JB/116/018/001

Click Here To Edit

3 Oct. 1802 (5

3. Incapacitation
In dealing with narrow and vulgar minds, minds of a certain description, there is not a no greater
danger, than what a man exposes himself to, by presenting obtruding
upon to them a degree of intelligence ever so little superior to
that, whatever it may be, which habitual intercourse or internal consciousness may happen to have referred familiar to
their what habit has familiarized them with: romantic: habitual intercourse or internal consciousness
familiarized them with: romantic, are than the words — flighty, are than the words
theoretical, visionary, speculative: and so on through the list of
synonyms of which, under this head, the political
synonyms which the Gradus ad Parnassum afford to make
so exuberant and convenient a choice. This danger was even then even then no secret to me I was not unconscious of
enough — but without experience even of the very individuals objects in question how to take measure of
those as of any other minds? the tongue, as it exercises itself
in public assemblies, is the only open measure of minds <add>a so relocated</del></add> — and that
alas! a very delusive one. In such circumstances what
can a man do, who has a plan of beneficence to offer, but to put
as much good into it in every shape as he can devise. [+] [+] Excess at any rate is the side, towards who in which presumed conception will be apt almost most strongly, if not irresistibly, be impelled to fail
The danger from of overdoing it is at least as great
as that of underdoing it: but who, without data, can
or even with any data, can draw the line? By what criterion list can a man
distinguish the particles of good, that may be allowed to
press through the official sieve, from those that will not only be stopped and be thrown back aside
is yet more, among the causes of offence thus given, Among those that give offence by which list who shall distinguish the pardonable, if any, from the unpardonable?
and hard heartedness and hardheadness, who shall take the
exact measure?

Under the tyrants of antiquity, a measure degree of public virtue
or intelligence, was so little rising or apprehended to rise above
the official level, was easily punished by immediate
death in any way that came uppermost, by quick death:
under the tyrants of modern times death for such an offences slow prison is the only shape
can only in which death punishment can be administered for such offences,
is prison, unpunishable prison, and that of the slowest kind: the torment not of moments, but of years. What has the public — what have genius and public spirit got by the change? In Mr Palmer answer, for he knows.

Identifier: | JB/116/018/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 116.
Date_1	1802-10-13	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	116	Main Headings	panopticon versus new south wales
Folio number	018	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	e5
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks
Marginals	jeremy bentham	Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	37551
Box Contents