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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Sir Samuel Romilly 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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Sir Samuel Romilly to Bentham.

“You will, I hope, think me excusable, knowing what I have to do, that I have been so long in answering your letter, which, though in 12mo, is a volume of 26 pages. You have not convinced me. You are greatly mistaken, however, when you suppose that I may fear that my power of being useful will in any degree be diminished by having my name coupled with yours. I have no such apprehension; but I do apprehend, that both your and my power of doing any good, will be very much lessened by taking a step totally different from the usual course of parliamentary proceedings, and which will afford a pretext for that ridicule with which many persons would be glad to cover us both. You seem to think that it is no uncommon thing that any good citizen who has a project which, in his judgment, will be beneficial to the public, should desire that his project may be laid on the table of either House of Parliament. That is exactly what I believe was never done yet. Petitions complaining of grievances are laid on the table of the House, but as to plans for the public advantage, they must be the subject of some specific motion—they may be referred to committees, but it must be by some member proposing that they should be the subject of a law, or of some public proceeding.

“That the measure is not a job—that you are willing to sacrifice your time and labour for the good of the public, which ought to be the strongest recommendation of what would be proposed, would (such is the temper, and such the principles of the House of Commons) afford a strong objection to it, and give an opening to much ridicule. The thing would, in itself, be absolutely incredible.

“You suppose that I wish to discourage your design altogether—that is really not exactly the case, though I own I have doubts whether your time would not be much more usefully employed on your book on Evidence.

“If anybody can execute such an enterprise as you project, (being ignorant, when he sets out, of Scotch Law,) I believe it is you; but I do doubt whether even you can execute it.”