to the body."

Whenever practicable, they ought to send the
delinquent worthy of death to the King's court, and
there represent his case. If keeping him be likely
to occasion an insurrection, or (sending him to the
King's court) become the cause of trouble, in this
necessity he may be executed; but flaying alive, or
throwing a man under the feet of an elephant, which
is practised by violent kings, ought to be avoided.
The treatment of every man is to be conformable to
his rank and condition; because to a high-minded
man a severe look is equivalent to death, whilst
to an abject person, even flagellation is nothing.
Besides, remission is to be made to any body who,
by his genius, knowledge, and virtue should have
acquired consideration, and when the magistrates
observe in his conduct any thing unbecoming in
their opinion, they ought to tell it to him in pri-
vate. If one of the historians of the times relates
something wrong, they are not to rebuke him
severely for it; for a rebuke is a barrier upon the
road of truth-speaking; and he upon whom the
incomparable God has conferred the aptness of
speaking truth, deserves to be accounted precious: