1818 Dec. 30

Parl

Dialogue

Prelim

II. Remedies

Miselection

Election

Females

2

Inserendumae[?]?

Anti-Reformist. As to that laugh, you speak as if /one would think/ you were not

aware of more than one half of what caused it /gave birth to it/ /the cause/ - the

other half was the word consistency. If you knew the world

a little better than you do you might know that in that honourable house there is not

a quality that makes a man more thoroughly ridiculous.

Reformist. Small as is my knowledge in that way it has served me to know that.

In that honourable Assembly, not to speak of one still more thoroughly honourable,

one standard of right and wrong is acknowledged and that is custom. So long as they are used to it, especially if they are used to make

a profit by it, nothing /no practice/ is so /howsoever/ atrocious ever exciting their

disapprobation: if indifferent to their interest they regard it with indifference /it

is matter of indifference to them/, if subservient to their interest or regarded

/supposed/ as being so it is dear to them they support /applaud/ and cling to it

oppression, extortion, depredation homicide so it be upon a large scale, and the

larger the more honourable in their eyes. If it be adverse to that sinister interest

it is then of course odious to them: and it being odious, in proportion as it is

odious odious to them is their endeavour /anxiety/ to prevent it from obtaining

acceptance at the hands of others, and for that purpose, as being /to make sure/ the

most effectual means to render it ridiculous to cause it to be scorned and in token

of scorn laughed at.

Anti-Reformist. A truce! a truce! You are running riot again. You are upon your high

ropes again.