JB/096/118/002

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Mathematical propositions have no other certainty than what belongs
to the conclusions of sense: for they are themselves derived from those
conclusions: the only advantage they have is, that they
the Ideas which form this terms of which they consist are may be
taken and therefore are taken from those objects of sense, the conclusions which can
concerning which are afford conclusions, and those taken under circumstances in which they are, least liable to error — A Mathematician
takes raises his abstract ideas of a line and a circle
from the most perfect right line & circle he ever saw, and these
placed at these distances from his eye at which he is least
liable to be mistaken in their figure: and if in these he
says any defects, any parts tending to curvature in the right
line or to streightness or a different curvature in the circle he may make
his ideal line & circle free even from these imperfections which he by
resolving not to suppose them to exist: & finally he may free
them from all possible imperfections by saying to himself,
if there are any behind, which I cannot see, be they will what
they will, I will them out of the case as I do these.
Thus it is that he purifies his ideas of all the imperfections which
existed in the impressions of which they were the copies.

To say then with Montesquieu, that it was always true
that the three angles of a Triangle were equal to two right ones
before there were any Triangles figures with 3 angles or persons to think about their equality,
is to say that there were Ideas, that is thoughts, before there
were thinking persons.

If In this be the case — then also in the 2d place That it does not last so much the time it lasts is not so much as shorter than the time the other would last as to compensate the difference of intensity at the 1st commencement write from [Introd. a Law 8 cases of
in respect of refraining [BR] 4]

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contingent reversions and remainders on their estates
according to it's present value. viz. by 1st suppos.g
it present, & then dividing the amount of it by
not written. the number of chances to one of it's arrival

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And this appears to be a Specimen of that
Mode of Investigation of which Locke had
an implicit Notion when he maintained
that proposition which has since been so
much dwelt upon by Subsequent Moralists
"That Moral Truths were susceptible of
Demonstration as truly as those of Mathematics;
as one may see by the Examples
he has adduced: tho' he had not settled
into the Track, rejecting all technical &
fictitious Standards, of resorting on all
Occasions to the one true & natural one
of Utility. The Seeds first sown by that
great & original Genius had not grown
up to that full Harvest of Intelligence
which has since been gathered: Hume,
D'Alembert, Voltaire, Helvitius, Brecaria
had not written.

Identifier: | JB/096/118/002"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 96.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	096	Main Headings	legislation
Folio number	118	Info in main headings field	introd. jurisprudence whether susceptible of demonstration
Image	002	Titles
Category	copy/fair copy sheet	Number of Pages	3
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f18
Penner		Watermarks	[[watermarks::l v g propatria [britannia motif]]]
Marginals		Paper Producer	caroline vernon
Corrections	jeremy bentham	Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	31122
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