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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Bentham to George Rose. - 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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Bentham to George Rose.

“Q. S. P.,Westminster,
3d January, 1801.

“Of the plan of which the accompanying MS. contains the two last chapters, the three sheets that have been printed, together with the two tables, have been recommended to your notice, (I understand,) by Mr Nepean. These two last chapters being so short, I could not resist the temptation of adding them in this way to such part of the work as I have been able to submit to you in a more commodious form. Any other part might be brought forward in the same way; and had it not been for the apprehension of overloading you, I should have added, even now, another chapter, (Ch. xx.,) in which is displayed the peculiar facility afforded by the proposed plan for the performance of that operation, (the reduction of interest,) which, in some way or other—at some time or other—will be to be performed at any rate; a facility which, I think, would be found to amount in value to some millions.

“There are some documents which, perhaps, you might have no objection to my being furnished with, and which would enable me to carry on the investigation in some points with increased advantage.

“The quantity of letter-press that has been kept standing is so great,—a considerable part of it for these five or six months,—that I am under continual apprehension of being obliged to break it up;—at the same time, how many copies to print,—or whether to go on with the impression at all,—are points, in relation to which I should be extremely sorry to come to a determination, while thus in the dark as to all particulars I stand in need of for my guidance.

“Under these circumstances, if your time admitted of your obliging me with some general communication of your sentiments, from which I might judge whether any further labours of mine on this ground presented any chance of being of use, it would be no inconsiderable addition to those testimonies of your regard with which I have been honoured in former days.

“Decision on the affirmative side, at least, is, in the present stage of the business, altogether out of the question; but if I were fortunate enough to know that the plan were so far thought deserving of attention, as to be set down for serious consideration, no exertions, past or future, on my part, would be grudged, whatsoever might be the result.

“I cannot help thinking but that, if taken up with spirit, it might, by the prospect it would bring to view, have some influence, perhaps, on the terms even of the next loan; at least, if the proposed paper were, from the outset, made receivable all over the country in payment of taxes. As to the quantum of the profit, it were too much to regard it otherwise than as uncertain in the extreme; on the other hand, it requires neither sacrifice nor risk to purchase it. At the present price of stocks, if you sold but £100,000 of the proposed paper the first year, you would gain between £37,000 and £38,000 by it.”