JB_045_634.xml

Title: [30 Aug. 1812 Evidence Introd]

Description: 30 Aug. 1812

Evidence Introd

Introd

Ch 15 Preappointed

Obstacles

Law Offices

If it had been in the power of falsehood and absurdity to bring into contempt a system of conduct and discourse having for its support power such as that which has been possessed and exercised by the creators and preservers of Judge-made law, it would long ago have shared the fate of alchemy and judicial astrology. But the irresistible power which it has for its support it has been placed far above the danger of being subjected to contempt by the operation of these or any other causes, and in this privileged state, vice its influence has not only not been diminished but has actually been encreased by that mass of falsehood and nonsense by which the credit of any system not thus supported by power would have been utterly destroyed.

What must be the power of that workman who has tools that can never be out of order? ne set of workmen, and one only was ever known that was thus fortunate; and his seat is in the Westminster Hall benches.

049-140.xml

Title: [19 July 1805 Evidence Introd]

Description: 19 July 1805

Evidence

Introd. Jurisprudent

Ch

In every branch of science /genuine astronomy, mechanicks, mathematicks, chemistry, medicine/ whatever difficulty there is /is to be found/ lies in the science itself. It is the work of nature, not of art: at least not of art directed to that purpose. The difficulty lies /has its seat/ in the ideas themselves that form the matter of a science. From want of skill on the part of the cultivator, that difficulty may indeed receive encrease: but when every thing has been done that can be done towards moving all such difficulties have been done, still the science will have its difficulties.

As the human mind of man gains nourishment and strength, every genuine branch of science receives its encrease: and so long as man and man, the progression seems destined to go on without end. But jurisprudence? No sooner has the mind of man attained a certain pitch of strength, strength sufficient to compleat a work already begun, and the compliance of which is at all times in its power, the science instead of being proportionably enlarged and improved vanished altogether. It vanishes not only from the mind, but even from the duties of all men except a few collectors of curiosities[?], in whose eyes rarety gives a value to objects which have lost every other /from which every other value has evaporated/. It vanishes from earth, and takes its seat in air /in the moon/ /in the land of dreams/, along with school logic, polemical theology, alchemy, and judicial astrology.

Psalmanazur, having composed /forged/ /fabricated/ a sham language and /published/ altered it as genuine, poured forth his soul to the public in shame and contrition before he died. Yet in Psalmanazar's imposture every thing was innocent: intention, motive, consequences, every thing. What tears ever flowed from the imposture of Psalmanazar?[?]

When will tears cease to flow, to flow in torrents, from the impostures of jurisprudence? Then and not till then when the current of jurisprudence has ceased itself to flow.

049-139.xml

Title: [5 July 1805 Evidence Introd]

Description: 5 July 1805

Evidence

Introd. Jursiprudent

Ch. II. Vices

Inanity of Jurisprudence, considered as a science - matter not of true honour, of how as it ought to be - /but of shame./

Science of legislation, yes. But as to science of law - of jurisprudence, of law as it is, to any man who considers it with reference to the true /legitimate/ ends of law /government/, far from being an object of boast /glory/, of admiration, it can never present itself in any other light than that of grief and shame.

It is a science formed by fools and by imposture, and preserved by negligence.

In proportion as legislation advances, jurisprudence gives way and vanished /disappears/ like an unclean spirit under the wand of the magician, it vanishes at the touch of the septre.

To what circumstance is this wretched perversion of language indebted for the name and what it has of the properties of science?

Jurisprudence what has it of the properties of science? - difficulty. This difficulty what is the effect of it? to render this part of the language so much the more unfit /less suitable/ to the purposes of language. And what the cause on the part of those who made it what it is what is the cause? Imposture or imbecility: there is no other alternative.

A science which begins in vice or pity and /has vice and foolishness for the root, and knows misery/ ends in misery! A science, for the fruit of it which in proportion as men do their duty, vanishers /shrinks and gives way/; and while as soon as men have done at any time what is in their power at all times, as soon men have prevailed upon premonition[?] to treat their fellow creatures as men, instead of treating men like dogs - will have vanished altogether.

At this time of day what men of common sense and common honestly would not spurn /reject/ /willingly be through/ with indignation the imputation of being thought to value himself as his /the/ being an adept in judicial astrology? /alchemy or the flash language?/