18 June 1811

Parl. Reform

On S.C. N o 3

3

M r S.C. is so perfectly at his ease, that if between him and me any expence /disbursement/ be incurred in the article of thought, I fear it must lie the whole of it or thereabouts upon me. In support of /For the approbation bestowed by law upon/ this moderate plan the only reason I can find, is - that he is not averse to it. Upon this same moderate plan my disapprobation /disapproval/ is all I can find to /what I can not but/ bestow: but for the grounds and reasons of this disapprobation I am not a loss I have not far to caste.

Expressed in the simplest terms My reason is that, if in any degree, it will not in any considerable degree put the House /the body in question/ in possession of the stock of endowments in question in any greater degree than at present.

In favour of this reform plan of his, thus it is that I am unable to find any thing that seems destined to serve in the character of a reason. But what comes it must be confessed to about /nearly/ the same thing in favour of non-reform I have succeeded in glancing[?] a loose observation or two, the object of which as far as they can be said to have any, seems to be that of their arriving in that character.

The case is, that the worthy gentleman, such is his good fortune is extremely /altogether/ well satisfied with things exactly as they are: and if they were but as he supposes them to be than[?] enough, he would have more reason to be satisfied with them, than as it seems to me /in my view of the matter/ he has at present.