[lxxxiv. 26]

1821 Decr 6.

Codification Proposal

penult

?.5

Lawyers interest

Criminality /Misdeeds/ in every shape, and in particular in their most mischievous shapes, possess /have/ /behold/ in falshood an ever ready instrument. On more accounts than one it is the lawyers interest that particularly in so far as it is an instrument in the hands of injustice, the quantity of falshood should be as great as possible. It is of use to him in the way of profit: by multiplying lawsuits and thence bringing business to his office. It is of use to him in the way of reputation: namely by its tendency to reduce other mens reputation in this particular to a level with his own. Other men practise it incidentally: he, constantly, other men deny it; he (the Advocate as such) professes it. [...?] which he [...?] to be false come into his hands in unumbered multitudes, all of them in so far as any hope of escape from detection presents [?] /has place/, he represents as so many truths.

For a single falshood uttered on the occasion of judication /a lawsuit/ a man who is not a lawyer is punished to [...?...?] Not to speak of advocate: in a certain country the Judge by whom he is punished, is in the habit not only of uttering falshoods on the like occasion but of forcing all suitors on both sides into the mouth and [...?] of suitors. A country may /might/ be named but need not be named in which if falshood be a spot, the most severely punished perjure is an immaculate character in comparison of the judge by whom he has been punished. /one by [...?...?] the [...?]./