The Abolition of Man

(a) Negative

‘I have not slain men.’ (Ancient Egyptian. From the Confession of the Righteous Soul, ‘Book of the Dead’, v. Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics [= ERE], vol. v, p. 478.)

‘Do not murder.’ (Ancient Jewish. Exodus xx. 13.)

‘Terrify not men or God will terrify thee.’ (Ancient Egyptian. Precepts of Ptahhetep. H. R. Hall, Ancient History of Near East, p.133 n.)

‘In Nástrond (= Hell) I saw . . . murderers.’ (Old Norse. Volospá 38, 39)

‘I have not brought misery upon my fellows. I have not made the beginning of every day laborious in the sight of him who worked for me.’ (Ancient Egyptian. Confession of Righteous Soul. ERE v. 478.)

‘I have not been grasping.’ (Ancient Egyptian. Ibid.)

‘Who meditates oppression, his dwelling is overturned.’ (Babylonian. Hymn to Samaš. ERE v. 445.)

‘He who is cruel and calumnious has the character of a cat.’ (Hindu. Laws of Manu. Janet, Histoire de la Science Politique, vol. i, p. 6.)

‘Slander not.’ (Babylonian. Hymn to Samaš. ERE v. 445.)

‘Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.’ (Ancient Jewish. Exodus xx. 16.)

‘Utter not a word by which anyone could be wounded.’ (Hindu. Janet, p. 7.)

‘Has he . . . driven an honest man from his family? broken up a well cemented clan?’ (Babylonian. List of Sins from incantation tablets. ERE v. 446.)

‘I have not caused hunger. I have not caused weeping.’ (Ancient Egyptian. ERE v. 478.)

‘Never do to others what you would not like them to do to you.’ (Ancient Chinese. Analects of Confucius, trans. A. Waley, xv. 23; cf. xii. 2.)

‘Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart.’ (Ancient Jewish. Leviticus xix. 17.)

‘He whose heart is in the smallest degree set upon goodness will dislike no one.’ (Ancient Chinese. Analects, iv. 4.)

(b) Positive

‘Nature urges that a man should wish human society to exist and should wish to enter it.’ (Roman. Cicero, De Officiis, I. iv.)

‘By the fundamental Law of Nature Man [is] to be preserved as much as possible.’ (Locke, Treatises of Civil Govt. ii. 3.)

‘When the people have multiplied, what next should be done for them? The Master said, Enrich them. Jan Ch’iu said, When one has enriched them, what next should be done for them? The Master said, Instruct them.’ (Ancient Chinese. Analects, xiii. 9.)

‘Speak kindness . . . show good will.’ (Babylonian. Hymn to Samaš. ERE v. 445.)

‘Men were brought into existence for the sake of men that they might do one another good.’ (Roman. Cicero, De Off. I. vii.)

‘Man is man’s delight.’ (Old Norse. Hávamál 47.)

‘He who is asked for alms should always give.’ (Hindu. Janet, i. 7.)

‘What good man regards any misfortune as no concern of his?’ (Roman. Juvenal xv. 140.)

‘I am a man: nothing human is alien to me.’ (Roman. Terence, Heaut. Tim.)

‘Love thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Ancient Jewish. Leviticus xix. 18.)

‘Love the stranger as thyself.’ (Ancient Jewish. Ibid. 33, 34.)

‘Do to men what you wish men to do to you.’ (Christian. Matt. vii. 12.)