John Stuart Mill: A Criticism with Personal Recollections

ADVOCACY OF PEASANT PROPERTIES. 87
the Chronicle whenever I like, which I can always do. The
paper has tried for years to get me to write to it, but it has not
suited me to do it before, except once in six months or so."
"
I continue to carry on the
On the a8th December, he says
Pol. Econ. as well as I can with the articles in the Chronicle.
These last I may a little slacken now, having in a great
measure, as far as may be judged by appearances, carried my
point, viz., to have the waste lands reclaimed and parcelled out
in small properties among the best part of the peasantry." In
another month he changes his tune. On 2yth Jan. (1847),
he writes: "You will have seen by this time how far the
ministry are from having adopted any of my conclusions
about Ireland, though Lord J. Russell subscribes openly to
almost all the premises. I have little hope left. The ten
dency of their measures seems to me such that it can only
excess of evil."
"
I have
bring about good to Ireland by
so indoctrinated the Chronicle writers with my
ideas on
Ireland, that they are now going on very well and spiritedly
without me, which enables me to work much at the Political
Economy, to my own satisfaction. The last thing
I did for
the Chronicle was a thorough refutation, in three long articles,
of Croker s article on the Division of Property in France." Two
months later, he announced that the first draft of the Political
Economy was finished. As to public affairs" The people are
all mad, and nothing will bring them to their senses but the
terrible consequences they are certain to bring on themselves,
as shown in Whately s speech yesterday in the House of Lords
the only sensible speech yet made in either House on the
question. Fontenelle said that mankind must pass through all
forms of error before arriving at truth. The form of error we
are now possessed by is that of making all take care of each,
instead of stimulating and helping each to take care of himself ;
and now this is going to be put to a terrible trial, which will
bring
it to a crisis and a termination sooner than could otherwise
have been hoped for."