Three hundred years ago a prisoner
Three hundred years ago a prisoner condemned to the Tower of London carved on the wall of his cell this sentiment to keep up his spirits during his long imprisonment: “It is not adversity that kills, but the impatience with which we bear adversity.”
I never saw a man who looked With such a
I never saw a man who looked With such a wistful eye Upon that little tent of blue Which prisoners call the sky.
Law is merely the expression of the will
Law is merely the expression of the will of the strongest for the time being, and therefore laws have no fixity, but shift from generation to generation.
Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X came out of
Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X came out of prison stronger.
There is no greater punishment of
There is no greater punishment of wickedness that that it is dissatisfied with itself and its deeds.
It is safer that a bad man should not be
It is safer that a bad man should not be accused, than that he should be acquitted.
The virtue of justice consists in
The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.
Prison, dungeons, blessed places where
Prison, dungeons, blessed places where evil is impossible because they are the crossroads of all the evil in the world. One cannot commit evil in hell.
Body is a home, a prison and a grave.
Body is a home, a prison and a grave.
If we were brought to trial for the
If we were brought to trial for the crimes we have committed against ourselves, few would escape the gallows.
He who does not prevent a crime when he
He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it.
One crime is everything; two nothing.
One crime is everything; two nothing.
Written laws are like spiders' webs, and
Written laws are like spiders' webs, and will, like them, only entangle and hold the poor and weak, while the rich and powerful will easily break through them.
Reality becomes a prison to those who
Reality becomes a prison to those who can’t get out of it.
Clemency alone makes us equal to the
Clemency alone makes us equal to the gods.
The severest justice may not always be
The severest justice may not always be the best policy.
Wherever any one is against his will,
Wherever any one is against his will, that is to him a prison.
Crimes lead one into another; they who
Crimes lead one into another; they who are capable of being forgers are capable of being incendiaries.
Our task must be to free ourselves from
Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
Justice is that virtue of the soul which
Justice is that virtue of the soul which is distributive according to desert.
Fast closed with double grills
Fast closed with double grills
And triple gates – the cell
To wicked souls is hell;
But to a mind that's innocent
'Tis only iron, wood and stone.
Let us remember that justice must be
Let us remember that justice must be observed even to the lowest.
Educate your children to self-control,
Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future lives and crimes to society.
I know not whether laws be right, or
I know not whether laws be right, or whether laws be wrong; All that we know who lie in gaol is that the wall is strong; And that each day is like a year, a year whose days are long.
The most anxious man in a prison is the
The most anxious man in a prison is the governor.