John Stuart Mill: A Criticism with Personal Recollections

VOLUME ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. 117
larger undertaking, his principal contribution to a Philosophy
of Politics. He says in the Preface, that the chief novelty of
the volume is the bringing together, in a connected form, the
various political doctrines that he had at various times given
expression to : but the mere fact of viewing them in connexion
necessarily improved their statement and bearings ;
and the six
or eight months additional elaboration in his fertile brain could
not but infuse freshness into the subject.
, In my estimate of Mill s genius, he was first of all a Logician,
and next a social philosopher or Politician. The Political
Economy and the Representative Government constitute his
political outcome. People will differ as to his conclusions,
but certainly whoever wishes to judge of any matter within
the scope of the Representative Government should first see
what is there said upon it ; and the work must long enter
into the education of the higher class of politicians. The
chapter on the
"
Criterion of a good form of
"
Government
contains an exceedingly pertinent discussion of the relation
between Order and Progress ; and demonstrates that Order
cannot be permanent without Progress ; a position in advance
of Comte. The third chapter demolishes the fond theory
entertained by many in the present day that the best govern
ment is
"
Absolute authority in good hands ". Then comes a
question that needs all the author s delicacy, tact, and resource
Under what conditions is representative government appli
cable ? But his strongest point throughout is the exposition of
the dangers and difficulties attending on Democracy. This
was one of his oldest themes in the Westminster Review ; he
has put it in every possible light, and discussed with apostolic
ardour all the contrivances for withstanding the tyranny of the
majority. He took up with avidity
Mr. Hare s scheme of
Representation, and never ceased to urge it as the greatest
known improvement that representative institutions are suscep
tible of. He dismisses Second Chambers as wholly inadequate to
the purpose in view, however useful otherwise. The discussions