date

[clxii. 167] 1820 May 20 Emancipation
[clxii. 167]

1820 May 20

Emancipation Spanish

'. 7 Rulers gainers

'. 4 Rulers gainers

10. Factitious dignity

+ note distinction between hereditary and non-hereditary begin with hereditary, an abuse upon an abuse. In some instances it is combined with money or power, or both: in others it has place in a separate state.

With truth - with strict and incontestable truth may this association be termed an unhappy one. It is a most mischievous one. By being a succedaneum, it is a substitute, and by being a substitute /this instrument if factitious and spurious/ an instrument of exclusion a bar operating to the exclusion of natural genius and real dignity. It is a /an efficient/ cause of whatsoever qualities in human conduct stand opposite to such natural real dignity: it operates as a reward, a premium, a bounty upon the possession and manifestation of those pernicious qualities, it operates as an inducement to a man to cherish and nourish in himself these pernicious qualities to the exclusion of the opposite useful ones

Those useful ones are not capable of being manifested and possessed without self sacrifice of personal interest, sacrifice of the interest of the moment at least, to an amount more or less considerable. But for that which a man /he/ is in possession of or can obtain without sacrifice, man does not make sacrifice Instruments of factitious dignity - titles of honour the man who possesses possesses in every instance without sacrifice. +

As it is an instrument of injury to all other men /men together/ in their collective capacity so is it to each man in proportion in his individual capacity. Of two boys see-sawing upon a board, the one can not rise but in proportion as another /the other/ is depressed. Of two men sitting together in an assembly room the one with the title can not be more respected but in proportion as the other without the title is less respected.
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  • Title: [[clxii. 166] 1820 May 20 Emancipation]
    Description: [clxii. 166]

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    To factitious may therefore be added spurious and [ ...]

    The association why states unhappy degree of such dignity It is a [...?] in the case of corrupters against the people.

    10. Profit in the shape of factitious dignity: i.e. of esteem, respect, honour, and reputation extracted by means of factitious dignity.

    Of Dignity in Latin dignitas, the literal translation in Englsih is worth. But factitious dignity in all its shapes may have place without worth in any shape

    What is called Natural dignity of character is possessed by /ascribed to/ man in virtue of /proportion to/ the opinion entertained by others of his /some/ superiority on his part over the /others/ general /average/ run of men in respect of those qualities by the contemplation of which the sentiments in question /as existing //having place// in the possession/ the sentiment of or affection designated /denoted/ by the word,

    esteem and respect, and others of kindred signification are called forth and pointed towards him /their object/ in such sort that he is the object of them: and the degree of it is in proportion to the degree of the qualities so ascribed.

    Dignity is worth, real or supposed, in these shapes in which it is productive of respect towards the person in question[?] at the [...?] hands of others independly of any mark set upon him by the Monarch or other rulers of the country for the purpose of causing such sentiments to be entertained towards /in relation/ him.

    In so far as the principle of utility is on this occasion taken for the guide, the natural dignity of a man's character would be in proportion to the degree in which he abstains from doing evil /deprave[?] amnyone/ preponderant evil to others and the degree in which he contributes to general felicity but in some way /such a degree/ which is either particular to himself or in which he has but few to share with him

    But though this principle is received and acted upon /taken for a guide/ to a considerable extent, and to a certain extent can not fail to be so, yet to this general rule, phantasia /fancy/ and prejudice have every where had the effect of producing but too many and too important exceptions.

    But by means of an association of ideas, naturally and even unavoidably but very unhappily stands established, these same sentiments, so beneficial to him who is the object of them, are excited by /are less capable of being and in use apt to be/ and pointed to a set /description/ of persons by whom no one of those qualities is in any degree possessed.

    The sort of instrument by which this association is established, is stiled a title of honour.

    In various countries this instrument may[?] be seen establishing itself in various shapes

     Exemplify this in England and Spain
  • Title: [[clxii. 178] 1820 May 23 Emancipation]
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    '. 7. Rulers gainers

    '. 4 Rulers gainers

    Factitous dignity

    [...?] of parasite[?] Lord Wellington, of despotism, Lord Banks.

    To deprive men of these titles to /efficient causes of/ respect spurious as they are would be a harsh measure, and what is more not a possible one. Of power a man may be deprived: but of factitious dignity - and in particular of factitious dignity manufactured by this instrument, a man can not be deprived. Events that have had place you can not cause not to have had place: a man who instead of a Mister [...? [...?] with his surname after it has been in use to be spoken to by a Sir with his /a/ Christian name after it you can not cause him not to have been so spoken to

    But though in a direct way /mode/ this could not be done there is an indirect way /mode/ in which it might be done. Only by means of being an evidence /a cause/ of distinction, an attribute /a possession/ peculiar to a certain class of man Take away the distinction, you take away the factitious dignity: you have the possession of it a possession of no greater nor other quantity of respect than what his conduct and character suffice of themselves to cover /invest/ him with. /bestow upon him./ In England if all men[?] past and future were created baronets, there would be an end of baronetcy. In England, or In Spain if all men present and future were rendered Dukes, there would be an end of Dukedoms If all men were created Grandees of the first class there would be an end of Grandeeships of the first class. But the enoblement[?] it would be necessary should cover the whole field: otherwise what was taken from the class abolished /extinguished/ would be left and given to the classes not abolished and the people at large would be none the better for the change. If all men were made Grandees of the first class and the Grandeeship of the first class thus abolished, the Grandees of the second class would take their place. And this second state of the country would not be better than the first.
  • Title: [1820 Feb. 17 Radicalism not dangerous]
    Description: 1820 Feb. 17

    Radicalism not dangerous

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    Instruments of felicity

    3. Factitious Dignity its evil effects

    6

    In this case the least bad purpose and effect that can /could/ belong to it would be - its being bestowed upon no other individuals than the companions and instruments of the private pleasures of the Prince /Monarch and his family/: to buts[?], buffoons and procurers, and no others: indeed could its application be attached exclusively to such characters its effect would be nearly harmless.

    But the serious bad purpose and effect belonging to it is the application made of it in the character of an instrument of corruption.

    In the case /situation/ of a Duke were it possible for a member of the aristocracy in that highest or any other order of it to become with zeal and sincerity a supporter of the cause of the subject many /people/, an instrument of factitious dignity with a visible symbol to it in the shape of a blue ribbon would be sufficient /suffice/ to draw him off and render him an adversary to that cause and when a man has not as yet a place in the aristocratic body, an instrument of factitious dignity without any such visible symbol - a mere name such as a barronetcy or even a knighthood /hereditary or even non-hereditary/, is continually productive of the same effect.

    Money and power are the bones and muscles of the body politic: factitious dignity in all its shapes is but a wen upon the neck of it.