, 1873-06-15
JOHN STUART MILL.

A Discussion OF Cabs md Cnb-Fares--
+N1r. Mill M n Pedestrinu--Rts Loy.
atty TO Els FFiendss -: :
London Correspondence a the Nation.
I have lively recollection OF b few appari-
tions Of Mr. hill some ten or twelve years ago,
when he was first beginning to emerge from his
retirement. Nothing could have been imagined
more contrary to my preconceived notions than
the slight, fragile man, trembling with il-sup-
pressed nervousness and, at times, blushlng Like
girl for some inappreciable cause. had ex-
pected-foolshly enough-to see an ideal phil
osophcr, not perhaps in the flowing robes, but
ut lenst with the dignihed mein OF one OF Rapha-
els apostles, and my surprise was not less thsn
would be the surprise Of most people II the por-
trait of the ideal st. Paul were suddenly replaced
by faithful likeness Of the man as he appeared
to his contemporaries. II Mr. Mills presence
waa not dignifed in the conventional sense, it
revealed at once that emotional side Of his
nature which has been made prominent in his
later works. The author OF "The Subsection OF
Women" seemed to take the place Of
the expoundar Of Malthusian princi-
pies. But in few minutes there Was
no difficulty in constructing moro complete
imsge OF the whole man. It Was at a meeting
Of the Political Economy Club that drst had
the honor OF being in Mr.. Mills company, and
the subject, not ut first sight very attractive
one Was the propriety OF allowing cab-fares to
be regulated by free competition instead Of fixed
by tariff. Unpromising subjects often branch
ont into unexpected variety Of suggestion. On
this occasion, however, I do not remember, and
perhaps it would be breach Of confidence to
reveal, the opinions expressed by the other
philosophers present. The arguments used haze
slipped through my mind, though have vague
recol1act;on at having cheved many dry husks Of
statistical information, But I do remember
very distinctly the impression produced upon
me by M1. Mill. His nervous and agltat-
cd manner disappeared with the first
sentance: the statistical and economical
magnates n around mo listened "ith ~ 5aPs atten- en-
ton. whilst now o. eenteneee reu ron ar.
Mills lips, as perfectly formed as though he WAS
reading the proof-sheet Of carefully prepared
essay, and arranged with the most luciditY.
40" nucn at'en!.on =. M @ ;asa;h1a u,u sn ~ ~ me
subject OF CAPS II 1s Oh couise ~ A4o
to say but could never hive imagined that to
80 barren text there could have been appended
such = mass of interesting reflections. Some
ea sun 1. a.h.. 10 san+ 70 h,a anh1ect and vet
DOW o1 osuet' +aL h oe caba nj ~ roera iso-
1otcso one ~ hit m ~ nart of the general
1ateo pneuI' = .irs,a u 90 dtFra,i;ne nnon tonics
systGm tb ~ of noIice oficia1s and
town COUNCILS @ be yet brought into the discussion
sucn "ea.n .,,, " ..,I eaa ra;sed q; nv CLINTON
Cn,eridre won1d doubtless hare been more
,oat;caf md more netaphvsical. il started on
poe ~ hia f1i9btg into the infinite
1roh,b1v moM shoW = mora vivid insight into the
1p,h,sss ~ hnnnan eharacter connected with cabs,
hnt ~ m eTnos,tion of practical philosophy in
ita si bsarines npon cabs NJ Mills discussion ep-
pea9ed pc to me to be as near to perfection as pos
sne sad xbat a is a2 Ill Ike xery e1ceent boof
His conversation Eas FREQUENTLY like chapter
~ - +ba sT,;hertv." t WA his habit. [ be-
1;eve IN have everything closely arranged in his
head ba1ore putting ANYTHING on paper The
nm nlmost afraid to eay, merely from recollec-
tim What was the period employed in the &C.
tnai comnoaition Of the "Logic." NY memory
ta]1s ma that he had written the whole in three
months. That would imply over ten octa7o
pages day: and considering the extreme COM
nlertv of the subject. and the difficulty OF steer
kh no the Wv snfely through Ill manner Of
Iogical intricacies, such q speed OF ex-
ecntion would be something astoniah-
inc. or course it implies that the whole sub
snme other distinguished writer's, be was fond Of
taking long walks, during which his reflections
we're GRADUALLY nodded into form fit for az
preston. Within the last year or two, he MAS
still equal to doing thirty or forty miles in day
without excessive fatigue, though from his ap-
pearance no one wobld hare imagined that he
nossessed great pedestrian powers.
Mr, Mills speeches we're very much injured in
their effect BY the weakness Of bis voice, but az
compositions they we're as perfect as anything
that he wrote, When he first appeared in Par
lament, he was apparently very nervous. and
had curious habit Of occasionally stopping aud
shutting his eyes for many seconds between two
consecutive sentences. To his hearers it ap-
peared ut first that = break down was
imminent, but he always caught tho
thread Of his Argument, and proceed
ed anew with = uniform flow Of dlsquisi-
tion. His least satisfactory performances we're
1T moments when strong feeling WAS carrying
him away. The disproportion between the
passion and the phyaical power Of utterance vas
too marked; foz genuine orator requires IN
organ Of corresponding powers and volume to
give effect to the expression OF strong emotion. enc
And yet the genuine strength OF Mr. Mills feel
ingB, and the generous breadth Of his sympathles,
undoubtedly gave him power over popular audien-
ces, as it will endesx him to the memory OF many
friends who do not implicitly aoopt DIE tneot1es.
No warmer hearted man ever lived, HIS loyalty
to his friends was touching 10 q tnen degree;
though it doubtless betrayed hlm INTO occaeionA
rhr3 6AfrNe