He finds that the individual conscience is not an infallible
guide-post pointing to right action; that it is not a perfect time-
keeper, in complete accord with the watches of other men.
"It's a turrible thing to have killed the wrong man," said the
conscience-stricken illicit distiller in his mountain fastness. "I never
seen good come o' goodness yet; him as strikes first is my fancy," said
the dying pirate in "Treasure Island." Augustine, passing over much worse
offences, exhausts himself in agonies of remorse over a boyish prank.
[Footnote: See chapter xx, Sec 78.] Seneca draws up a list of the most
horrifying crimes, and decides that ingratitude exceeds them all in
enormity. [Footnote: _On Benefits_, i, 10.]
(6) It appears to be quite evident that consciences ought to be
standardized, and that the standard should be made a high one. The true
standard is the one set by the Rational Social Will. It is as much a duty
to have a good conscience as it is to obey the conscience one has.
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