JB/006/108/001

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11 Jany 1813.
Church

II Topics
Ch. 11. Dignity
§. 1. Abstract fitness

7

§.1. Abstract fitness:
Pt VI. Reward for service

1
Merit the name employed
to designate the
cause for which reward
is bestowed. Service
a better term for
merit, where it refers
to any thing, done
or supposed to be
done, means, or includes,
service —
But by service, manifest
reference is
made to some
act beneficial
to some portion
of mankind. Of
such act, the word
merit, is not precisely
enough indicative.
Without any
precise ground, a
man may ascribe
merit to the object
of his affection or
respect. p.1.

2.
To operate quam
optimé as a cause
of service, a reward
should not be conferred
but on proof
of service rendered.
In this proof will
be included, time
& place. p.2.

3
Without this, there
can be no assurance
— not only of the proportionality
of the
reward, but even
of the fact of the
service. p.2.

4.
The case in question
admits not extra
reward, nor therefore
with propriety, extra-
service. p.3.

5
If it did, factitious
dignity would not
be well applicable
as a reward, to the
situation in question.
p.3.

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§.1. Abstract fitness
Pt VI. Reward for service

6.
In no line is respect
(the valuable in question)
applied to extra-
service with such
certainty and proportionality
as in
the line in
question, without
the need of factitious
dignity. p.3.

7
Factitious dignity
therefore, applied
as a reward, is nowhere
so needless as
in the case of a parish
priest. p.3.

8
But in every case, reward
given by rulers,
without proof of service,
is not only
useless, but pernicious.
p.4.

9
viz. 1. by acting as a
bounty on worthlessness.
2. by putting
into hands likely to
employ it, an instrument
of corruption.

10
1. As a bounty on unworthiness.
Scarce any thing in
any line, especially
in that in question,
no extra service can
be done without
privation or exertion.
If reward
can be gained without
such exertion &c. the
exemption from
it constitutes so much
bounty on unserviceableness,
or unworthiness
worthlessness. p.4.

11.
The case is that of a
parish priest. — The
dignity is ex. gr. a
deanery. p.5

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§.1. Abstract fitness:
Pt VI. Reward for service

12.
This dignity bestowed,
is a pernicious
article of influence
at the disposition of the
administration.

1. is pernicious as it
gains respect to the
possessor without the
trouble of exertion or
abstinence. p.5.

2. As an instrument
of corruption, it gives
the bestower the faculty
of applying
to sinister purposes,
and particularly to
political corruption,
so much of the matter
of good, as is included
under the
possession of the
thing in question.
p.5

13.
3 No proof of any public
service being requisite
to enable the
King or his subordinate
to confer it, the
exertions of the public
servant will
take that direction
which will procure
them not thet respect
which on possession
of the dignity in question
they are assured
of — but the favour
of those who
have the conferring
the dignity. Even
if no undue compliance
is comprehended,
at any rate, employment
of time in pursuits
foreign to the
nature of the religious
function, is included.
p.6

14.
Considered in this
view, the effect of factitious
dignity is —
to convert Parish
Priests into courtiers.
p.6.

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Pt. VI Rewards for service.

15.
4 On the part of the
functionaries who
view the good things
in question with
disappointed eyes,
a natural and just
sensation of regret
is felt. Of this, jealousy
& envy is more
or less the concomitant.
Of jealousy, hate towards
its objects — By expression
of ill will towards
B. by A. do is generated
in B. towards A. Such
is the constitution of
human nature. p.7.

16.
The defence will be
— the emotion ought
to be suppressed.

17.
E. contra. — If it should
not be committed,
should it be encouraged?
Is the suborner
of evil quit? — if he
say — good people,
you ought not to
commit it. p.7.

Identifier: | JB/006/108/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 6.
Date_1	1813-01-13	Marginal Summary Numbering	1-17
Box	006	Main Headings	church of englandism
Folio number	108	Info in main headings field	church
Image	001	Titles	abstract fitness / reward for service
Category	marginal summary sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	e7
Penner	walter coulson	Watermarks	john dickinson & c<…> 1809
Marginals		Paper Producer	a. levy
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1809
Notes public		ID Number	2841
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