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1 July 1806
Evidence Scotch Reform
In the first place a point altogether necessary to be understood
and placed in the clearest light, is – that there is an the opposition
is nearly diametrical between the interests of the people in the character
of suitors, and the interest of the class of gentlemen who
in point of knowledge science are best qualified for being advisers – I
mean the gentlemen of the Long Robe – Judges, subordinate
judicial officers, Advocates, Attorneys, Writers of the ,
for all those interests hang together.
To consult these then, if they alone were to be consulted upon
the best mode of ordering Scottish judicature, would be like consulting
Napoleon about the best mode of fortifying London.
Not that a good idea , supposing any thing good to be
capable of coming out of that Nazareth, ought merely on the mere ground on account
of its coming out of Nazareth, be rejected thrown out. If in a fit of
distraction, or , or out of on a bravado, a good useful hint for the
fortification were to be furnished from the table talk of Napoleon,
ought London in that to be deprived of the benefit of it? Instruction
has been extracted from Dumvarier, why not even from Napoleon, were
he in a mood to give it?
O this observation What then is the practical result? Not that ideas propositions
from that quarter should be slighted, much less rejected: on the contrary
from that quarter too many lights can not be supplied. Thus much,
and thus much only, viz: that from that quarter as from every
other every thing that comes should be received for exactly what it
is worth and no more: relation being had that being made, constantly made, by the
universal and only touch stone, the ends of justice. Nothing from any such quarter; as nothing
ought to be received, at any extra value, on the ground of confidence.
On that ground, be the system what it may, Scottish or
English, the value of the operation of a lawyer may be any number of degrees
below that of a non-lawyer but can never be upon a par level with it.
I left as in the case of Dumvarier, in , it may happen to him to
surpass all of us: but in to confidence, he can never expect to come up to any of us.
Identifier: | JB/091/024/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 91.
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1806-07-01 |
not numbered |
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091 |
scotch reform |
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024 |
evidence scotch reform |
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001 |
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text sheet |
1 |
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recto |
c1 |
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jeremy bentham |
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29020 |
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