The nature of evil

. . . I’ve heard some say she was just plain mad and didn’t know what she was doing. That’s an old excuse which ordinary folk take refuge in because they don’t care to believe there are people who enjoy inflicting pain. ‘He’s mad,’ they’ll say – but they only say it because they see a little of themselves in the tyrant, too, and want to shudder away from it quickly, like well-bred little Christians. Mad? Aye, Ranavalona was mad as a hatter, in many ways – but not where cruelty was concerned. She knew quite what she was doing, and studied to do it better, and was deeply gratified by it, and that’s the professional opinion of kindly old Dr Flashy, who’s a time-served bully himself.

Flashman's Lady, p.239, Pan edition, 1979.

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Education and evil-doing

‘Well, now,’ says Lincoln, ‘why not? Some of the greatest villains in history have been educated men. Without that education they might have been honest citizens. a few years at college won’t make a bad man virtuous; it will merely put the polish on his wickedness.’
….’Why at this rate, you will equate learning with evil-doing,’ cries someone. ‘What must your view be of our leading justices and politicians? Are they not virtuous men?’
   ‘Oh, virtuous enough,’ says Lincoln. ‘But what they would be like if they had been educated is another matter.’

Flash For Freedom!, p.127, Pan edition, 8th printing, 1980.

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Watch your step

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, but you have to watch your step at night, too.

Royal Flash, p.168, Pan edition, 8th printing, 1978.

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All things considered

He was an evil, vicious, cruel rascal. We got on very well, really, I suppose, all things considered.

Royal Flash, p.96, Pan edition, 8th printing, 1978.

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A first rate fellow

This I will say for the Afghan – he is a treacherous, evil brute when he wants to be, but while he is your friend he is a first rate fellow. The point is, you must judge to the second when he is going to cease to be friendly… Looking back, though, I can say I probably got on better with the Afghans than most Britons do. I imagine Tom Hughes would have said that in many respects of character I resembled them, and I wouldn’t deny it.

Flashman, p.99, Pan edition, 12th printing, 1979.

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Flashman, Flashman quotes.