[clxiv. 239]

1820 July 7

Emancipation Spanish

?.8. Corruptive influence

1. King can do no wrong

But /Moreover/ from this responsibility - this pretended exposure to removal and punishment on the part /in the situation/ of the Kings instruments, from this pretended check and security, fictitious as it is, results another part of the character attributed to the Most excellent person: he can do nothing without advice. Were his character pourtrayed his emblem should be a child in leading strings. In the scale of intellect, his place is thus declaredly below that of the meanest of his subjects who is neither of unsound mind nor much below full age. Here then is the appropriate intellectual aptitude and active talent the wisdom the knowledge and the talent /capacity/ with which the fabulous and impossible benevolence is accompanied, and by which it is directed /guided/ and carried into effect.

Though not near /yet/ so near as thus supposed, this inferiority in respect of the intellectual part of the mental frame in a man in this situation, is to a certain degree, and that not an inconsiderable one, real. Truths and [...?] which are sure to reach the understanding /ears/ of men in every other situation - truths the most important for guidance, are sure never to reach the ears of man woman or child in this. Amongst them every thing that runs the least[?] risk of proving displeasing to him, every thing that can tend to regard his power as having any other limits than his will. Not so much as a question is to be put to him by any body. So says etiquette. True. Look into it a little closely every question is a command. No topic which he does not introduce, is to be introduced by any one else.

The most compleatly spoilt child that ever was spoilt was never so compleatly spoilt as this one man constantly is from childhood /infancy/ to old age.