22 July 1810 1810 July 22 22

Fallacies Ch | | Authority-worshipper

11

4. Churchmen's Sinister interest

3. It is their interest that whatever be the absurdity of the articles in question it is their interest that as many persons as jointly with themselves have been in the habit of professing a belief in them should continue in that same habit, as also that as many more should engage in it as possible, and their interest in this repsect is the stronger, the more flagrant and palpable that absurdity, the stronger and more urgent is that interest. For the greater the number of those who in appearance join with themselves in the same belief the greater is the number who join with them in delivering [...?] for the benefit of himself and the rest a sort of evidence /circumstantial wisdom, such as is delivered by authority /it is in the nature of authority to deliver//, registering the imputation of absurdity, and who at any rate stand precluded each of them from joining in the casting of any such imputation upon the rest.