Item 93 - William Whewell to Richard Jones

3 pp.

Trinity College - WW is still very clear in his opinion that RJ 'must omit all mention of the hartlitarian doctrines in p.xviii. It is not done that generally speaking the judgement of common men on this subject was clenched by this step, and you must not touch the subject a second time because you must appear to have approached it once only from the absolute majority' ['An Essay on the Distribution of Wealth, and on the Sources of Taxation: Part 1. - Rent', 1831]. WW does not think his 'notion of the gradation of general principles is difficult to develop if it were worth while' and shows RJ how to do it. He then contrasts this process [the work of the inductive philosopher] with the modern economists, who 'on the other hand - jump - to last - from one or two trivial facts to the conclusion that every man will get as much money as he can - an axiom generalisation - and having got hold of this they reason downwards to the doctrine of rent and forty things besides'. The vicinity of Cambridge is presently 'in the hot stage of this fever in the social state which you I hope have got through - we have had two fires - one large one so near as to illuminate our great court'. The Trinity 'youths have armed themselves with sticks and anticipate a row with much glee'.