1818 Sept. 6.

Things as they are

§. Best why last

3

Not so /Far otherwise/ in an age where printing still less where letters are unknown. By word of mouth alone for all purposes in general, in particular for the purpose of command and obedience command for the benefit and to the pleasure /comfort/ of the one, obedience at the charge and to the torment of the many that out of /beyond/ the arch of personal and continued intercourse government can not maintain itself.

On the conquest made of England by the Norman bastard, the Commander in chief, being at the moment of victory the despot, found at his disposal the whole of the land with every person and every thing that was upon it. But to enjoy and even to take possession of the fruit of their several parts in the fruit of the victory, it was necessary that between the chief, on the one hand and his several immediate subordinates on the other a separation should take place. Beyond the limits of the possible field of his observation and inspection his power could avail him nothing. By /In/ the unsurmountable impotence which took place beyond the limits of the field one limit was set to the extent of the particular domain /portion reserved for his particular use/, how vast so ever in comparison of every other: in /by/ the cravings of his brethren in arms the chiefs whose power was subordinate to his another necessary cause of limitation manifested itself.

When /No sooner did/ the dispersion No sooner had the dispersion taken place than the habit of general and constant obedience ceased: only when and for so long time and to such extent as the dispersion gave way to reunion, did was the habit of obedience removed. But even when renewed it was not in its original strength but in a state of comparative weakness that it was renewed: the longer the cessation the greater the diminution of its force.