12 Aug 1809

Parl y Reform

B.II. Influence

Ch.1. Explanations

'. Influence on understand g innocent

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{2} /1/

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{Wide indeed is the difference where in speaking of the influence exercised by one person on or over another the influence of understanding over understanding the influence which by the siren[?] power of his understanding merely one man is frequently able to exercise over the understanding of another is the only species /sort/ of influence that is in view.

Widely different /distant/ from the above so widely indeed as to be opposite to it is that state of things in which by the the influence of understanding over understanding is the only influence that has place. In this case no corruption no dependence is to be found Misled a man may be, misled by the understanding of another: corrupted, in this case dependent in this case he can not be.

Take any subject whatever in the whole field of government - in a word in the whole field of thought and action put together - and thence in the whole field of controversy. A man /Titius Tyro/ /To Lancelot Low it/ has not found leisure /never happened/ to apply his thoughts to it: or if he has, he has not sufficient confidence in his own judgment /powers/ /faculties/ or opportunities of information to venture to pass a judgment on it: he looks out for some person whose opportunities or powers or both together appear to have more competent than his own: in a word for that person whose opportunities and powers taken together (not forgetting that sort of probity which affords the only security for his either acting or speaking in conformity to his own judgment) appear to him likely to be most competent: he has found as it seems to him that person in the character of Sapphonius. In relation to the subject in question He learns what the opinion of Sapphonius is, and acts accordingly.