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CHAPTER I.: AUTHENTICATION, WHAT. CONNEXION OF THIS SUBJECT WITH THAT OF PREAPPOINTED EVIDENCE. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 7 (Rationale of Judicial Evidence Part 2) [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). 11 vols. Vol. 7.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

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CHAPTER I.

AUTHENTICATION, WHAT. CONNEXION OF THIS SUBJECT WITH THAT OF PREAPPOINTED EVIDENCE.

In the book having for its subject preappointed evidence,* —in bringing to view the uses or advantages derivable from that kind of evidence, considered as applied to instruments expressive of contracts, taken in the largest sense,—prevention of spurious or falsified instruments, i. e. spurious in the whole or in part, was stated as being of the number of those uses.

The function then considered as belonging to the legislator was, so to order matters, that, in so far as contracts have been entered into, genuine instruments expressive of them shall be in existence; and that spurious instruments, instruments expressive of discourses that were never uttered by the persons by whom they purport, or by some one are pretended to have been uttered, may not be in existence.

So to order matters, as that, when an instrument so framed as above is genuine, it shall be believed to be, and recognised as, genuine; and that, when an instrument purporting or appearing or pretended to be so framed as above, is not genuine, but either spurious in toto or falsified, it shall be understood that it is spurious or falsified; and, in case of falsification, what are the parts in it that are falsified; is another of the legislator’s functions, which remains to form the subject of this book.

On that former occasion, room and demand were seen to exist for something in the way of regulation—something, how little soever in comparison with that which has so commonly been done.

On this occasion, there is no demand for anything whatsoever to be done in the way of regulation: whatever is to be done consists wholly of instruction—instruction from the legislator, delivered for the information and guidance of the judge.

[* ]Book IV. (Vol. VI. p. 508.)