[clxiv. 232]

1820 July 6

Emancipation Spanish

?.8. Corruptive influence

Ends and Means of Governt

Sinister sacrifice

Monarchs sacrificers

V. Delusion - Laudation of Monarchs - its mischievousness.

If in the situation of Monarch be the situation in which the passion /degree/ of selfishness is naturally and necessarily at its highest pitch, an opinion which should pronounce it as being at no higher level than in any other and lower situation can not but be a pernicious error - any opinion which it should place at a lower level /degree/ an error still more pernicious: any opinion which should place it at the lowest degree still more: any opnion which should consider it as not having any place at all, would in the highest possible degree be pernicious. For

The lower the degree of selfishness in other words the higher the degree of generosity is that is attributed to a man, the greater is the quantity of power, which in so far as moral character is the object of consideration, those by whom such generosity is attributed to him, will naturally be disposed to give /allow/ to him: or to acquiesce in his possessing and upon occasion to confer on him

But the greater the quantity of power a man has, the greater (it has been shewn) is the sinister sacrifice which at all times he is disposed to make

To contribute therefore to the augmentation of the power of /attached to the situation of/ the Monarch who ever he may be is to contribute to the sinister sacrifice: and willingly to suffer to remain to it any part of that power which at the time in question is attached to it -this too, though in a negative way is to make contribution to the sinister sacrifice