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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Francis Horner 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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Francis Horner to Bentham.

“Lincoln’s Inn, 28th Dec. 1808.

“I do not know what degree of credit is due to M. Thierry, except upon the subject of his popaleries; for he seems to have been but slenderly provided with any other sort of curiosity, and does not always adhere to the same account of what he had actually seen. Thus, he first says, that the houses at Vera Cruz were mostly of wood, and takes occasion thereupon to be eloquent and sentimental about prejudices; and then, in another passage, he corrects the error of former travellers in making this assertion,—says he has seen to the contrary with his own eyes; and that, in fact, there is not a single house built of wood in the whole city. The difference between his geography and that of Arrowsmith’s last map has perplexed me very much; for while he speaks, all his journey through, of travelling in a south-easterly direction, the positions of the places that he mentions in that map trace a route to the north-west for the half of it. However, I have gleaned several facts from the book, which are valuable; and I mean to run through it once more to pick up a few more, if I have left any.

“I was surprised to meet with so much curious information about Mexico in the third volume of Pinkerton’s Geography. It is all taken from a work which I have seen upon the shelves at Holland House.

“Pinkerton has also made a judicious use of Thierry’s book: he has corrected the population which that author assigns to the city of Guaxaca, viz. of 6000 souls,—by supposing him to have been ignorant that the Spanish mode of computing is by families, which is rendered very probable, because 6000 families are assigned as the population of the same city in Alcedos’ Dictionary, which Mr P. refers to. It is surprising that he has not applied the same solution to another passage of M. Thierry’s book, which he rejects as incredible; that in which, upon the authority of Mons. de Fersen, vol. i. p. 194, he states the whole population of the Spanish possessions in North America as so low as one million of souls; if M. de Fersen reckoned by families, this computation would not carry us far from three and half millions, the number which appears to be supported by the best authorities. By Mr Koe’s desire, I have made some inquiries about the attempts of the East India Company to introduce the Cochineal into their settlements. What I have learnt respects Madras only, where a Dr Anderson projected this new article of culture. Insects were procured from America,—I do not know by what expedients,—however, they proved to be of a spurious breed; yet the produce of these was sold in England at a good price. There is a reward still held out to any one who will carry out the true insect to India; and I understand they are not quite confident of possessing the proper opuntia, though every known species was procured. Thierry’s book was known at Madras to those who were interested about this subject, and was considered as very valuable.

“Believe me, my dear Sir, most sincerely yours,

“Fra. Horner.”

In answer to Bentham’s application for liberty to visit Mexico, Lord Holland wrote from Seville, February 18, 1809:—