首页 >出版文学> James Mill>第4章

第4章

  Millcouldnowlookforwardtoasuccessfulpropagandaofthecreedwhichhadpassedsoslowlythroughitsperiodofincubation。ThedeathofRicardoin1823affectedhimtoadegreewhichastonishedhisfriends,accustomedonlytohissternexterior。
  Aplentifulcropofyoungproselytes,however,wasarisingtocarryonthework;andthepartynowbecamepossessedoftheindispensableorgan。
  TheWestminsterReviewwaslaunchedatthebeginningof1824。Benthamprovidedthefunds;Mill’sofficialpositionpreventedhimfromundertakingtheeditorship,whichwasaccordinglygiventoBentham’syoungdisciple,Bowring,helpedforatimebyHenrySouthern。TheWestminsterwastorepresenttheRadicalsasthetwoolderreviewsrepresentedtheWhigsandtheTories;andtoshowthatthenewpartyhaditsphilosophersanditsmenofliterarycultivationaswellasitspopularagitatorsandjournalists。
  ItthereforenaturallyputforthitsclaimsbyopeningfireinthefirstnumbersagainsttheEdinburghandtheQuarterlyReviews。
  TheassaultupontheEdinburghReview,ofwhichIshallspeakpresently,madeanimpression,and,asJ。S。Milltellsus,broughtsuccesstothefirstnumberofthenewventure,thegauntletwasthrowndownwithplentyofvigour,andreformerswereexpectedtorallyroundsothoroughgoingachampion。InlaternumbersMillafterwardsJan。9,1826felluponSouthey’sBookoftheChurch,andApril1826assailedchurchestablishmentsingeneral。HedefendedtolerationduringthesameyearinareviewofSamuelBailey’sFormationofOpinions,andgaveageneralaccountofhispoliticalcreedinanarticleOctoberonthe’StateoftheNation。’
  ThiswashislastcontributiontotheWestminster;butin1827hecontributedtotheParliamentaryHistoryandReview,startedbyJamesMarshallofLeeds,anarticleuponrecentdebatesonreform,whichendedforatimehispoliticalwritings。
  TheUtilitarianshadnogreattalentforcohesion。Theirveryprincipleswereindeedinfavourofindividualindependence,andtheywereperhapsmorereadytodivergethantotoleratedivergence。TheWestminsterReviewhadmadeagoodstart,anddrewattentiontotherising’group’——J。S。Milldeclaresthatitneverformeda’school。’26FromtheveryfirsttheMillsdistrustedBowringanddisapprovedofsomearticles;theelderMillfailedtocarryhisdiscipleswithhim,partlybecausetheywerealreadyinfavourofgivingvotestowomen;andastheReviewsoonshoweditselfunabletopayitsway,somenewarrangementbecamenecessary。ItwasfinallyboughtbyPerronetThompson,andceasedforatimetobetheofficialorganofBenthamism。
  AnotherundertakingoccupiedmuchofMill’sattentioninthefollowingyears。TheeducationalschemesoftheUtilitarianshadsofarprovedabortive。In1824,however,ithadoccurredtothepoet,ThomasCampbell,theneditingtheNewMonthlyMagazine,thatLondonoughttopossessauniversitycomparabletothatofBerlin,andmoreonalevelwithmodernthoughtthantheolduniversitiesofOxfordandCambridge,whichwerestillintheclosestconnectionwiththechurch。CampbelladdressedalettertoBrougham,andtheschemewastakenupenergeticallyonseveralsides。Place27wroteanarticle,whichheofferedtoCampbellfortheNewMonthly,whodeclinedoutofmodestytopublishitinhisownorgan。ItwasthenofferedtoBowringfortheWestminster,andultimatelysuppressedbyhim,whichmayhavebeenoneofthecausesofhisdifferenceswiththeMills。Broughamtookaleadingpartintheagitation;JosephHumepromisedtoraise£;100,000。GeorgeBirkbeck,founderoftheMechanics’institution,andZacharyMacaulay,whosawinitaplaceofeducationfordissentingministers,joinedthemovement,andamongthemostactivemembersofthenewbodywereJamesMillandGrote。Acouncilwasformedattheendof1825,andaftervariousdifficultiesasumof£;160,000wasraised,andtheuniversitystartedinGowerStreetin1828。AmongthefirstbodyofprofessorswereJohnAustinandM’Culloch,bothofthemsoundUtilitarians。Theolddifficulty,however,madeitselffelt。Inordertosecuretheunsectariancharacteroftheuniversity,religiousteachingwasomitted。Thecollegewasaccusedofinfidelity。
  King’sCollegewasstartedinopposition;andviolentantipathieswerearoused。Aspecialcontroversyragedwithinthecouncilitself。Twophilosophicalchairsweretobefounded;andphilosophycannotbekeptclearofreligion。
  Afterlongdiscussions,onechairwasfilledbytheappointmentoftheReverendJohnHoppus,anindependentminister。Grote,declaringthatnoman,pledgedbyhispositiontothesupportofanytenets,shouldbeappointed,resignedhisplaceonthecouncil。28Theuniversityin1836
