1819 Aug. 24
Fallacies
Preface
4 Offer to disapprovers
If there be any men whose wish it is not to be deceived[?] in any part of that all-comprehensive field, in the eyes of every such man the tendency is any which the work has to prevent him from /preserve him from/ being deceived by such deceptive arguments as have for their object the prejudicing him against /causing him to entertain an unfavourable opinion of/ parliamentary reform, will not afford a reason for regarding it with disapprobation - much less for shutting their eyes and ears against it. -
If on the other hand there be any men by whom a /an original/ determination has /having/ been formed to pursue, without any the smallest regard to the interest of the whole community or of any individual not comprized within his own circle, each man his own private interest, and in pursuance of that original and primary determination, to embarce and adhere to every error by which that object appears to him to be promoted, and for that purpose throughout the whole of the field in question to be or to appear to be deceived in the instance of every such man every thing that could be urged with a view of engaging him to promote the discovery of useful truth in whatever part of the field it is to be found, and to detect and put aside error, will /must/ of course must course /will of necessity/ be unavailing, and the labour bestowed /thus employed/ on the endeavour by expended in waste
Among the persons to whom the following invitation is given, to no such person accordingly can it be understood to be addressed
1819 Aug. 24
Fallacies
Preface
5
. | | Offer to disapprovers
On this as on every other part of the field of thought and action, my wish has been to see that useful truth - on whichever side it may be of any controversy of which it may have happened to be the subject - may prevail: I say useful truth: for, of /for/ no truth except in so far as in may eyes it is useful have I any care. My wish is /Such is my wish/ that it may prevail - and so far as my endeavours have ever employed themselves my endeavours have been to cause it so to do. In pursuit of this endeavour as to what regards /so far as regards/ the subject of this work, the offer and invitation I give is this.
If in opposition to the claim /hope/ of usefulness: in prejudice of the conduciveness of this work to the purposes of truth and utility, by any sincere reader, whether in the character of disapprover of parliamentary reform or in any other it may be regarded as in itself justly chargeable with a deceptious tendency this tendency will have its source ether in some misstatement /error/ in something or other that is said on the subject /under the head/ of one or more of the alleged fallacies, or in the omission of some argument which being reallt fallacious is want to be, or is capable of being employed with effect on the other /opposite/ side: some fallacious argument for example which is in use or likely to be in use to be employed in favour of parliamentary reform or in some other way on the side of the interest real or supposed, of the greatest number of the members of the community whatever it be.
1819 Aug. 24
Fallacies
Preface
6
. Offer to disapprovers
This /Thus much/ being promised - to the correctionod error in so far as it may be pound liable to be produced by this my work I hereby declare myself ready to contribute in so far as shall be in my own power, and at the same time suitable to the nature of the case.
If on the part of the opponent the course preferred and accordingly pursued be the composition of an entire work having for its alleged object the counteracting the alleged mischevious tendency of this my work, I see not very well in what way any thing I could do could ve contributory to such a design, but whatever it may be in my power to do, consistently with sincerity shall be done. In its design It has already my approbation - this my declared approbation - and in so far as the design may be favourable to truth and public utility my wish for its success: and whatever opportunity if any may present itself of promoting the circulation of it, that opportunity shall not remain unimproved.
All this, taken at its utmost can be but a small matter. If in any considerable degree any thing that can be done by me in pursuance of the design in question can be contributory to the success of it, it must be what follows.
1819 Aug. 24
Fallacies
Preface
7
. Offer to disapprovers
To the circulation of any such censure as would not otherwise be[?] the light, it might be in my power to be contributory; namely by adding /subjoining/ it to my own to this work of men which by the supposition it would have for its subject/
An undertaking To give this sort of reception to any mass of matter without regard either to quantity or quality will not be expected. But supposing that, in bulk, comparison has[?] with this work of mine it do not exceed one third, if either in respect /on the score/ of merit without regard to name, or /if desired/ on the score of name without regard for merit it shall in my eyes appear to have a claim to regard from the public eye I will in any and every future addition cause the whole or an abstract of it to be subjoined.
So likewise, in the event of the publication any separate work having this for its object /of the nature in question/, I will make some mention of it, and at any rate, thus give /in this way/ indication of its existence.
As to the temper in which it is written, this, though it should in ever so high a degree be hostile, will not contribute in any degree towards the endeavour or so much as a wish on my part for the suppression of it. If the author will be at the pains of pushing out and sending to me a list of what to him appears the severest passages, mention of them shall be made by me - if not by repirnting, at any rate by reference, should there be any thing in them that whether in the way of injustice to myself or in any other way is improper, it is not at my door that the reproach will be.
