nions were at that time opposite to the Amerí can side the turn they took, was the result of the bad arguments, by which I observed that side supported, no use being made of the only good one, viz. the impossibility of good Government at such a distance, and the advantage of separation to the interest and happiness of both parties. The Declaration of Rights presented itself to my conception from the first, as what it has always continued to be, a hodge-podge of confusion and absurdity, in which the thing to be proved is all along taken for granted. Some hints to this effect were, I believe, given towards the close, in a Note, of my Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. I know not whether it was at that time, or some years after, that I made a dissection of it. The paper, I believe, was translated by M. Dumont, and made use of by him in his edition of my work on Political Tactics, † in the second volume, at the end of the list of Fallacies. I speak of that paper now with the less reserve, the author of it, (Jefferson,) who took it for the main foundation of his glory, being now no more: a man, whom, * [1t was published in 4to. 1789. E. H. B.]

+[Traités de Legislation Civile et Penale; Precedes de Principes Généraux de Legislation, et d'une Vue d'un Corps complet de Droit, terminés par un Essai sur l'Influence des Tems et des Lieux relativement aux Lois; publiées en Francois d'apres MSS. par Etienne Dumont. Lond. 1802. 3 vols. 8vo. E. H. B.]

on other accounts, I hold in very high estimation, were it only on account of his having by his patience and forbearance under a long continuance of the most galling attacks, established upon a sure basis the liberty of the press. Absurdity, if I do not misrecollect, went so far on that side, as to pretend that, in point of fact, they had all along been in a state of indepen-、 dence on the British Parliament, the contrary of which was proved so plainly by such a number of Acts of Parliament, which were produced.

English Lawyers, who, being in the opposition, took, as a matter of course, their side,—took, if possible, a more palpably absurd course. Lord Camden, who saw that it would never do to pretend, in the teeth of the Acts themselves, that Parliament had never taken upon itself to exercise the power of legislation over the Colonies, took a distinction between legislation and taxation. Legislation, said he, is one thing, taxation, another: to legislate, is to command; to tax, is not to command: it is only to give money. For proof, he brought forward the words give and grant, which he had picked up in some Act or Acts of Parliament, and for aught I know at this moment, (for it is not worth looking for,) in all taxing Acts as if giving and granting other people's money by Sovereign authority, sword in hand, were not taxing them. And even sup

posing these words employed in all Acts, in which the money was given in large sums by general words, thereupon, after, and in consequence of them, came out Acts in volumes, for prescribing the mode of collection, and imposing penalties on non-payment, and so forth; Acts, in none of which, most assuredly, were any such words as give and grant to be found. Little did I think at that time, that I was destined to write within 15 or 16 years thereafter, an address to the French Commonwealth for the express purpose of engaging them, by arguments, that applied to all mother-countries, to emancipate their Colonies.

(signed)

JEREMY BENTHAM.

[My excellent friend, Mr. George Coventry, was so good as to communicate to me, in a Letter dated Wandsworth-Common, May 15, 1827. the following intelligence: "I now forward to you all the information I can gather respecting Lind. Indeed I am not certain after all my research whether he is the same person you mean. However, I can trace no information respecting any other. I have searched all the biographical dictionaries, magazines, etc., and in the Dictionnaire Universelle, which is a far superior work to any we possess, I find that Dr. James Lind was an extraordinary, clever man, and published many scientific and professional works, but none political. When, or where he was born, there is no mention ; but it appears that he died July 18, 1794. at Gosport. He

resided much at Windsor, and I presume also in Scotland, as many of his works were published there: see Watt's Bibl. Brit." Mr. Bentham (May 31, 1827.) remembers" that Dr. James Lind was a physician of reputation, and that he was a correspondent of John Lind, but, as he believes, no relation. Lind was an intimate of Lord North's, and visited Mrs. North's Conversaziones. Lord North gave a pension of £50 to each of his two sisters - the alleged reason, a manifesto written by Lind against the United States. But Lind wanted more he applied for the Chairmanship of the Ways and Means, and failed. He had a pretty large acquaintance. Mr. Bentham remembers meeting Lord Loughborough and Baron Masères at his house. An intimate of Lind was Trevor Corry, who filled some diplomatic situation; another was Dr. Bland; but there was a man of the name of Anthony Clarke, who afterwards became a broker in the city- he was for many years Lind's secretary. He was the son of a man, who fled the country for debt. Mr. Bentham remembers his giving a feast to his friend, who became his customer. He was a sort of Simple Simon; but he made money - he succeeded - his mind was on a level with the minds around him. Lind had not read much. He knew nothing of law-little of scholarship. He had an acute mind was an Epicurean of easy, negligent, fashionable manners. He did not die in indigent circumstances, and therefore Mrs. Lind was not wholly destitute. She corresponded with the King of Poland, to whom Mr. Bentham, wrote letters for her, complaining of the irregularity, with which her pension was paid. Mr. Bentham used to see the King's Letters to her they were in good English. Poniatowsky made her some allowance, and she lived in a snug, respectable way. Sir Herbert Croft was an intruder- she did not like him he was a trader in sentimentalities on his own account, and, Mr. Bentham believes, used Mrs. Lind as a means of getting himself into notice. He fell unexpectedly upon a Baronetcy - he was a brother of the man, who de

stroyed himself on the death of the Princess Charlotte. He wrote a book called Love and Madness, A Story too true, in a Series of Letters, (first published in 1780. 12mo.) and others too. Mr. Bentham remembers a bit of affectation. He quoted 'still small voice,' and printed the words in a diminutive type. He courted Lind-was full of all sorts of projects, but had no talents for them. He married a woman of quality, outran his means, and emigrated to Hamburgh. He had a good deal of the avanturier in him. There was a Mr. John Croft of the same family, whom Lind used to visit."

My venerable friend, the Rev. David Roderick, informed me at Berkhamstead, Oct. 26, 1826. that Lind's defence of Lord Pigot, Governor of Madras, was considered to be most ably written ; that he aspired to a high official appointment, a Secretaryship of State, but that the free opinions expressed in his Letters on Poland formed an insuperable obstacle—the offence could not be forgiven. Mr. Roderick was very intimate with him.

In a pamphlet called Observations on a Pamphlet, entitled A Short History of Opposition during the last Session of Parliament, with a Postscript to the Author. To which is prefixed an Address to Messrs. Wedderburne, Gibbon, and M'Pherson. By a Member of Parliament. Lond. 1779. 8vo. pp. 121. we read ix. these words: p. "I think I have at length discovered the secret. Mr. M'Pherson is the man; none but the author of Modestus,' the celebrated answerer of Junius, could emulate that writer's stile,; besides the veterans are all gone to Greenwich and Chelsea; the two Doctors, (Johnson and Shebbeare,) are now almost superannuated; Mr. Lind is writing the life and panegyric of Lord Mansfield, and compiling, in five volumes in folio, the negociations of his nephew, at the Imperial and French Courts; and Sir John Dalrymple is too busily engaged in recruiting in the Highlands, to attend to politics. His next historical romance has not yet received the final touch of the French notary, who has had the inventing, as well as the