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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Lord Lansdowne to Bentham. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 10 (Memoirs Part I and Correspondence) [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. 10.

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

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Lord Lansdowne to Bentham.

“We go into South Wales on Wednesday, but will certainly be returned before the end of the month, so that, if you have any devotion in you, you may acquit yourself of it either in August, September, or October, as you feel disposed towards the three Deities, who have chosen a month a-piece in their natural order; and if your brother is not too much captivated with Lady M—to endure the simplicity of your religion, he will be very welcome.

“Affairs in the north look very gloomy, and I don’t see how either England or Russia can extricate themselves without falling into another extreme. As to France, I am astonished to see what wisdom a nation, which has always been accounted a foolish one, can show.”

The letter to Lord St Helens, which follows, dated 8th July, 1791, though written in the name of Colonel Bentham, is the joint production of himself and his brother:—

“I have just heard that a servant of yours is on the point of setting off to return to you; and having been in this country for about six weeks on an indefinite furlough, I would not let slip the opportunity of recalling myself to your remembrance.

“Since I saw you, I have been just equipping flotillas, and fighting on board them, and view them visiting my everbeloved Siberia: in short, the inquiry, how utility is to come of it, is what must forever occupy me: it makes but little difference to me what be the country. I have at present the command of a regiment of two battalions: one of them on the Irtish, the other near Kiaktha: 2800 miles one from the other. Projects of discovery and improvement, some executed, others, I hope, executing, and many more to execute, occupy me, and these battalions are subservient to these projects.

“After having come from the distant battalions, coasting all along the frontiers, I arrived at Bender and Jassy, where I spent four or five months with Prince Potemkin, and in February last set out for England, passing through Trieste, Venice, Leghorn, Geneva, and France. I arrived here about a month ago: I have not yet fixed the time of departure, but believe it will be in the course of the summer.

“To help load your servant, I send you a parcel of things of my brother’s—none of which are published. That on the Judicial Establishment, you may perceive, is not finished, and heaven knows when it will be. When he began it, his opinion of the French National Assembly was much better than it is at present. They had not at that time laid violent hands on private property with so flagrant, and so unnecessary a disregard to the feelings of individuals. The ‘Panopticon’ invention, of which the fundamental idea was mine, is taken up by the Administration in Ireland, by whose order, the letters that form the body of the work were printed. The postscript he prints here, to be reprinted there. If you look at any part, do not let it be at Part I. and the postscript—it contains nothing but dry details, relative to the mode of construction. Postscript, Part II., which is the last, you will perceive is not quite finished; but as it does not want much of being so, I thought I might as well send it, trusting to chance for an opportunity of sending the remainder. How much pleasanter it would have been for him if you had been still in Ireland, or, where the newspapers have been placing you, in England! As to any use that the Judicial Establishment has been of in France, much boast is not to be made. The D. de la Rochefoucauld, La Fayette, &c., when I came through Paris, took notice, that some few of the ideas had been adopted, and pretended very much to regret that more were not in the same case, but that it was in English, (Mirabean was to have taken it up, but I know not what accident prevented him,) time was wanting for giving it the consideration it deserved, and the leading men were wedded to systems of their own, &c.

“The ‘Panopticon’ plan, as far as we have had opportunities of observing, is approved by everybody, architects themselves not excepted, some of the most eminent of whom are adopting it in preference to their own ideas.”

On the 21st July, Lord Lansdowne says:—

“As to foreign politics, I cannot help looking upon the emperor as the arbiter of Europe; and I believe him to be full as ambitious as his brother, only with more art, more prudence, and suite. The French nation seem to be the favourites of Providence; but it appears that Mons. de Calonne will never rest till he gets some of his friends hanged.”

An invitation to Devonshire, from Sir R. Pole Carew, was thus conveyed:—

“As I am come a great way, so would I stay a great while to receive you here. What say you to four weeks longer,—tell me that it will enable you to give me your company, and your chemistry, for three weeks, and you will make me happy. But I am frightened at the name of Chateau-Antoine, when I reflect that mine is a strongly-built castle, and that the Bastile was in the Faubourg St Antoine. But if these reflections neither prevent your coming nor excite in you, when here, the spirit of demolition, I shall leave it to its fate when you are gone. In the meantime, I take the opportunity while I can, of sending you this lettre de cachet, enjoining you and your brother to render yourselves here instantaneously, upon pain of incurring our high displeasure; et sur ce je prie Dieu de vous avoir dans sa digne et sainte garde.—A vous,

“R. Pole Carew.

“Antony, 22d July, 1791.”

This invitation was accepted by the colonel, but not by Bentham. A few extracts from Bentham’s letter to his brother, during his visit, are amusing; the technicalities in them refer to Sir Samuel’s mechanical inventions:—