[clxii. 178]

1820 May 23

Emancipation Spanish

'. 7. Rulers gainers

'. 4 Rulers gainers

Factitous dignity

[...?] of parasite[?] Lord Wellington, of despotism, Lord Banks.

To deprive men of these titles to /efficient causes of/ respect spurious as they are would be a harsh measure, and what is more not a possible one. Of power a man may be deprived: but of factitious dignity - and in particular of factitious dignity manufactured by this instrument, a man can not be deprived. Events that have had place you can not cause not to have had place: a man who instead of a Mister [...? [...?] with his surname after it has been in use to be spoken to by a Sir with his /a/ Christian name after it you can not cause him not to have been so spoken to

But though in a direct way /mode/ this could not be done there is an indirect way /mode/ in which it might be done. Only by means of being an evidence /a cause/ of distinction, an attribute /a possession/ peculiar to a certain class of man Take away the distinction, you take away the factitious dignity: you have the possession of it a possession of no greater nor other quantity of respect than what his conduct and character suffice of themselves to cover /invest/ him with. /bestow upon him./ In England if all men[?] past and future were created baronets, there would be an end of baronetcy. In England, or In Spain if all men present and future were rendered Dukes, there would be an end of Dukedoms If all men were created Grandees of the first class there would be an end of Grandeeships of the first class. But the enoblement[?] it would be necessary should cover the whole field: otherwise what was taken from the class abolished /extinguished/ would be left and given to the classes not abolished and the people at large would be none the better for the change. If all men were made Grandees of the first class and the Grandeeship of the first class thus abolished, the Grandees of the second class would take their place. And this second state of the country would not be better than the first.