will contain the fruits of a quantity of labour, of which nobody who shall not go over the same ground, and go over it without the assistance of my book, can form an adequate conception. Had I foreseen that it would be one half or one third of what it has been, never should I have been the author of a History of India.-Most truly yours, J. MILL. WALTER SCOTT. Abbotsford, October 2, 1817. DEAR SIR,-I send you about one half of the article on "Chivalry," that you may set it up and see how it runs out. I find it almost impossible to get on here for want of books, without which I cannot make the pointed references to authorities which the article really requires. I brought a chest of volumes here on purpose, but so it is that the book I want is eternally amissing. In these circumstances I think you had better skip, and go on, leaving a blank for completing the article. Thus the press will not be stopped, and I will finish my task early in November, with credit to the work, and much more ease to myself. I have not even read over the sheets sent, but will correct them accurately in proof. I will add considerably to the illustrations, which will give a richer effect to the article, which looks at present rather meagre. take the opportunity of sending this by our arch-bibliopolist Constable. Your obedient servant, WALTER SCOTT. DR. THOMAS BROWN. Edinburgh, April 14, 1818. MY DEAR NAPIER,-Many thanks to you for your Dissertation,1 which, after hearing it with great pleasure, I have read with great increase of pleasure. Do not call me an unbeliever, far less a scoffer, though I certainly rank at a much lower degree than you the influence of Bacon's writings. With respect to his own intellectual merits, I honour him a good way "on this side of idolatry," indeed, but with a veneration which unbelievers and scoffers would call idola 1 On Bacon's philosophical writings; read before the Royal Society of Edinburgh. C trous; and though I conceive that his notions of the ultimate objects of physical inquiry were not founded on just views of the powers of the Mind and of Nature in relation to those powers, I scarcely see how you can consistently differ from me on this point, who acknowledge it to have been "his general belief that the essences of all material substances were capable of being discovered by the inductive process." Is not such a general belief itself a proof that Bacon was ignorant "of the laws and limits of the human understanding" in relation to nature? for it is only in this respect, I presume, that his knowledge of the mind is worthy of being spoken of at all. I wish you could find time for the further elucidation of Bacon's views of which you speak. I am sure there is not one of the readers of your present paper who would not join in the wish.-Ever yours most truly, THOS. BROWN. JAMES MILL. London, April 30, 1818. MY DEAR SIR,-I will lose no time in acknowledging your letter, more especially on account of what you mention as to any expressions of mine1 in relation to your "revered friend" and ornament of our country, Mr. Playfair, whose talents I revere as much as it is possible for any man to revere them, who is so little capable of appreciating their exertions in the line in which they have displayed themselves, and whose character, so far as I am acquainted with it, I regard as even a model. I shall be extremely happy if you will carefully attend to the passage, and give me your honest opinion, for nothing will give me greater pain than to think that I have used any other language than that of esteem towards a man whose approbation I should be so proud to enjoy. If you should really think that my language is faulty (for as I had not only an opinion of his to controvert, but was also under the necessity of guarding my readers against what I knew was great-the weight of his authority -and as I am but too apt, in my eagerness to give the 1 History of India, i. 395-7, where he criticises Playfair's opinions on the subject of Hindu Astronomy. matter of my reasons, to think too little of the language in which they are clothed, I am not insensible to my peccability in this respect), I shall account it a particular act of friendship if you will stand my friend with him, and endeavour to explain the want of coincidence between my sentiments and expressions, if in this instance they are anything but expressions of respect. It will also be an act of kindness (as, like other authors, I live in hopes of a second edition at no wonderfully distant period), if you will suggest to me any alteration of the expressions, or of the entire passage (not inconsistent with the object), which will render it agreeable to yourself and the other friends of Mr. Playfair; for as to himself, it must be a matter of too little consequence to him to merit his regard. I wish you had found time to read my heavy volumes, because it would have been a great gratification to me to hear your opinion of them. I have had but one opinion from Edinburgh about them, which, being from a very Tory quarter, was fully as favourable as I could expect. When you do write again, which I hope will be soon, it will be a favour if you will tell me a little of what you may have heard about them; for as I reckon the best judges to be with you, I am proportionately anxious to know what I am thought of among you. I am truly obliged to you, not only for sending me your paper on Bacon, but for writing it. His is a battle. which I have often to fight-in conversation at least; for Englishly-educated people are all hostile to him, as they (at least the greater part of them) are hostile to everybody who seeks to advance the boundaries of human knowledge, which they have sworn to keep where they are. Your learned and valuable collections of facts will make me triumphant.