29 Aug 1804

Evidence

Circumstantial

Ch. 1 Gen. [...?]

§§.2. Practical use

§§.2. Practical uses of the dispositions, relative to circumstantial evidence

Speculative discussions, which lead to no practical conclusion may truly be said to be of no use /termed useless/: suppose them useless, the time and labour consumed /employed/ about them, as well in the character of the writer[?], as in that of a reader, are[?] so much value thrown away. Among the ensuing discussions, there are several to the close conception of which no inconsiderable portion /[...?]/ of attention may be found necessary. For on this subject much indistinctness having hitherto provided[?] /obtained/ in mens /the current/ ideas and consequently in their /the current/ language, or /and/ é converso in language, and consequently in their ideas, the demand for the /and utility of the/ practical measures recommended could not have been understood without a considerable quantity of speculative matter in the form of definition, distinction and other modes of explanation.