4 Jan y 1807

Scotch Reform │ │ To L d Grenville

Facienda

Causes mostly short

together with its kindred devices, Asylums local /topographical/ and chronological the chicaneries about /relative/ to notion[?].

In these instances and by the operation of all these several devices - not to search on /carry on the research/ in quest of others - it is the direct operation and continual exercise of the technical system to give birth to misdecision, so far from contributing any thing /in any way/ to increase /afford/ the security against an /the/ evil thus opposite to the direct end of justice.

In what other mode or shape or degree, if in any, it is in the nature of the technical system to afford any security that is not afforded by the natural, it will not with the defenders of the technical, should it when once attached on the ground of utility and justice ever be able to find /discover/ any, - it rests with them, my Lord, to shew: I for my part can see none.

But admitting, for the purpose of the argument, that ways and means, in and by which the technical system affords against misdecision securities not afforded by the natural, are to be found /really assignable/, the object to /for/ which on this occasion I meant more particularly to beg /wished more particularly to direct/ Your Lordship's attention, is - the extremely narrow limits, comparatively speaking, within which it is /would be/ in the nature of such supposed securities to operate: and in this respect, how little if any thing can be gained to justice by the actual predominance of the technical system - how little if any thing could be lost - how little, if any thing can /would/ rationally be to be apprehended, from the predominance of the natural system - nay even from its predominance - from the /even/ exclusive prevalence, of the natural.