will come if I allow myself to become
old, may remain, and that it will be better for me that I should go
hence while as yet my own poor wants are not altogether uppermost in
my mind. But then, in arranging this matter, I am arranging it for
my fellow-citizens, and not for myself. I have to endeavour to think
how Crasweller's mind may be affected rather than my own. He dreads
his departure with a trembling, currish fear; and I should hardly be
doing good to him were I to force him to depart in a frame of mind
so poor and piteous. But then, again, neither is it altogether
of Crasweller that I must think,--not of Crasweller or of myself.
How will the coming ages of men be affected by such a change as I
propose, should such a change become the normal condition of Death?
Can it not be brought about that men should arrange for their own
departure, so as to fall into no senile weakness, no slippered
selfishness, no ugly whinings of undefined want, before they shall
go hence, and be no more thought of? These are the ideas that have
actuated me, and to them I have been brought by seeing the conduct
of those around me. Not for Crasweller, or Barnes, or Tallowax, will
this thing be good,--nor for those old women who are already lying
about their ages in their cottages,--nor for myself, who am, I know,
too apt to boast of myself, that even though old age should come upon
me, I may be able to avoid the worst of its effects; but for those
untold generations to come, whose lives may be modelled for them
under the knowledge that at a certain Fixed Period they shall depart
hence with all circumstances of honour and glory.

I was, however, quite aware that it would be useless to spend my
energy in dilating on this to Mr Graybody. He simply was willing to
shuffle off his mortal coil, because he found it uncomfortable in
the wearing. In all likelihood, had his time come as nigh as that of
Crasweller, he too, like Crasweller, would impotently implore the
grace of another year. He would ape madness like Barnes, or arm
himself with a carving-knife like Tallowax, or swear that there
was a flaw in the law, as Exors was disposed to do. He too would
clamorously swear that he was much younger, as did the old women.
Was not the world peopled by Craswellers, Tallowaxes, Exorses, and
old women? Had I a right to hope to alter the feelings which nature
herself had implanted in the minds of men? But still it might be done
by practice,--by practice; i