27 Feb y 1808

on L d Eldon's Bill

Letter V

'.4 Reasons not impracticable

 After Introduction?

According to the turn given to the phrase, considerations to the effect exemplified in the above rules may form the matter either of reasons or of instructions. of reasons alledged by the sovereign legislator to the community at large, in justification or /and/ explanation of a law compleated by his own hands; of instructions, when addressed by him to any subordinate legislator for the guidance of such subordinate - in the expectation /hope/ that the regulations the framing of which is committed to such subordinate will when framed be of such a stamp /complexion/, as to receive from /find in/ those same considerations a justification and explanation, as above.

On this ground, it will, if I do not misconceive the matter be found that effects may be produced: to a prodigiously ample extent by resons (or instruction) capable of being expressed as above within a very narrow compass, by a very successful form of words. Accordingly, on the supposition that those considerations may without impropriety be termed principles or rules of reason, a little further on the subject now on the carpet will lead on to denounce[?] to your Lordship the whole fabric of the law of private right as framed /put together/ by the hand of jurisprudence under the influence of that sinister interest which gave birth to the fee-gathering system, in such a manner as to afford an example of a perpetual violation of those rules.