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Barrington:
an Antidote
The situation of our youth would have been too
much to be pitied, had it not been followed at
no very long interval by a powerful antidote
counterpoise -
in the valuable work known by the title of "Observations on the ancient Statutes".
Not that
nothing less than
declared, or even
Not intentional
nor declared
there was no other opposition that what candour
simplicity and honest freedom in alliance with a sound
judgment on one side would unavoidably produce
with prejudices & partialities and superstitions
and local1 attachments on the other, without any
corporate-
purpose of the last of the two writers.
Nor perfect
from the plan of
it
The reflections in which needed contained the .... c
virtue , thinly too thinly sown scatter'd the here and there in a rich
mass of various erudition, act from that circumstance
to a disadvantage against assemblage
of principles, collected into a body,
and descend into something that has the appearance
of a system.
The mixture of foreign and antiquated languages , could not which [contributed
at the same time while
that it
to] diversify the entertainment of the learned
reader, would necessarily rebuter of readers
of the less instructed class, among whom might
be those many to by whom the benefit of the moral &
political+ part would be most necessary needful wanted.
+ X Philological
instruction would turn
to most account
would be best bestow'd
most profitably bestowd.
Very different is the doctrine of the other work.
everything is perfect
The picture, except in a few here and there a streak spot
which serves only to add [the charge dispraise of] inconsistency
to [that of] error, is for the most part the reverse.
Every thing is perfect in comparison of what any
one be he who he will or be it what it will
can have to suggest to make it better: every thing
is degenerated, in comparison of what it was in
those heroic times, which are to be [sought for] pursued in
past time retrogression, and which fly [from you] as you pursue
In the beginning, no body indeed knows when,
but however in the beginning, this Island was
peopled inhabited cultivated by a people virtuous, simple, religious
& consequently therefore happy.[+] Their Laws were like
themselves
[+] to a degree of which
the degenerate example
of present times can
afford us no idea —
by wheeling backwards
that is at any time
but that which any
one should assign
in short at any time
but that which a
man would fix upon.
BLACKSTONE X BARRINGTON.
---page break---
On one side might be seen a spirit discerning judgment acute
enough to recognize many imperfections in the System,
and a heart warm enough to form
wishes for their amendment.
On the other
The hydrophobia of innovation
The one never forfeiting that merit which was
matter of public thanks by a discerning people to their
general. Bene spirasse de Republica
The other well practised perfected in that point of courtly
prudence
Fox — Foxes cut off
their Tails
"Suffer on — The Nabob sleeps — his Highness must
not be disturbed."
It is perhaps not more happy for a public men, however
it be for the public, when their his mental qualities
are thus proportionate; when their judgment is neither
intellectual and moral
faculties
too strong nor too weak for their integrity; their
upon a level .
results or certain consistence and harmony of
character, a peace of mind.
A certain indifference of temper & mediocrity
of discernment which
qualifies a man for[+]
[+] When he sees defending profitable absurdities without
the pain of sinning or at least of sinning deeply against conscience.
☞ Continued at III
One of the powerful objects silently kept in view
in the latest of these celebrated performances, seems
to have been at once by a genuine picture portrait of the
progress of Jurisprudence, to lead the reader into
that happy state of mind made up of tranquility
and of hope. To calm the despondence of
speculators too much[+] attached to the contemplation of dark side
[+] accustomed to brood
over
of the social .... life by shewing them a
much worse state of things
and the circumstances of past ages: at the same
time to stimulate the activity of men too well satisfied
with the lot which has fallen to them individually
in the Society, to lend a ready ear attention to the
complaints sufferings and necessity of others to whom fortune
has not been alike favourable: by shewing them
a much better state of things within the sphere
of possibility probabilities.
To muster men of every
character and temperament
in the generous
enterprise of meliorating
their condition
by the improvement
of their Laws
... compass of
attainable perfection
I
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Identifier: | JB/096/060/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 96.
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sheet of ruled paper; completely blank |
31064 |
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