JB/014/428/001

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16a

The ascetic philosophy received a mortal wound from Mr
Bentham after his exposure of it in the "Introduction to Morals
& Legislation" - No man is perhaps now to be found who
would contend that the pursuit of pain ought to be the great
object of existence however he might deem the infliction of
certain pains upon himself meritorious & virtuous. No man
will deny that there are occasions on which pleasure may
reasonably and morally pursued as and end, - or on which
the avoidance of pain may be alike an interest and a
duty. But he who contends that in any case the avoidance
pursuit of a balance [ X
305
305
U of pleasure is an offence in any case -
is bound to produce that case - & to show the grounds of
its exception from the general rule - on him the onus
probandi lies rests with all its force. In the monkish
ages the Demon of Asceticism ruled in all his misery - spreading sanguinary
power. It was alike the creator of misery & the father
of lies. Come what may of the greatest happiness principle -
its open antagonist is silenced for ever.

In fact the asceticism principle is characterised by
all every thing that is mischievous, absurd, inconsistent & self contradictory :-
all heightened in the very proportion in which the ascetic principle
is called into action. What is mischievous if it be not mischievous
to create misery? What is absurd, if not the doctrine which should
induce its supporter to dash his head against the wall since to create
suffering is the proper ultimate end of human action - What is
inconsistent but unless a creed be so which is belied by every practice of a man's existence?
- & what is self-contradiction,- but absurdity & inconsistency exhibited
in their most flagrant forms & pushed to all the extremes of folly
and delusion.

Identifier: | JB/014/428/001 "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	428	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f16a
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	1831
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1831
Notes public		ID Number	5191
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