date

[xxxvi. 11] 1821. April 26.
[xxxvi. 11]

1821. April 26.

First Lines

Constitutional Finance?

While the eulogies of Virgil and Horace were rewarded with lavish hand, Ovid for this or that little bed-chamber anecdote was sent to pine in exile. If the quantity of virtue exercised /practised/ were to be measured by the quantity of vitue attributed, the most selfish and hard hearted of tyrants would be the most virtuous of philanthropists. Where profusion alone, and without cruelty, marks the character of the Despot, gratitude and hope and the only brokers the exertions of which will be occupied in the filling the cornucopia of praise: where to the influence of those agents that of fear is added, priase extorted from enemies will add itself to the praise poured in by friends.

In the eyes of the undiscerning and unscrutinizing multitude, it may now be seen how impossible it is that receipt of praise should fail of being considered as conclusive evidence of merit, virtue, excellence - whatsoever be the name of the fictitious entity created by praise to represent the subject which it undertakes to decorate /magnify/, - whether it be merit for example, or virtue or excellence - thus it is that in proportion to the quantity possessed by any man of this efficient cause and title to praise of wealth seen or supposed to be possessed by a man - of wealth though neither power nor factitious dignity were seen in the possession of the same hands, the quantity of this factitious entity supposed on that account or said to be also in his possession, thus merit, virtue, excellence, whatever be its name, will be encreased: on the part of those by whom any of those tokens of wealth by the appearance of which the existence and possession of it are generally regarded as being proved, thus it is that an opinion will really be entertained that, in the composition of his mind, a proportionably pre-eminent quantity of this admirable and admired quality by whatever name it may be stiled, will be to be found.
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    2

    2

    An entity, whether perceptible or inferential, is either real or fictitious.

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    A fictitious entity is an entity to which, though by the grammatical form of the discourse employed in speaking of it, existence be ascribed, yet in truth and reality existence is not meant to be ascribed.

    Every noun substantive which is not the name of a real entity, perceptible or inferential, is the name of a fictitious entity.

    Every fictitious entity bears some relation to some real entity, and can no otherwise be understood than in so far as that relation is perceived, - a conception of that relation is obtained.

    Reckoning from the real entity to which it bears relation, a fictitious entity may be styled a fictitious entity of the first remove, a fictitious entity of the second remove, and so on.

    A fictitious entity of the first remove is a fictitious entity, a conception of which may be obtained by the consideration of the relation borne by it to a real entity, without need of considering the relation borne by it to any other fictitious entity.

    A fictitious entity of the second remove is a fictitious entity, for obtaining a conception of which it is necessary to take into consideration some fictitious entity of the first remove.

    11