The Prince and the Pauper · Chapter
General Note explained
The author introduces a reflection on the so-called 'Blue Laws of Connecticut,' arguing that they were actually a humane and early departure from the judicial brutality of the time, contrasting them with the far more severe English legal sy
What happens
The author introduces a reflection on the so-called 'Blue Laws of Connecticut,' arguing that they were actually a humane and early departure from the judicial brutality of the time, contrasting them with the far more severe English legal system that punished over two hundred crimes by death within living memory.
Themes in this chapter
Justice and Injustice
The note contrasts the perceived inhumanity of Connecticut's Blue Laws with the actual, far greater brutality of English law, prompting reflection on the nature of justice and historical perspective.
Key passages
“One hears much about the 'hideous Blue Laws of Connecticut,' and is accustomed to shudder piously when they are mentioned.”
People often speak of Connecticut's Blue Laws with horror and moral outrage.
The author sets up a common misconception to be corrected.
“There has never been a time—under the Blue Laws or any other—when above fourteen crimes were punishable by death in Connecticut. But in England, within the memory of men who are still hale in body and mind, two hundred and twenty-three crimes were punishable by death!”
Connecticut never executed people for more than fourteen crimes, while in England, over two hundred crimes were capital offenses within living memory.
The author provides a stark numerical contrast to challenge the reader's assumptions.