14 Apr. 1803

Evidence

Object

usage. This omission so far as suggestion goes so far as can be done by an individual without authority will be endeavoured to be supplied in the course of the ensuing pages.

These doings[?] being promised, the business of this work, notwithstanding the extent of it /room it occupies/ will be found capable of being comprized and announced in three simple propositions /a very narrow compass/

1. A proposition to be proved is that for the mere purpose /in the mere view/ of ensuring rectitude of decision - in other words for the avoidance of the six inconveniences into which erroneous decision branches out and [...?] itself - no species of evidence whatsoever ought to be excluded. in technical language that all testimony that all evidence ought to be deemed competent using[?] without any defalcation from the probability /chances/ in favour of a right decision in any case and with a great addition to it in many cases, be deemed competent and as such admitted.

2. Another proposition is - that on the score possibly of quantity possibly of quality lots of evidence of certain descriptions may be notwithstanding and ought to be excluded. But this rather for the avoidance of the collateral inconveniences of vexation, expence and delay, than for the avoidance of the inconveniences of the first order comprized under the head of wrong decision: on the account not of the danger of their proving delusive, but of the certainty /assurance/ of their being needless and superfluous.