1819 Aug. 24
Fallacies
Preface
Offer? sequel or before it?
If whether take /,| | in its present state, or/ in the state of improvement of which it may be susceptible, or taken in its present state, the tendency of this work is really /by/ by the exposure of deceptious argument in allits shapes to promote the public interest - the interest of the greatest number /best and most comprehensive interest/, its tendency will in proportion be adverse to the interest of those who in that public interest behold an interest to which their own is adverse. In that case /On that supposition/ no endeavour by which any promise is afforded of proving conducive /contrbutory/ to that effect will on their part be spared. The nature of it is not such as, in these times, even in this country suffer themselves to lie prostrate, seems to admitt of entire suppression, by prosecution or injunction. But at the hands of all those who being actuated and governed by that sinister interest possess themselves the conscious knowledge /consciousness/ of the principles by which they are guided, all su[...?]y endeavours as afford any promise of diminishing the circulation of it may be and are looked for with full assurance. It will form an article in their index expurgatorius: and by those writers who scruple not to afford /make public/ that proof of the hostility of their principles to the universal interest which is afforded by the endeavour to prevent man from viewing the most important subjects with any better disposition than[?] a determination to remain /continue/ in the wrong - this[?] publication who for the defence of English Constitution and[?] English Church Government /in Church and State/ recognize the necessity of bearing recourse to the most justly odious pracice of despotism and popery, this instrument of warfare will of course be employed against this his endeavour in the service of his fellow-
men
men, with the same energy as that with which against other endeavours of his they have already been employed. Touch not, handle not. By this text, different as was the occasion in which it was first employed, the nature of the advice in question, stands appropriately[?] enough expressed.
1819 Aug. 10
Fallacies
Preface or Generalia
That this work is but a Parliamentary Reform worth in disguise, and that therefore in profession it is so extensive in design it is thus narrow, is an objection to which it will by many an eye be naturallu enough regarded as exposed.
In this observation there is indeed so much truth; that if I recollect aright it was by the contemplation of the subject of Parliamentary Reform, and the pecularity urgent demand for such a work presented by that subject, that the design of undertaking this work was suggested.
But as to the fallacies themselves, finding them in my very earliest youth continually opposed to whatsoever case /arrangements/ newly proposed how unquestionable so ever the utility /usefulness/ of them appeared to me, the notice taken of them was taken long before any such idea as that of parliamentary reform had ever presented itself to my mind.
As to narrowness, even supposing in reagrd to the exposures given of these fallacies, that the applicability of such exposures extended not beyond the subject /field/ of parliamentary reform, with no great degree of propriety could the imputation of narowness be attached to them on that score. For among[?] arrangements that are /would/ in any eminent degree be servicable to the univresal interest, what are they the field of which is not included in that of parliamentary reform? Scarce any: for until parliamentary reform shall take place, nothing of that eminently serviceable sort can reasonably be expected to be done. The ruling few being placed in a state of hostility with the sibject many the interest of the subject many being
in
in every part of the field of political action scarificed to the interest of the ruling few, nothing eminently useful being capable of being done without a co[...?] of a part more or less considerable of that sinister sacrifice that sinister sacrifice not being capable of being diminished nor so much as stopped from continual augmentation /increase/ by any thing but by parliamentary reform, hence it is that on the question of parliamentary reform are involved in a manner all other questions.
1819 Aug. 10 4
Fallacies Preface
4
| |. This and Hamilton
Look at Swift's Directions to Servants, you will find thence indeed, from beginning to end, so many direction for doing mischief. But, of the several practices there brought to view, so palpable and in some oinstance so enormous is the mischief with which they are pregnant, that by no man, who has ever a page of them together could any such supposition be entertained, as that the advice there given was given in any other design, than that of its being interpreted by the rule of contraries. Not so in that work of Gerard Hamilton's. Viewing the deceptious practices so coolly and didactically recommended by him for adoption, we shall find, we shall find them all along undistinguishingly intermixt with a set of other directions, which, if the bulk of the whole mass considered, no great quantity of honed and generally useful information is afforded by them, are at any rate free from that taint of cool political profligacy which in those which are here extracted will be found so conspicuous.
When by Swift advice is given to servants to employ loaves as condlesticks to save wear and tear of brass ones seriousness can not for a moment be suspected: but as little can the opposite of it be suspected, when by Gerard Hamilton (N\T oT\ 429 p. 99) "In order to attack what others have said, or to defend what you have said," you are advised to "either omitt a word or add one; or else change one word for another, a little softer or stronger, as may suit you purpose.
