Wh^Lvic^en_tejsthus_d£eply  into  character  it  becomes
baseness^  The  idea  of  baseness  is  essentially  that  of  de
gradation,  the  loss  of  a  certain  amount  of  the  capacity  for
goodness,  the  acquisition  of  qualities  positively  evil.  Base
ness  excites  moral  disapprobation  in  the  most  extreme
form  possible.  The  perversion  of  spiritual  powers  which
are  properly  relative  to  the  very  highest  of  all  possible  ends,
so  that  ends  which  are  as  evil  as  any  ends  can  be  become
the  good  of  the  man,  is  the  very  extreme  of  badness.1

Lawlessness^jn  general,  is  co-extensive  with  immorality.  §  6.  Law-
But  the  term  lawlessness  has  a  special  signification.     There  lessness-
is  a  disposition  which  is  evil,  not  because  it  tends  to  the
gratification  of  some  particular  desire  to  the  disregard  of
the  good,  but  because  itj-gheja  against  moaljrestraint .  in

1  The  term  baseness  has  a  very  wide  range  of  application.  It  is  used
to  express  extreme  moral  degradation  of  every  possible  kind.  Some
faults  are,  in  a  special  way,  counted  base — for  example,  treachery.
