To:
Fran: e ey ps em
Sent Mon 7/20/2009 11:06:39 PM
Subject me and oscar
The fact of my having been the common prisoner of a common gaol I
must frankly accept, and, curious as it may seem, one of the things I
shall have to teach myself is not to be ashamed of it. I must accept it
as a punishment, and if one is ashamed of having been punished, one
might just as well never have been punished at all. Of course there are
many things of which I was convicted that I had not done, but then
there are many things of which I was convicted that I had done, and a
still greater number of things in my life for which I was never indicted
at all. And as the gods are strange, and punish us for what is good and
humane in us as much as for what is evil and perverse, I must accept
the fact that one is punished for the good as well as for the evil that
one does. I have no doubt that it is quite right one should be. It helps
one, or should help one, to realise both, and not to be too conceited
about either. And if I then am not ashamed of my punishment, as I
hope not to be, I shall be able to think, and walk, and live with
freedom.
EFTA_R1_00187792
EFTA01816423