1819 June 7

To Erskine

Lett. 6. E. Anti Reformist

§ 7.5. Petitions rely on

4

45

4

And thus it is that, this being in Honourable and Right Honourable minds no longer any between truth and falshood – falshood being taken for truth and for falshood at the same time – thus it is that there being no distinction between sincerity and insincerity, and sincerity being thus successfully and compleatly banished, insincerity is banished along with it. But, with the distinction between truth and falshood, another distinction, in other places so troublesome – the distinction between right and wrong has moreover been got rid of. On each occasion and that alone that is right which on that same occasion it is convenient to Honourable and Right Honourable men – not to speak of gracious Majesties – should be done: that is wrong, which, to the same uncontroulable arbiters of our human destiny it is convenient should not be done, or if done punished.

And this is one of the features by which our matchless constitution stands distinguished from all others: from all others that were ever seen or thought of: for, under any other government, whatsoever else there may be, assuredly in no other is any such all pervading, and all-inspiring system of falshood to be found.

In the eyes of learned gentlemen and reverend Judges it it is impossible that justice should, for so much as a single day (and in the same learned and reverend eyes, all the days in a term[?] are but one day) – be administered without falshood: in the eyes of Honourable and Right Honourable Gentlemen and Noble and Learned Lords it is no less impossible that the body politic should for a month /a lawyer’s day/ together be continued in the exercise of its functions without falshood, than in the eyes of learned physicians it is that, for the length of time, the body natural should be kept in the exercise of its functions without nourishment /food/.