JB/014/420/001

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Helvetius wrote in 1758 his work De L'Esprit — a title
for which no adequate translation can be found in our language. The
word unfortunately has no English equivalent. Great indeed was the contribution
which that book brought to the science of Morals and Legislation: but
it would be most difficult in a few sentences or even pages to convey
a correct estimate of all it did & all it left to do. For now
it blazes forth in all the splendor of a mid-day Sun
throwing light & truth over the whole domain of thought &
action — anon, that light is veiled in clouds & darkness,
leaving the gazer to wonder how it should be so suddenly withdrawn
These are the flashes of eloquence, — not the the steady light lustre
of sobriety — the lightening which that illuminates for a moment with
more than needful splendor, — which the dazzled eye
would often fain exchange for that steady regular & quiet
illumination which the ordinary lamps of evening provide.

To that book however, Mr Bentham has often been
heard to say he stood indebted for no small portion of the zeal
and ardor with which he advocated his happiness producing theory.
It was from thence he took encouragement, — flattering his
efforts with the assurance that they would not be useless — It
was there he learned to persevere in the assurance that his
power would strengthen, — & his field of usefulness extend.
Not that Helvetius had done the work which remained to do
He had not marshalled pains & pleasures — nor classified
them according to their value — but he had brought prominently
into view the influence of interest on opinion — & this was a point
overflowing with important qconsequences — He laid bare many
of those springs of action — the knowlege of which is absolutely

Identifier: | JB/014/420/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 14.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	014	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	420	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f9
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	[[watermarks::[partial hall]]]
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5183
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