  becameacollegecombinedwithitsrivalKing’sCollegeunderthenewlyformedexaminingbodycalledtheUniversityofLondon。Ithas,Isuppose,beenofservicetoeducation,andmayberegardedastheonepracticalachievementoftheUtilitariansinthatdirection,sofarasitsfoundationwasduetothem。Itmust,however,beadmittedthattheactualbodystillfallsveryfarshortoftheidealpresenttothemindsofitsfounders。
  From1822JamesMillspenthisvacationsatDorking,andafterwardsatMickleham。HehaddevotedthemtoataskwhichwasnecessarytofillagapintheUtilitarianscheme。
  Hithertotheschoolhadassumed,ratherthanattemptedtoestablish,aphilosophicalbasisofitsteaching。Bentham’sfragmentarywritingsabouttheChrestomathicschoolsuppliedallthatcouldbycourtesybecalledaphilosophy。Mill,however,hadbeenfromthefirstinterestedinphilosophicalquestions。Hisreadingwasnotwide;heknewsomethingofthedoctrinestaughtbyStewartandStewart’ssuccessor,Brown。HehadbeenespeciallyimpressedbyHobbes,tosomedegreebyLockeandHume,butaboveallbyHartley。Heknewsomething,too,ofCondillacandtheFrenchideologists。
  OfrecentGermanspeculationhewasprobablyquiteignorant。IfindindeedthatPlacehadcalledhisattentiontotheaccountofKant,publishedbyWirgmanintheEncyclopaediaLondinensisin1817。MillaboutthesametimetellsPlacethathehasbeguntoreadTheCriticofPureReason,’Iseeclearlyenough,’hesays,’whatpoorKantwouldbeabout,butitwouldrequiresometimetogiveanaccountofhim。’HewishesDecember6,1817thathehadtimetowriteabookwhichwould,makethehumanmindasplainastheroadfromCharingCrosstoSt。Paul’s。’29Thiswasapparentlythetasktowhichheappliedhimselfinhisvacations。TheAnalysisappearedin1829,and,whateveritsdefectsofincompletenessandone-sidednessfromaphilosophicalpointofview,showsinthehighestdegreeMill’spowersofclose,vigorousstatement;andlaysdownwithsingularclearnessthepsychologicaldoctrine,whichfromhispointofviewsuppliedthefundamentaltheoremsofknowledgeingeneral。Itdoesnotappear,however,tohavemadeanimpressionproportionatetotheintellectualpowerdisplayed,andhadtowaitalongtimebeforereachingthesecondeditionduetothefilialzealofJ。S。Mill。
  JamesMill,afterhisarticlesintheWestminster,couldtakelittlepartinpoliticalagitation。HewasstillconsultedbyPlaceinregardtotheReformmovement。Placehimselftookanimportantpartatthefinalcrisis,especiallybyhiscirculationintheweekofagonyofthefamousplacard,’GoforGold。’ButtheUtilitarianswerenowlostinthecrowd。Thedemandforreformhadspreadthroughallclasses。TheattackupontherulingclasscarriedonbytheRadicalsofallshadesinthedarkdaysofSidmouthandthesixActswasnowsupportedbythenationatlarge。TheoldToryismcouldnolongersupportitselfbyappealingtothenecessitiesofastrugglefornationalexistence。Theprestigeduetothevictoriousendofthewarhadfadedaway。TheReformBillof1832waspassed,andtheUtilitarianshopedthatthemillenniumwouldatleastbegintodawn。
  Millin1830removedfromQueen’sSquaretoVicaragePlace,Kensington。HekepthishouseatMickleham,andtheretooklongSundaywalkswithafewofhisdisciples。Hisstrengthwasmoreandmoreabsorbedinhisofficialduties。Hewasespeciallycalledupontogiveevidencebeforethecommitteeswhichfrom1830to1833consideredthepolicytobeadoptedinrenewingthecharteroftheEastIndiaCompany。
  Millappearedastheadvocateofthecompany,defendedtheirpolicy,andarguedagainstthedemandsofthecommercialbodywhichdemandedthefinalsuppressionoftheoldtradingmonopolyoftheCompany。Theabolition,indeed,wasaforegoneconclusion;butMill’sviewwasnotinaccordancewiththedoctrinesofthethoroughgoingfree-traders。Hisofficialexperience,itseems,uponthisandothermattersdeterredhimfromtheaprioridogmatismtoocharacteristicofhispoliticalspeculations。Millalsosuggestedtheformationofalegislativecouncil,whichwastocontainoneman’versedinthephilosophyofmenandgovernment。’ThiswasrepresentedbytheappointmentofthelegalmemberofcouncilintheActof1833。MillapprovedofMacaulayasthefirstholderofthepost。Itwas’veryhandsome’ofhim,asMacaulayremarks,inasmuchasthefamousarticleswrittenbyMacaulayhimself,inwhichtheEdinburghhadatlastretortedupontheUtilitarians,muststillhavebeenfreshinhismemory。The’PenalCode’drawnbyMacaulayasholderoftheofficewasthefirstactualattempttocarryoutBentham’sfavouriteschemesunderBritishrule,andtheinfluenceofthechiefofBentham’sdisciplesattheIndiaHousemayhavehadsomethingtodowithitsinitiation。
