125_038.xml

Title: [5 June 1810 §.3 Influence Ch]

Description: 5 June 1810 §.3

Influence

Ch. Influence on[?] understanding

2

Of understanding in one case it[?] were[?] innoxious not fit to be prohibit

Of any[?] influence of passions, or imagination or fallacious arguments, noxious but less[?] prohibitable.

Considered with reference to that part of the mental forum on which it exercises itself, influence, on or by whomsoever exercised, is distinguishable into two primary modifications - influence of will on will, and influence of understanding on understanding.

That in the case where the faculty immediately operated upon is the understanding and that alone - {the will of the party not being operated upon otherwise than through the medium of the understanding -} the species of influence exercised can not in any case be rightly considered as undue - is another proposition which when once stated and clearly explained no man will it is supposed feel any inclination to dispute. For in this way it is and no other that the influence of reason exercises itself, it is in this way and no other that in the intercourse between one mind and another, the operation called reasoning is performed: so that of such influence to say that it is essentially undue would be to say that in the intercourse between mind and mind the use of reason, and the operation of reasoning are undue.

When it is upon understanding merely that influence operates, it is by understanding merely that it is exercised.

In like manner when it is upon

will merely that influence is exercised, it is by will merely that it is exercised.

125_040.xml

Title: [6 June 1810 §.3 Influence Ch]

Description: 6 June 1810 §.3

Influence

Ch. Influence undue & not

§.3. Influence where proper

4

But in the case in which it is by understanding as well as upon understanding that the influence is exercised, are there not (it may be asked) cases in which the influence is with propriety termed undue? In arguments[?] - the reasons that are employed - suppose it to be to the imagination merely, to the passions merely that they are addressed: or if to the judgment - suppose them to be all of them of a fallacious or deceptitious nature and tendency - of the class of reasonings /arguments/ called sophisms or fallacies? among /of/ all these is there any one which exercised or endeavoured to be exercised upon the understanding by the understanding is not undue?

My answer is - that in these cases to say that the influence exercised is undue is an expression to which the imputation of impropriety could hardly be attributed /affixed/. But in this case to avoid ambiguity, the better way seems to be, in speaking of the influence - not to say that it is undue, but that it is proper influence - influence of a proper species, unduly exercised, exercised in an undue manner.  Add matter influential matter, not undue being matter operating not immediately on the will.

Be this as it may, the practical use of the distinction is this. Influence of understanding over understanding, even when unduly exercised as above, can only to a theoretical purpose be termed undue: it is only the influence of will over will that to a practical purpose can generally speaking at least, be termed undue. Influence of will over will is, when unduly exerted, capable of being repressed by legal prohibition, enforced by penal inflictions: nor is there any body that in such a case would be inclined to object to the use of these.

125_037.xml

Title: [5[?] June 1810 + § Influence]

Description: 5[?] June 1810 + §

Influence

Ch. 1. Influence on[?] understanding

1

§. 2 or 3. Species of influence never undue - influence of understanding over understanding

We shall presently have to consider /speak/ of two theories or systems to one or other of which may be referred every opinion that has been or can be entertained on the subject of influence; I mean always considered as exercised on persons in occupying either of the two situations here in question viz. that of member of parl t. or Parliamentary Elector.

But before we entertain upon any such consideration, it may be of use, were it only for the prospect[?] of clearing the question of it, to speak of one modification of influence, {and that a very operative and extensive one /very extensively applied/} the exercise of which can not although applied to the situations here in question, both or either of them, be according to /under/ any theory or system, by a person of any party, objected to or considered as undue.