New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-05-30

beneicent sentiment OF love 10 nlan' "h'"" o
deeply into the essence both Of Christianity "nu p"
losophical ethics into a hideous car'oa'ule'
certain extent indeed he vouChsafes to admit that
:, nov no des;rabla for men to wish well to each
other Rut tho idea of general philanthropy can DO
rooared only with profound disgust Such love IL an
intrusion and an insult To profess an interest IN
the hanniness of the human race is either n pre-
tense or an absurdity. The attempt of Mr. Mill to
fonnd a theory of morals on the conception of the
general good is denounced by the author as q signal
weakness in that illustriOus In the opinion OF
Mr. Mill if men are placed on an equal footing, and
left free to act they will naturally treat each other
as brothers. and work together in harmony for tho
common good. But this notion is considered by Mr..
Stephen rs the climax of absurdity. Men will al
ways care for their own happiness and the happiness
of their friends far more than for the happiness OF
others. The vision of better state of society, in
which Mr. Min so fondly INDUCES, when an ALIEN
bracing love of Humanity viii regenerate the human
race, is no less preposterous than the belief in
witches OF ghosts.
Love for Humanity devotion TO the All or Unversum,
and the like thus little, IL anything, more than
fanatical aacnment to favorte theory about the
means Oy which an indefinite number OF unknown per
Whose existence it pleases the theorists fancy 70
assume may brought into state which the theorist
calls happiness man TO whom this ideal becomes 20
estimate Of the present and his action toward It,
ally repeated experience has shown, perfectly resoy
AZ constituting their happiness to his own notions of
what will constitute the happiness OF other generations
rise or at any rate get ont Of himself Sympathy for
Others interest In the affairs OF Others mpatenoe Oh
what be regards the wrongs Of others do become a
stronger motives him than they are TO most men hnu
do affect his conduct more powerfully but TINS IA ltselI
| other mans confidence Nothing as have already
pointed ont is greater nuisance or 10 many cases So
do NOT want to be loved Every mans greatest happ
ness Is that which makes him individually most hapPy
and of that he and he only 1ndge. II places ms
greatest happiness promoting that which ne regaras
BIS greatest happiness never naTIg nS{c than
general feelings of sympathy, II Is hunareq 20 ono
resept small class Of men of quick feelings and lively
talents, and much larger class OF lgh0rant peOPo
of lie topics which their advisers din into their ears
the probability is that the few viii by degrees Wotk up
tent and clamorous desire for they know not what
which neither pleasant state In ITSELF nor one uE
| The man who WORKS from himself outVards, whose
conduct governed by ordinary motives aud who scts
those who are connected with himself in definite, as
siRnabe wayseproduces in the ordinary coarse tgs
feet of ne) than moral Don Quxotte who Is always
liable TO sacrifice himself and his neghbOrA When yeu
| have to deal with man VINO expects pay and allow
ances, aud swing 70 give falr days WORK IOr US
long the arrangement suits him. you know where you
are. Deal with such man fairly and IN particular
cases. he is OF spirit and courage, ne VIII deal
win YOU not only fairly but generously, Earn his graf
give you what no money could buy pay for. On the
other hand who has disinterested love for the
hum an race-that is to say who has got fixed idea
about way OF providing for the management Oh
the concerns of mankind-s an unaccountable person
with whom it is dItfcnlt TO deal upon any welEknown
and recognized principles and who capable of making
his love Tor men in general the ground OF All soIS Oh
| violence against men IN particular
| Mr. Stephen may be allowed the merit of being
thoroughly in earnest in his vehement denuncia-
TONS although many of his assertions have 80 de-
cided an air of paradox or perversity. 1t Is not
likely, however that he will inspire any consider
able portion of his readers with sympathy in his con-
vctons. He appears TO be destitute of the sense of
! feeling with those members OF the human
| family with whom he has not some ties of personal
interest. The social element, taken iii its widest
idea appears to have been left out in his natural
composition. On this account he is less incapa
BILE Of comprehending the spirit of John Stuart Mill
| than a Hottentot would be of approaching the
beauty Of the Apollo Belvedere. His Judgment on
the subject is equally worthless the opinion of
deaf man on sonata of Beethoven. His mode of
argument is a conclusive proof of the inadequacy of
his perceptions Instead of combining his assaults to
the main positions of Mr.. MILL he EFFORTS from them
differences which Mr. Mill himself would not accept
and makes them the object of his bitter hostility
The doctrines of Mr. Mill are attacked in their con-
sequences not in their principle. The method is, ae
cordngly that of presumption rather than of proof
Instead of an analysis Of facts we have tissue of
speoulations. Spectral forms are evoked from the
abysses of the future, and made to cast their dark
shadows over the lights both of the past and the
present. Mr.. Stephen is apparently man Of a GER
tain hard prosaic sense This blood has less of the
milky element than of iron bat in spite of that he
is the prey of supersttiOus terrors and is cruelty
ridden by the bete noire for which he has mistaken
benign and friendly form.