390 CONDOECET. 



calcul donnoit la meme probabilite, soit que cette unanimite ait lieu 

 immediatement, soit qu'elle ne se forme qu'apres plusieurs changemens 

 d'avis, soit que Ton se remiisse a la majoritej soit que Tavis de la 

 minorite finisse, par avoir tous les suj0frages. 



We quote this passage in order to draw attention to a practice of 

 which Condorcet is very fond, and which causes much obscurity in 

 his writings ; the practice is that of needlessly varying the lan- 

 guage. If we compare the words soit que Ton se reimisse a la 

 viajoy^ite with those which immediately follow, we discover such a 

 great diversity in the language that we have to ascertain whether 

 there is a corresponding diversity in the meaning which is to be 

 conveyed. We shall conclude on examination that there is no 

 such diversity of meaning, and we consequently pronounce the 

 diversity of language to be very mischievous, as it only serves to 

 arrest and perplex the student. 



It would be well in this paragraph to omit all the words soit 

 que Von... suffrages; for without these everything is fully expressed 

 which Condorcet had obtained in his first part. 



We would indicate the first eleven lines of Condorcet's page 270 

 as involving so much that is arbitrary as to render all the conclu- 

 sions depending on them valueless. We are not prepared to offer 

 more reasonable suppositions than those of Condorcet, but we 

 think that if these are the best which can be found it will be 

 prudent to give up the attempt to apply mathematics to the 

 question. 



We may remark that what is called Trial hy Jury would more 

 accurately be styled Trial hy Judge and Jury. Accordingly a most 

 important element in such an investigation as Condorcet under- 

 takes would be the influence which the Judge exercises over the 

 Jury ; and in considering this element we must remember that 

 the probability is very high that the opinion of the Judge will be 

 correct, on account of his ability and experience. 



716. We now arrive at Condorcet's fifth part; which occupies 

 the remainder of his book, that is, pages 279 — 304. Condorcet 

 says on page CLVii, 



L'objet de cette derniere Partie, est d'appliquer a quelques exemples 

 les principes que nous avons developpcs. II auroit 6t^ I. desirer que 



