30 Aug. 1812.

Evidence Inrod

Introd

Ch 15. Preappointed

' Obstacles

Law Offices

No reputation would have be to be got by the possessing no profit by communication of it.

And thus it is that by the same false pretences by which they have gained power and money instead of incurring reproach they have gained respect and reputation likewise.

Fortunate is that system of [...?] to the prosperity of which sagacity and imbecillity are alike conducive. In this fortunate situation is the system of delusion and oppression which has for its authors and actors the manufacture of Judge-made law. The larger the proportion which it contains of falsehood and nonsense, the more [...?] it is for men at large, for all men whose life has not been specially devoted to the truth, in the first place to gain for the regulation of their own conduct that insight into it which every man without exception has so high an interest in the possession of, in the next place to detect the frauds and impostures which have been employed by the manufacturers in the pursuit of their own sinister end. When once men have been supposed to have been deluded to such a pitch of delusion as to have been accustomed to receive not with disgust and indignation, but with complacency and respect lies so gross and nonsense so absurd as coming from any other source would have would have called forth scorn and indignation, in such state of things nothing can come amiss: The grossest absurdity as much good is done to the cause as by the most refined intelligence. It is not in the power of folly to produce any thing nothing can be done or [...?] [...?] done that does not in some way or other contribute to the consuming end.