13 Oct 1809

Parl y. Reform

B.II. Influence

Ch.1. Explanations

'.2. Influence on understand g.

8

5

Instruments of fascination - employed to work on the imagination

Authority how far employed by name how far by imagination[?].

If by prohibition or any other means it were possible to prevent the application of deceptitious information, there would be the same reason for preventing the influence of understanding exercised in this way upon understanding, as for preventing the influence of will upon will by the means of corruption. But forasmuch as /for distinguishing/ the cases in which the effect of argumentation is to convey instructive /truly instructive/ information can not by any general description be separated from those in which the effect of it is to convey deceptitious information, this mode of influence /influence on this score[?]/ must in all cases remain free and open: and the only means of guarding the minds in question from deceptition is to leave it open to argumentation on both sides in such sort that influence in this shape may when the tendency of it is promising[?] possess the best chance of being encountered and with that advantage that truth possesses over falshood and error, by a counter-influence of the same kind.