OF AETS AND SCIENCES. 293 



or more modestly to exhibit and acknowledge his indebtedness to previ- 

 ous tliiukers ; yet, by the excellence of his works, this past has talleu to 

 the inheritance of his name and fame. To give scientific form or 

 systematic coherency to views put forth unsystematically by others, 

 was to give soul and life to doctrines which were thus made especially 

 his own. The teachings of Sir John Herschel's celebrated " Discourse 

 on the Study of Natural Philosophy " were generalized by Mill into 

 what is his most original contribution to logic, his theory of induction and 

 of the inductive basis of all real truth. From this theory, important 

 consequences were drawn on the nature and function of syllogistic in-^' 

 ference, — consequences from which the philosophical student remounts 

 to the philosophy of experience and the teachings of Hume. From 

 Hume and Brown, again, he derives his theory of causation, which he 

 connects with other elements in his system, and with illustrations in 

 science in a manner whicli has made the theory peculiai'ly his own. 

 But it would be out of place in this notice to attempt an analysis of 

 Mill's works. Our task is only to account for his influence. 



In politics he belonged to what is called the school of " philosophical 

 radicals," who are, as he defined them, those who in politics follow the 

 common manner of philosophers ; who trust neither to tradition nor to 

 intuition for the warrant of political riglits and duties, but base the 

 right to power in the State on the ability to govern wisely and justly, 

 and, seeing their country badly governed, seek for the cause of this 

 evil, and for means to remedy it. This cause they found to be in " the 

 Aristocratical Principle," since, in the present imperfect condition of 

 human nature, no governing class would attend to those interests of 

 the many which were in conflict with their own, or could be expected 

 to give to any interests not their own any but a secondary consider- 

 ation. The remedy for this evil they found in a modified democratic 

 principle ; namely, the better ability and disposition of the many to 

 look after their own interests, than any dominant few could have, or 

 would be likely to have, — provided the many, or their representatives, 

 are enlightened enough to know their true interests and how to serve 

 them. The motto of this radicalism was " Enmity to the Aristocrati- 

 cal Principle." From this creed sprung Mill's ardent hostility towards 

 the South in their rebellion against our national government, and his 

 hearty espousal of extreme anti-slavery views. 



But a democracy may be tyrannical towards minorities, and, if un- 

 checked, is likely to become so ; and, what is worse, is likely to become 

 an unprincipled tyrant, less influenced by considerations of justice 

 or prudence than a governing class would be. This fear made Mill 



