New-York tribune., 1882-03-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

JOHN STUART MILL Criticism p with etc f'rIo long
Recoleetions By M ALaNANp-h 0N'' wv
mans, Green Co 1887.
Tho ioint lives of James and John stuart MN
cover the century from 1873 to 1873. FOR ,ie iaSS
three-ouarters of this period one or the o'hei y,
these gentlemen was prominent ANU ~ .,
ncrsonage and for several years they "eIe "h '"o
stage together In preemlncnl sense 'ho i"'n0'
lived his own life i'll the lie OF the son "lonl io
,a ,,oro comnletely trained and made the ectype OF
himself than has often been possible. fethaps
there is no example in literary and philosophical
history which is So striking as the deliberate aud
1otermiped formation of man by another as
+bot furnished in the training of this giited ana
facile son by his strong-wllled and energetic la'hc
The lives OF the two also form continuous history
of influence in the direction, the son ou'l0'ns
unon the foundations laid by the father, moving Ill
the same patty lines iDherting hls principles 10
enlarge and apply them. surrounded by the same
political and literary cOtcrie and triumphlhg III
similar successes. Political and economic relorii
irdical revolutions enlargement of representation
nonulor clucatlon free trade, reformation oil 'he
Church to say nothing of fundamental changes III
ethical ana metaphysical philosophy ana UNI
,n,sitv troining-these and many other interests
besides the discussion of numberess questions oI
enbemeral importance occupied their attention anu
filed UP their industrious lives The changes whch
have becn effected in the public sentiment and the
these two men and their associates and the parties
10 which they were allied are simply marvellous.
The story of these two lives, could 1t be traly
ord faithfully told would be wonderful tale OF IN
,cNectnal pluck, persistence and success. Conld
these two men be depicted in their weakness anu III
their strength in their singular inconsistencies ol
character and their eminent detects aS wen as III III
their many claims to honor and gratitude we snoui"
have rare succession of tableaus OF STRIKING con
~,
trasts-nOw attractive and then rep"SINo' '"'
always forcibe and picturesque
Professor Balm was obviously the man VINO Shou'H
write this continuous story lnheriing the psycho-
logical and philosophical theories OF ooth laih'r
and son having given his life To illustrate ana am
nifty Them by generous studies, and having peeh
associated with the younger Mill in more or less
intimate personal friendship he would he naturaHy
designated for he service by the public voice Il not
impelled to il by his feelings. he opportunity
for a striking biography was also one oil tle mos
inviting in all English literature we hazard Ht'c
in saving that scarcely a man oil the present coA-
+prv has been so prominent in his influence ana 80
marked in his personal and indirect influence as 'ho
late James Mill. and concerning whom there was
so general and active a curiosity as in respect to the
characteristics of his personality and the dramatic
events of his history.
We are sorry to he obliged to say that Professor
Rain has disappointed public expectation ana
missed n great opportunity. The disappointment,
will he most conspicuous In respect TO te INC VI
the father. concerning whom the WOrId KNOWS ~
littIo and desires 10 know 50 much, But while Mr..
Balm has in a sense failed to make the book lh'I
was desired and looked fol- he has written an IN
structive and readable volume. lie has apparently
been diliceut IN bis researches and panstaking in
his analyses. Every book and article winch MT,
Mill has wilton has been carefully analyzea ana
described Every enterprise which he undertook
has been searched out and its successes or TeVeIseS
have been noted His principal friends have been
excessively introduced upon the scene ana pune
tiIionsly bowed of rs thcy disappeared Cne by one
N The homes which Mr.. Jeremy Bentham rented OF
N furnished to his great procGe are scrupulous'S
registered. The magnificent country-seat oil fot"
Abbey which Mr. Mill with his increasing family
reioced in for several month, for several years ana
in one year for nearly ten months is described with
tine Ininuteness OF county guide-bOok Inc SOL
emn letter which Mr.. Mill wrote TO Mr. Benthaih
after some one of their apparently not lnirequeht
tIfs in which he proposes final breahlhS-uP VI
their ioint Housekeeping, after delay OF seNelaI
months during which for their mutual credi' al"
comfort they should say sweet and civil Things 10
one another and feel as comfortably as they coulu'
oil these and many other notable facts are set down
with painstakirg exactncss. Mr.. Mill indifference
TO his wife ana his naughty imperousneSs toward
the visitors of his son and his not always patent
donphters are honestly confessed. But after all
the abundant data and facts with which the VOL
nme is crowded. do not find Mr.. james MII' nor
Mr. Jeremy Bentham, nor Mr.. John Austin nor MI
Ricardo. nor Mr. George Grote, nor the not lew
comers and gOers of that handful OF UtlIltaIlahS
and Refor,ncrs of Church and Court and Parliament
and University of whom Mr.. James Mill was inc
ruIing spirit from beginning to end. we nave
Memories pour serrr. but no history much less any
,Ft 4 tIa lViu IN Ii tllllcS
apparently no conception that such portrait was
called for or might be written.
What all the world would like to find IN the
hoprapby of James Mil would be fresh and living
deiipeaton of this hard headed Scotchman, first at
the University of Edinburgh then Presbyterian
stulcut of divinity who had apparently scanher
and more unworthy conceptiOnS OF Christianity
than we should III these DAYS expect OF cNlll%ed
Misunderstanding in his attempts to preach lot some
unexpained reason, and yet having enough o reputa-
-ion and self-confdence and influential friends 10
iustify him in going to London as writer "hclo
he embark, on a tide of uninterrupted success. We
would like if possible to know what KIND ol sun Il
man could be made Of who after several years OF
practical heathenism in London could stlI be Will
inc TO take a parish in the Scottish Kirk, provided
n GOOD stipend were attached, and yet within year
or two afterward did not remember that when a
candidate for the ministry he had once subscrbedh
Westminster Confession nor even what its contents
,vere His final rejection OF Christianity under the
induerce of Mr. Ben tham-lSOS'1O, when he had
reached the mature age OF thirty hVe or more
vyould interest US still more, especially as MS son IN
his autobiography informs us that by some TO us
5nexplicable process his father had abandoned al
Interest i'm the question whether there is "ou ana
had deliberately If not ansrly shat out from lhe
horizon of his thoughts all speculation concerning
I...T4., 1. lrrsTl nj D a B.