24 Jan y 1810

Parl y. Reform

Ch. 9 Seat Given

'.2.

2

To draw off attention /the battle/ from realities, the artificer of Venus has been resorted to, a number of /divers/ phantoms have been set up /presented/ in the character of serious evils: thus comes the necessity /hence the task/ of shewing that they are phantoms.

In this case what we see is a man /an individual/ who to obtain a seat in parliament /the House of Commons/ has placed himself for and during his continuance in that situation in a state of dependence under some other individual to whom he is indebted for it. But in the state of things thus produced no mischief worth regarding could be upon an enquiry made without /not exposed to misguidance by/ any personal interest, be discovered. I who derive no advantage from this state of things can not perceive in it any mischief worth regarding: any such self inculpative perception with /on/ degree /ground/ of reason can I ascribe it to a person whose eyes even if there were any mischief in the case would so naturally be closed against /turned aside from/ it.

I do not see any thing wrong in it: how can I suppose that he does. Doing as he does, he has no conception of his doing anything wrong: even admitting thus what can not be admitted /is he [...?] to be/, that there is something wrong, and in that respect that there exists a corresponding spot in the intellectual part of his frame, yet to the moral part which alone is here in question it extends not.