1818 Dec. 22

Parl. Reform Bill

Dialogue II

Election Evils

25

6

Anti-Reformist. Come then, set to work your exhaustion-pump: give us /produce/ your

divisions: if they suit my taste /I like them/ they please me/ I will call them

logical ones: if they do not suit my taste /I dont like them/ /they displease me/ I

will call them metaphysical. Let us both be at liberty you produce what you please: I

give what name to it I please.

Reformist. Agreed: First then, these Election evils I divide them into

characteristic and uncharacteristic or not characteristic.

Anti-Reformist. What do you here mean by characteristic?

Reformist. I mean such evils as have are not only liable to have place on the

occasion of the sort /mode/ of Election in question, but could not have place without

it.

Anti-Reformist. Then by your uncharacteristic evils you mean such evils as are

liable to have place on the occasion in question, but are moreover liable to have

place on other occasions. {Well, your characteristic Election evils what are they.}

{Reformist. Before I tell you what they are I must divide them in the first place

into hurtful | | the mischief of which falls upon men in their public capacity alone,

such the /injurious to the public alone, evils hurtful to individuals only and evils

hurtful to the public and to individuals, both at the same time/. }

Reformist. Exactly so. It is a real satisfaction /comfort/ to me, to see you thus

beforehand /going before/ with me.