29 May 1805

Evidence

Introd.

Ch. Imbecillity

Lay aside the idea of fraud and imposture, in the name of self-interest reasoning that pervades them both you will find that sort and degree that is without a rival assertion[?]: the weakness of babies and sucklings, without all /or the weakness the innocence of childhood without any of the innocence./ Look to evils to work in other branches of science in the same age, no such garbage is to be found. In mechanical in chemical science men make mistakes, but never such mistakes, the organ of reasoning /ratiocination/ may be used with more or less dexterity, but no where is it /the organ/ in itself found in a debilitated or corrupted state. Though [...?] was [...?] A chemist may arrogate to himself the glory of a discovery, which belongs to another by a prior title. But by what chemist was mendacity, when detested in other matter, were regarded with any other eye than that of [...?] and abhorrence /otherwise than with abhorrence/? What chemist was ever imprudent enough or foolish enough to say /to declare/, and that in the face of day that he could not make discoveries, if he were not permitted to tell lies?

Yes: so long as the technical system is permitted to afflict and crush[?] /trample upon/ an otherwise enlightened people so long as they continue to view with patience the most degrading of all chasms, those which instance /bind/ /cramp/ the will through the evidence[?] of the understanding, the mind of the lawyer will be composed of the dregs of all other minds. /remain no better than the dregs of other minds./

Religion excepted, jurisprudence is the only science - pretended science, in which the use of reason is /was/ /continues to be/ openly discountenanced, in which the adherence to unkind barbarism has been commanded /[...?]/ as a duty: in which the privilege of thinking for one's self has been made the object of monopoly for the benefit of dead men /in the hands of those that are no more/.

Let a man make discoveries in mathematics, the more important his discovery, the surer he may make himself of the applause, and admiration[?] of the most minimal[?] among mathematicians. Let him make discoveries in legislation the source[?] he may make himself of the affected disdain and real hatred and affected contempt /disdain/ of the dignitaries of the law.