, 1873-05-10

- JOIN 6TUART MILL.
John Stuart Mill was born in 1906. He was
tho son OF James hfill, the historian Of India,
and Examiner Of Indian Correspondence in the
East Indian House, and celebrated among Eng
lish thinkers for his metaphysical and economic
studies. james Mill WIS OF humble birth, but
gained in his generation q position only 1oss
commanding than that which his son achieved in
the next, under tho impulse he inherited. At
an early age, James Mill attracted the atten-
ton Of Jeremy Bentham, who took him into
his own house, where ho lived for .seY-
era1 years, and became thoroughly indoo-
trinated with the views Of his great master,
whose disciple he was always proud to be called.
ue was pronounced by Macaulay the most dis
tinguished OF tho utiltarian philosophers after
Bentham, and his "History OF India" was ad-
mitted to be the ablest Of all the works on
the subject, as we'll az the first that presented
sound v1ewB Of Indian policy. It exercised
great and benefcent influence On the subsequent
measures OF the Government. He was the first
editor OF the .:restminster Reuies0, WAS q
contributor to the earlier numbers Of the.
Encyclopedia Britannica, and wrote works on
politics, metaphysics, ethical philosophy, and
political economy, which in their day received
great attention, although now, Of course, they
are superseded by the efforts Of later thinkers,
among whom the greatest is his son. The
studies and achievements Of the father are OF
interest, If, for no other reason, because in
them those Of tho son clearly had their origin
and inspiration. The inter we're not 1epe-
tition Of the former the father, for example,
WAS an earnest advocate Of the principles Of Ric-
ardo in political economy, but all who have fol-
lowed the economic investigations Of the son
know how far he has carried tho science beyond
the misdirected deductions Of the Banker-Econo-
mist And he was equally Independent in all
things. Still he wrought in the same lines as his
father, and his work, though anything but q
repetition, may justly be called continuation
Of that Of James Mill. John Stuart
Mill was educated at home, and under
the constant and direct supervision OF his
father. His training embraced a very wide
range Of subjects, but Was pursued according to
vigorous and exact methods, to which he owes
the singular1y clear and active character OF his
mind. Like Goethe, who. Won some Of his
earliest notice by botanical and physical studies,
his mind WAS broad enough to comprehend
natural science, as we'll as metaphysical, and
tho first record Of his name occurs in tho
"Britsh Flora" as an authority for the habitat
OF flowers.
In 1870 he Went to France, where he lived Tor
8 year, making himself master Of the French
language and attending lectures on science. He
lived for some time in Paris in the house Of Jean
Baptiste Say, the great French economist, where
he became acquainted with many men distin-
tinguished, then or afterward, in letters and
politics. He spent part Of his time in the south
OF France in the house Of Sir Samuel Bentham.
During this stay in France be laid the founda~
tion Of his great familiarity with and interest in
French politics and literature. He. followed his
father into the service Of the British Govern
ment, and, in 1928, be received clerkship in the
India House, and in 1853 succeeded to the re-
sponsib1e position his father had filed before
him, n,-that Of head OF the Department of Indian
Correspondence, one Of the most important e1-
ecutive posts in the gift Of the East India Com
pany. In 1858 this department Was trans-
ferred to the General Government, and ho
withdrew from it. He was then offered by Lord
Stanley seat in the Indian Council, but de-
clined it. The ready recognition accorded his
mental powers is shown by the fact that, when on
1y II years ofage, he was chosen by the disciples
Of Bentham to edit Benthan's ?" Rationale Of
Juridical Evidence" This task Was not beyond
his ability, for his wasone Of those gifted minds
which is old young and old 1ongs His natural