-Most faithfully yours, J. MILL. London, August 5, 1818. MY DEAR SIR,-My delay in writing did not arise from what you misname your "scold about Playfair." I take all that you said for sound and proper remonstrance; and shall doubtless attend to it, in a manner, I hope, to give you satisfaction, when I come to a second edition, of which you will be glad to hear that there is a near prospect. I was anxious to say, if I could, something useful on the subject of Conveyancing. I have looked into the subject with a good deal of care, and have often conversed upon it with Bentham. There is nothing in any book beyond the practice of the different systems of actual law. Principles on the subject nobody has thought of exhibiting. As far as it has been touched upon in any of Bentham's MSS., it is under the head of Evidence, where it falls into the chapter on what he calls " Preappointed Evidence," or those articles of Evidence, consisting chiefly of writings brought into existence at the present moment, for ascertaining at some future period a matter of fact which had its existence now, or at some antecedent period. I believe you will find this the general characteristie of all the branches of Conveyancing. The act of transferring is the volition of the parties; the writings are the mode of providing evidence of that volition. To discuss the subject, you must work out this general idea by the force of your own philosophy. You will get no assistance from law-books or from lawyers. You do not know, perhaps, what is my presumption on the subject of Law. The next work which I meditate is a History of English Law, in which I mean to trace, as far as possible, the expedients of the several ages to the state of the human mind, and the circumstances of society in those ages, and to show their concord or discord with the standard of perfection; and I am not without hopes of making a book readable by all, and if so, a book capable of teaching law to all. And, after this, I will do what I can to exhibit in full a system of Jurisprudence to the world. This at any rate stands far forward among the several projects which float in my head. I had a letter from Mr. Ricardo only two or three days ago, in which he expresses himself in terms of unbounded gratitude for your more than politeness. I beg you will accept my warmest acknowledgments. I know not a better man than him on whom you have laid your obligations, or who will be more desirous of returning them. I feel myself in such good humour with you just now, that I know not well how to refuse you anything. One thing comforts me in undertaking Economists, that I see not at present any reason for a long article. be glad of as minute an However, at your leisure, I shall explanation as you can afford, of your views with regard to both articles.-Most truly yours, J. MILL. WILLIAM HAZLITT. Winterslow Hut, near Salisbury, MY DEAR SIR,-I am sorry to be obliged, from want of health and a number of other engagements, which I am little able to perform, to decline the flattering offer you make me. I have got to write, between this and the end of October, an octavo volume or a set of lectures on the Comic Drama of this country for the Surrey Institution, which I am anxious not to slur over, and it will be as much as I can do to get it ready in time. I am also afraid that I should not be able to do the article in question, or yourself, justice, for I am not only without books, but without knowledge of what books are necessary to be consulted on the subject. To get up an article in a Review on any subject of general literature, is quite as much as I can do without exposing myself. The object of an Encyclopædia is, I take it, to condense and combine all the facts relating to a subject, and all the theories of any consequence already known or advanced. Now, where the business of such a work ends, is just where I begin, that is, I might perhaps throw in an idle speculation or two of my own, not contained in former accounts of the subject, and which would have very little pretensions to rank as scientific. I know something about Congreve, but nothing at all of Aristophanes, and yet I conceive that the writer of an article on the Drama ought to be as well acquainted with the one as the other. If you should see Mr. Constable, will you tell him I am writing nonsense for him as fast as I can?-Your very humble servant, W. HAZLITT. |