date

1818 Dec. 23 Parl Dialogue
1818 Dec. 23

Parl

Dialogue

Prel

Evils & Remedies

I Evils

29

10

Reformist. Evils in fact – evils in tendency only, and therefore not yet, if at all,

in fact. Another division, by your leave, and that too an exhaustive one.

Anti-Reformist. If you keep on exhausting much longer, I will tell you of one thing

that you will exhaust without intending it more than you could wish to do /exhaust/ -

and that is my patience. Well, there is a distinction between facts and tendencies

/facts and tendencies are not exactly the same thing/, every body knows that: But

where is the use of it.

Reformist. {A little} patience and you will see what a quantity of useless

complication it will serve to exclude. You are not fond complication are you?

Anti-Reformist. No, I hate it mortally. The more complication on one point, the more

attention requisite /necessary/ on the other. Attention I leave to those who are paid

for it: unless it be to a song, a poem, or a good novel: for that makes a difference.

Reformist. What will /would/ you say, if I leave the door of the hustings open to

madmen and to peers of the realm /peers and bishops/, all upon the strength of this

distinction?

Anti-Reformist. I should /shall/ say that you yourself are mad.

Reformist. We shall see.

Anti-Reformist. We are still in the clouds. One of these days /Some time or other/ I

hope, we shall land on terra firma.
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    or a novel, so as it is not /but it must not be/ a long one

    Reformist. Well: what think of you of Peers and Bishops?

    Anti-Reformist. {What is this I hear?} /Peers and Bishops?/ What? Destroy the

    balance? Destroy the Constitution? {Violate that fundamental principle, consecrated

    by the ever memorable Resolve of the House of Commons? – Heavens! Who am I talking

    to? why surely you are an aristocrat, a rank /Tory/ aristocrat – in disguise?}

    Reformist. See what it is to have a delicate conscience. Well now. Peers, say | |:

    Bishops, say | |: Votes in one Election District, say 4000. All these suppose

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    district? Yet, now that by the Peers alone, out of the 648 seats | | more or less are

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    Anti-Reformist. Come, we have had enough of this /Enough enough/. Come. I should

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    Anti-Reformist. By me it shall not. Well now, if you have found logic, have not I

    found patience?

    Reformist. Indeed have you, and beyond all expectation.

    Anti-Reformist. Good: but now is the time for the virtue to have its reward. If I

    endured your evils, it was in hope of coming to the remedies.

    Reformist. These you shall have I shall not grudge them to you. But this same logic:

    /which/ you have swallowed it indeed most /so/ heroically: let us see whether you

    have digested it.

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    for: patience, yes: hard labour, not.

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    Anti-Reformist. So much for your uncharacteristic Election evils: Now for your

    characteristic ones.

    Reformist. A little patience, and you shall have names as familiar to you as {any

    of} those others. But first you must allow me a division or two, or if you please a

    distinction or two.

    Anti-Reformist. To be sure I must /Oh yes, any thing you please/. But then you on

    your part you must allow me to yawn if I cant help it, or to take my hat up and walk

    off.

    Reformist. {Both are always in your power.} /I see you have a mind /an inclin/ to be

    in the fashion. You have been lately I suspect/ There is a great red house, in which

    if you attempt to distinguish any one thing from any other, or to make any use of the

    numeration table, every body leaves /runs out of/ the room that instant But to

    proceed. You admitt /There is nothing very alarming to you/ the distinction between

    the public and individuals.

    Anti-Reformist. Not much: although individuals, if I am not mistaken are the matter

    /stuff/ of which the public was made.

    Reformist. Well then, if it should turn out that by such and such individual, would

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    sufficient to constitute an evil – an Election evil – although it should not appear

    that by the cause in question evil in any other shape would attach upon the public at

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    Anti-Reformist. To be sure I will /No objection do I see/.

    {Reformist. Evils hurtful to the public only, evils hurtful to individuals only,

    evils hurtful to the public and to individuals together – /in/ this division you see

    is /I have/ an exhaustive one.}

    {Anti-Reformist. Oh yes: much good may it do you with it:}