date

1819 Aug. 17 15 Fallacies Ch. |
1819 Aug. 17 15

Fallacies Ch. | | Logical HighFlyers

9 Influence

Mention has been made of a case in which the cloak may be termed a special one: it is the more special, the more exactly it fits to the foul spot to the abuse. As the looseness of the cloak has its advantages, so has the close-fittingness: the looser the greater in number and extent the foul-spots, the abuses, for which it may be made a cover: but the closer to shape, the less the suspicion excited by the use of it.

An instance of this sort of special cloak is afforded by the thing called corruption - parliamentary corruption - and the word - the so commonly useful word - influence. How decorous! how graceful! how every way becoming - the cloak made out of it! /which it affords!/
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    Description: 1819 Aug. 15 9

    Fallacies Ch | | Logical Highfliers

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    In all these several cases two objects may be distinguished: one which may be termed the foul spot; namely, according to the extent of it, abuse in this or that particular shape, or the whole system of abuse: the other, the cloak: the cloudy appellative employed as a cloak or cover for the abuse.

    As to the foul spot it may be determinate and thence apparent, or indeterminate, and thence unapparent and undistinguishable.

    So accordingly, on the other hand the cloak may be either a general or a special one: a general one, applying to abuse in all its forms; a special one, applying to abuse in this or that particular form, more particularly or even exclusively with reference to all others.

    For example, turn to the above list. For cloaks, you will see, the words Government, Law, Constitution (meaning the English Constitution) English Institutions, Forms, Order, alias Good Order and Social Order, Religion. Among the works of Government are all the good arrangements that can be seen any where established; as /so/ likewise /and along[?] with them/ all the bad ones. By the undiscriminating eulogy bestowed on Government, the word Government is made or endeavoured to be made, to serve as a cloak to the bad ones: and no sooner does a man bring to view any of the badness of any of the bad ones, than he becomes an enemy to Government.

    Among the works of Law in like manner are all the good laws that can be seen any where established, so likewise all the bad ones: here then are laws another cloak for the bad ones: and another of the sacred things to which the reformist is an enemy.
  • Title: [1819 Aug. 13 ult Fallacy Ch | | Logical]
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    1. Exposition

    O/I/n all these occasions /instances,/ including not only these three appellatives, but the four appellatives brought to view in the first instance, two objects, bearing to each other the sort of relation designated /expressible/ by the words the foul spot, and the cover, may be distinguished /may be observed/ nearer to, and the cover, or to use the common proverb the cap being such as fits the foul place more exactly than in those others.

    1. Influence it is that affords the instance by which this exactness of fitting seems most plainly to be exemplified.

    Foul spot, corruption: corruption considered whether in it applications by the Monarch to the so styled Representatives of the people, or by persons, endeavouring to place themselves among those Representatives, to any of the small number of individuals among the people who in the appointment of these Representatives are admitted to act in the character of representatives: corruption, including that particular mode of it which stands distinguished /prominent/ under the name of bribery: corruption, not to speak of that mode of seduction which though as yet so much less noticed is so much more mischievous than the foulest of every thing to which the name of corruption has ever been applied. Foul spot, say the corruption: cover or cap, influence

    Influence is then distinguishable into legitimate and illegitimate or sinister. Legitimate influence is influence of understanding on understanding in all cases: influence moreover of will on will in other cases nut not in this: influence on all those cases in which power of which influence is a modification and that generally speaking /on the whole/ a milder /softer/ one, but not in

    this. this.
  • Title: [1819 Aug. 17 Fallacies 1 Forms]
    Description: 1819 Aug. 17

    Fallacies 1 Forms

    [4 Forms.]

    Forms. Another very convenient cloak for abuse and misgovernment - for foul spots of all sorts and sizes - is presented by the word forms - by the nebulosity of the word forms. /: a very paragon of nebulosity./

    By forms are meant either operations of government or instruments of government meaning written instruments, produced by correspondent operations: the living instruments of government - the members of the appropriate part of the Official Establishment being, in both cases, the operators.

    Now among these operations, productive or not /some productive, some not/ of corresponent instruments, there have doubtless been some good: but moreover, unless the official persons in question have been absolutely infllible and impeccable, some bad. It is required to reconcile men to the bad: to cause them to be regarded as good: this is the problem, how shall this problem /it/ be solved?

    Tale the individual operattion itself, and apply laud[?] to it, the danger is that the laud will not stick; and the more palpably undeserving of laud the operations is - in other words the more palpably deserving of reproach in a word the more palpably mischevious - the greater the difficulty of making /getting/ it to stick.