28 May 1805

Evidence

Introd.

Ch. Imbecillity

Among the /those who/ admirers of greyhounds of the Italian race, distinguished from other greyhounds by their smallness, it has been a practice, for the purpose of enhancing that quality which in that instance in the seat of ideal virtue /[...?]/, to don the animal with a narcotic, which by weakening its vital power, and impairing the health of the animal, stunts its growth.

If by any prudent cultivator of the faculties of the human mind /from/, any sinister effect were wished to be produced on the mind of a papel[?] committed to his charge, a more effectual /efficacious/ drug could not be found for him in the whole library pharmacopoeia[?], than a don of the technical jurisprudential system, according to the Roman or English, but more especially according to the English formula: (a bilus[?] made up by the hand of a Coke, a Gilbert or a Blackstone) always understood that it be accompanied with that recommendation /precept/ /instruction/ which, unless something be applied to brush it off adheres to it of course - a recommendation to find it - not like the bush on which St. John fed doubtless in a vision, sweet in the mouth, bitter in the belly but from the lip of the alimentary canal to the bottom, [...?], [...?] and corroborative /instructive/.

He may then read himself at once out of all desire and all capacity and all desire of distinguishing right from wrong, for any other purpose than that of the superior respect due to the latter /that one of those which is/ as being the better customer. He may then learn to swallow and writing[?] as [...?] lies as men do torches, without chewing - to clasp /embrace/ mendacity to /in/ his bosom: /[...?] to [/..?] and [...?] within the to regard truth and utility most [...?] of all [...?] with abhorrence, and join with pious fervour in the prayer for their extirpation from the world.

To look for probity in barbarism, for liberty in tyranny, for wisdom in inexperience.

To look to the grossest absurdity for the most persuasive reason.

The Goddess of lying, marked out for homage under the name of Fiction: --- let him ask himself whether Immorality supported by /an utterance with/ Folly, ever received a more prostrate or securer homage.