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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Nicholas Vansittart 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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Nicholas Vansittart to Bentham.

Thursday morning.

Sir,—

I feel very sensibly the mark of confidence and esteem which you have offered me in the communication of your unpublished work. I have not yet had time to give it the attention which everything which comes from your pen must merit, and therefore can give no opinion as to the plan itself. Dr Beeke, I have no doubt, will be happy to contribute his assistance in any way which can be useful; and you will find that he has paid much attention to such subjects.

“I cannot help thinking (at first sight at least) that any subdivision of the unit or standard note would be unadvisable. In the first place, any interest note seems to me ill calculated to supply the place of metallic money in small payments, as the variation of value would render it perplexing and unintelligible to the common people, and expose them to imposition, notwithstanding any contrivance of tables, &c. In the next, I am afraid we have already a larger proportion of paper circulation than is consistent with our security in times of public alarm; and in the third, it would be very difficult at any office to make an actual payment of interest on the small notes on account of their dispersion and multiplicity. But these, and any other observations which may occur to me, I shall be glad to talk over with you, when I have better considered the subject.—I am, Sir.”