  Macaulay’schiefsubordinate,itmayberemarked,CharlesHayCameron,wasoneoftheBenthamites,andhadbeenproposedbyGroteforthechairattheLondonUniversityultimatelyfilledbyHoppus。
  After1830MillwrotethesevereFragmentonMackintosh,which,afteradelaycausedbyMackintosh’sdeath,appearedin1835。HecontributedsomearticlestotheLondonReview,foundedbySirW。Molesworth,asanorganofthe’philosophicalRadicals,’andsuperintended,thoughnotdirectlyedited,byJ。S。Mill。
  These,hislastperformances,repeattheolddoctrines。Itdoesnotappear,indeed,thatMilleveralteredoneofhisopinions。HeacceptedBentham’sdoctrinetotheend,asunreservedlyasamathematicianmightacceptNewton’sPrincipia。
  Mill’slungshadbeguntobeaffected。ItwassupposedthattheywereinjuredbythedustimbibedoncoachjourneystoMickleham。HehadabadattackofhaemorrhageinAugust1835,anddiedpeacefullyon23rdJune1836。
  WhatremainstobesaidofMillpersonallymaybesuggestedbyanoticeableparallel。S。T。Coleridge,bornaboutsixmonthsbeforeMill,diedtwoyearsbeforehim,thetwolivesthuscoincidedformorethansixtyyears,andeachmanwastheleaderofaschool。Inallelsethecontrastcouldhardlybegreater。Ifweweretoapplytherulesofordinarymorality,itwouldbeentirelyinMill’sfavour。Milldischargedallhisdutiesasstrenuouslyasamancould,whileColeridge’slifewasaprolongedillustrationoftheremarkthatwhenanactionpresenteditselftohimasadutyhebecamephysicallyincapableofdoingit。WhateverMillundertookheaccomplished,ofteninthefaceofenormousdifficulties。Coleridgeneverfinishedanything,andhisworksareaheapoffragmentsoftheprolegomenatoambitiousschemes。Millworkedhishardestfromyouthtoage,neversparinglabourorshirkingdifficultiesorturningasidefromhispath。Coleridgedawdledthroughlife,solacinghimselfwithopium,andcouldonlybecoaxedintooccasionalactivitybyskilfuldiplomacy。Millpreservedhisindependencebyrigidself-denial,temperance,andpunctuality。Coleridgewasalwaysdependentuponthegenerosityofhisfriends,Millbroughtupalargefamily,andinthemidstofseverelaboursfoundtimetoeducatethemeventoexcess。Coleridgelefthiswifeandchildrentobecaredforbyothers。AndColeridgediedintheodourofsanctity,reveredbyhisdisciples,andidolisedbyhischildren;whileMillwenttothegraveamidsttheshrugsofrespectableshoulders,andrespectedratherthanbelovedbythesonwhosucceededtohisintellectualleadership。
  Theanswertotheriddleisindeedplainenough;orrathertherearemanysuperabundantlyobviousanswers,HadMilldefendedorthodoxviewsandColeridgebeenavowedlyheterodox,weshouldnodoubthaveheardmoreofColeridge’sopiumandofMill’sblamelessandenergeticlife。Butthisexplainslittle。ThatColeridgewasamanofgeniusand,moreover,ofexquisitelypoeticalgenius,andthatMillwasatmostamanofremarkabletalentandthedriestandsternestoflogiciansisalsoobvious。ItisevenmoretothepurposethatColeridgewasoverflowingwithkindliness,thoughlittleabletoturngoodwilltomucheffect;whereasMill’smoralitytooktheformchieflyofattackingthewicked。ThisisindicatedbythesayingattributedbyBowringtoBenthamthatMill’ssympathyforthemanysprangoutofhishatredoftheoppressingfew。30J。S。MillveryproperlyprotestedagainstthisstatementwhenitwasquotedintheEdinburghReview。Itwouldobviouslyimplyagrossmisunderstanding,whetherBentham,notagoodobserverofmen,saidsoornot。ButitindicatesthesideofMill’scharacterwhichmadehimunattractivetocontemporariesandalsotoposterity。Hepartook,sayshisson,31oftheStoic,theEpicurean,andtheCyniccharacter。HewasaStoicinhispersonalqualities;anEpicureansofarashistheoryofmoralswasconcerned;andaCynicinthathecaredlittleforpleasure。Hethoughtlifea’poorthing’
  afterthefreshnessofyouthhadpassed;andsaidthathehadneverknownanoldmanhappyunlesshecouldliveoveragaininthepleasuresoftheyoung。Temperanceandself-restraintwerethereforehisfavouritevirtues。
  Hedespisedall’passionateemotions’;heheldwithBenthamthatfeelingsbythemselvesdeservedneitherpraisenorblame;hecondemnedamanwhodidharmwhethertheharmcamefrommalevolenceorfromintellectualerror。