[lxxxiv. 74]

1821 Decr 25

Codification Proposal

?.5 Adm<...>n Universal

III. Aptitude and Inaptitude

In every /any/ political situation and for every sort of political work, such are the elements of appropriate aptitude. In every political situation appropriate aptitude finds itself encountered by the operation of various causes of relative inaptitude © causes the tendency of which is to diminish the degree of appropriate aptitude on the part of persons filling the situation in question or engaged in the work in question © diminishing it in one or more of its several shapes as above.

The following are the heads under one or other of which /Sinister interest, interest©begotten prejudice inbred intellectual weakness, authority©begotten prejudice © here in these heads, one or other of them/ /will/ the several causes of such relative inaptitude may it is believed be comprehended will it is believed be found /it is believed/ comprehendible:/./ namely 1: Sinister interest: 2. Interest©begotten prejudice: 3. Original /General/ intellectual weakness. 4. Authority©begotten prejudice

By sinister interest understand interest acting upon human /man's/ conduct in a direction opposite to that which leads to the greatest happiness of the greatest number.

By right and proper interest understand

In the mental frame of man /it is in/ the will is the part to which the seductive force of sinister interest applies itself and operates /operates/: it is to the intellectual part that the several other causes of inaptitude, namely interest©begotten prejudice, inbred intellectual weakness, and authority©begotten prejudice more immediately apply themselves.

By prejudice, in so far as any clear idea is attached to it, is understood prepossession operating /acting/ in a sinister direction © in a direction opposite to the only right and proper direction /opinion so often mentioned/: by prepossession judgment already formed in relation to the matter in question whatever it be.