JOHN STUART MILL. 29 



but they had now resumed their footing of intimacy. Grote was liv- 

 ing chiefly in the country, but when he came into town he made a 

 point of arranging walks and talks with Mill. From the time of my 

 introduction to Grote, I was usually asked to join them. I remember 

 well our first meeting at the London Library, and subsequent walk in 

 Hyde Park. Their conversation took an exceptional turn ; how it 

 came I can not exactly remember, but they went over all the leaders 

 of the Reformation, discussing their several characteristics. The sub- 

 ject was not one that either was specially informed upon. As Grote 

 was then on the eve of bringing out the first two volumes of his " His- 

 tory," this was a natural topic ; but much more so, after the volumes 

 were out. But Grote was never satisfied if we parted without coming 

 across some question in metaphysics or philosophy. Although his 

 time was mainly given to the " History," he always refreshed his mind 

 at intervals with some philosophic reading or meditation, and had 

 generally a nut to crack when we came together. Plato and Aristotle 

 were never long out of his hands ; he was also an assiduous reader of 

 all works on science, especially if they involved the method of science; 

 but the book that was now oftenest in his hands, in the intervals of 

 work, was Mill's " Logic." I doubt if any living man conned and 

 thumbed the book as he did. " John Mill's ' Logic,' " I remember his 

 saying, " is the best book in my library." He had not the same high 

 opinion of any of Mill's other books. He was himself one of nature's 

 logicians ; he was a thoroughgoing upholder of the Experience-phi- 

 losophy, and Mill's " Logic " completely satisfied him on this head. 

 Often and often did he recur to the arguments in favor of a priori 

 truth, and he was usually full of fresh and ingenious turns of reply. 

 It was only in Mill that he could find a talker to his mind in this re- 

 gion, as in philosophy generally. Equally intense was his devotion to 

 utility as the basis of moi'als, and still more varied was his elucidation 

 and defense of the principle ; on that topic also he had few that he 

 could declare his whole mind to, and this was another bond of attrac- 

 tion to Mill. Toward himself, on the other side. Mill had an almost 

 filial affection, and generally gave him the earliest intimation of his 

 own plans ; but, much as he loved Grote's company, his movements 

 were under the control of a still greater power. Notwithstanding their 

 wide agreement, and numerous bonds of sympathy from this cause, as 

 well as from long intimacy, Grote had always a certain misgiving as 

 to his persistence in the true faith. He would say to me, " Much as I 

 admire John Mill, my admiration is always mixed with fear," meaning 

 that he never knew what unexpected turn Mill might take. This I 

 regarded as an exaggeration due to Grote's gloomy temperament, as 

 well as to the shock of the " Bentham " and " Coleridge " articles ; 

 and to Mill's consequent making himself at home with Maurice, Ster- 

 ling, and Carlyle, with whom Grote never could have the smallest 

 sympathy. 