1819 Aug. 11
Fallacies
Preface - Hamilton
1
[I. Misrepresentation - recommended: 1. as to the Subject-matter: viz.
1. as to its Degree
Aphorism 279. Either overrate and aggregate what is asserted against you, and there you will be able to shew that it is not true; or underrate it, and then admit it in a degree, and with an apology.
2. Time.
Aph. 207.
By speaking of events in the order they did not happen, you may change not only the appearance, but the nature of them.
3. Probable consequences.
Aph. 249. When the argument is against you, dwell upon it as shortly as you can with any degree of propriety, and get into a state of the consequences, which you apprehend will follow, from doing, or neglecting to do, the thing recommended: the consequences of every measure being in a degree problematical, you may always suppose that they will be such as it answers the purpose of your argument they should be.
* Editor's Note.
*. An observation somewhat similar occurs, it is believed, in another part of this treatise; and a few other repetitions may be elsewhere found: but seldom without advantage; the precept given being generally placed in a new light. -
II. As to its Purpose, viz. where injurious to Individual opponents.
Aph. 217. By taking only the first and last part of what is said, and passing over the intermediate links which connect them, an argument is made to appear extremely ridiculous.
Aph. 238. It seldom happens but that some one person in a debate asserts something so extravagant, that it is riduclous and untenable. You may easily manage to treat this as the argument of all who have spoken.]
1819 Aug. 11
Fallacies
Preface Hamilton
2
[III. In its different Modes - viz
1. By omission -
1 Aph. 164. If the whole of a question is against you, speak to a part as if it were the whole.
2 Aph. 228. If the principal thing in question is strongly against you, consdier what is the thing of the greatest importance, and the most likely to please, which makes for you. Dwell upon that, and touch the first only slightly. To pass over entirely what is most material, would be too gross. See 9.
3 Aph. 350. Take down the heads of all the weak things said in a debate, and give answers to them; and let the strong things look after themselves.
4 Aph. 366. Another idea of a definition is - an enumeration of the principal attributes of a thing: in this you may enumerate those which answer your purpose, and suppress those which do not:
5 Aph. 168. Do not omit totally, but only throw into the shade the capital circumstances that make against you.
6 Aph. 61. If you have no argument to object to, object to a word. Do not assent to any thing on appearances or on slight grounds, and much less on none.
7 Aph. 465. When it answers your purpose, state the precise points in which all agree; and then recite those only in which you differ. If it suits you, omit any one of these.
2. By omission and false addition.
1 Aph. 94 State as it serves, - that your view ought to be enlarged, and circumstances taken in; or thrown out, and your view narrowed.
2 Aph. 114. By a collection of circumatnes, piece out, or if you can not do that, drop, what is defective; but state clearly to your own mind what is so.
3 Aph. 475. In stating any thing, drop some of the circumstances that are most invidious, but retain enough not to make the fallacy obvious: add likewise others, which if they do not actually, might possibly belong to it. -]
1819 Aug. 11
Fallacies.
Preface - Hamilton
3
[3. By substitution.
1 Aph. 429. In order to attack what others have said, or to defnd what you have said, either omit a word or add one; or else change one word for another, a little softer or stronger, as may suit your purpose.
2 34. Aph. 444. If you can not answer the thing as your adversary states it, see how small an alteration in that statement will enable you to answer it.
4 By Insinuation.
Aph. 254. It has often a finer effect in debate , to insinuate than to assert a thing, and especially in matters of reproach and censure; in which case, it is attended with this advantage, that you are less liable to an attack.
II Candour warned against: Disingenuousness and Sham-Candour recommended.
Aph. 90. It is candid to allow weight in an objection, but not prudent, unless you can afterwards answer it.
Aph. 61. If you have no argument to object to, object to a word. Do not assent to any thing on appearances or on slight grounds, and much less on none.
14. Aph. 243. When the question you are to support is a bad one, be particularly careful to watch till somebody on the other side has put their argument * on a wrong and weak ground (which generally happens,) and them apply what you say, not to the question, but to the argument.
Editor's Note.
*. i.e. the argument of the other side or party.
39. Aph. 526. State with the air of candid admission, as the strongest part of the argument against you what you are sure you can answer.
III. Evasion and Craft recommended.
Aph. 158. You may evade an answer to objections, by raising other objections.
Aph. 69. When you can not resist, then wit, fancy, subtlety, and craft are of service.]