9 March 1807

Letter V

I. Shapes

1. Misdecision

Look for it among the Reporters and Compilers, then along with the discordant chaos comes the previous questions, which was the most learned Judge, which was the most accurate Reporter, which the most judicious Compiler: not one of them all having had so much as the occasion - not to speak of sense or public spirit - to take or attempt to take any tolerably comprehensive view of this that or any other subject they ever touched upon: at least with reference to any such purposes as those of general utility and natural justice.

Would you pursue the enquiry through this chaos? - You must pass in review all these pseudo-legislators - the Cokes, the Hales, the [...?], the Comyns, the Gilberts - You must fancy in your own mind, though you must not say so - sometimes that in the one, sometimes that in the other you have the right and proper legislator and that the words you read in his book - that book which never would have made its appearance but for the patronage given to it by some bookseller, constitute for the occasion the tenor of the law.