21 Sept 1803

Evidence

Instructions

Considerations

1. Interests in general

Situations

If, in the instance of each senior relation, the legal power /authority/ annexed to the condition of Guardian should have cause to be superadded to the natural bond of attachment and partiality constituted by natural relationship, an attachment a partiality which otherwise would otherwise have been the weaker may in virtue of this reinforcement become the stronger. Invested thus with the authority of a father, the /an/ uncle may be a personage of more importance in the eyes of a niece, than was her Grandmother on the same or the other side /either side/: the /an/ aunt to her niece, or even her nephew, than either the grandfather on either side, and so on without end.

Even in the case of that source o conjecture /inference/ the conclusions derivable from it amy be disturbed by the circumstance of unity of abode. If the abode /house/ of the guardian relation be the abode of the ward, then the /this/ cause of disturbance has no place. But if the ward has for his or her ordinary abode the house of some other near relation, while the personal intercourse with the guardian relation is infrequent or altogether wanting, the truth of any inference pronouncing superior strength of partiality from the mere circumstance of guardianship must be manifestly precarious.