June 1805

Evidence

Introd.

Ch. Means

' 5. Weaker reason

Section 5. 4. Weakening man's reasoning faculties

In law, as in religion and government, the importance of this object[?] of policy is too obvious to stand in need of explanation. Strong and weak are relative terms. The strength on the one part, is as the weakness on the other. The weakness of the lay-devotee is the strength of the priest. The weakness of Louis the XIIIth was the strength of Richelieu: the weakness of Louis the XIV was the strength of Mazarin. Of the Duc de Mont[?] the Governor of one of the [...?], it was fairly said by Fontanelli, [...?] [...?] not a day but what he strove more and more to render himself unnecessary. The praise seems to have been merited: but Mont[?] was not to be depository of his [...?] power, nor ever looked to be.

The congruity of this object in the character of a subordinate end being thus not of dispute, what remains for notice[?] are the means.

The three preceding maxims /laws of policy/ are all subservient to this one. In addition to their respective particular uses, this use is common to them all. Keep the rule of action in the dark, discourage criticisms, promote blind admiration, be the subject what it may, what recipes can contribute more powerful towards producing the requisite object, producing a general prostration of strength in the patient the destined victim - the public mind?

There remain two other medicaments of policy that have not yet been mentioned. 1. Inculcate in the mind of the pupil a blind reverence for antiquity in general: - for law, jurisprudential law not merely as the work of lawyers, but as the work of ancient lawyers. 2. Ply him with false wit: the particular species of false wit invented by lawyer craft for the lawyers. For though wit, true or false, is not argument, is not reason, either it may serve as a cloak to bad reason, or a substitute to good, and in either way /both may/ be conducive to the purpose.