âThat wasnât quite my contention,â he began simply and modestly. âYet I admit that you have stated it almost correctly; perhaps, if you like, perfectly so.â (It almost gave him pleasure to admit this.) âThe only difference is that I donât contend that extraordinary people are always bound to commit breaches of morals, as you call it. In fact, I doubt whether such an argument could be published. I simply hinted that an âextraordinaryâ man has the rightâ ââ ⌠that is not an official right, but an inner right to decide in his own conscience to overstepâ ââ ⌠certain obstacles, and only in case it is essential for the practical fulfilment of his idea (sometimes, perhaps, of benefit to the whole of humanity). You say that my article isnât definite; I am ready to make it as clear as I can. Perhaps I am right in thinking you want me to; very well. I maintain that if the discoveries of Kepler and Newton could not have been made known except by sacrificing the lives of one, a dozen, a hundred, or more men, Newton would have had the right, would indeed have been in duty-boundâ ââ ⌠to eliminate
662