11 Oct. 1815

Jug. True

Ch. Imperfections

2

§.1. Length of time

2. In so far as to this supposed narrating as well as percipient witness it may happen to be desirous of a fact a demand of assistance from the memories of other persons for the purpose of giving [an] additional degree of perfection in the same respect of correctness and compleatness to whatever statement the perception obtained by himself would have enabled him of himself to give to his descriptions, the same cause (of imperfection) will be found operating in the same manner towards the production of the same undesirable effect.

3. The greater the length of this interval the greater the probability of the incapacitation, whether by death, infirmity, expatriation or any other instance of the persons, who, having in relation to the events and states of things in question occupied in the situation of percipient witness might, but for such preventive obstacles, have operated moreover in the character of narrating or reporting witnesses.

3.

Chances of like causes of loss of correctness or compleatness in the instance of persons from whose memories his might have derived support.

4.

3. Chances of incapacitation by death, infirmity, or expatriation of percipient witnesses.