BAIX ON THE DATA OF ETHICS. 215 



the extent of self-contradiction, and Mr. Spencer brings a rigid scrutiny 

 to bear on the whole question. His position is — the permanent suprem- 

 acy of egoism over altruism ; and he elucidates this in his systematic 

 way. He cites numerous striking examples to bring home the truth 

 that the first condition of the performance of duty to others is the per- 

 fect vigor and competence of the agent's self. As a pertinent moral 

 lecture, nothing could be more effective. He allows that his view is 

 the one practically recognized among men, and only regrets that the 

 nominally accepted beliefs should be at variance with it. 



In the chapter on altruism, Mr. Spencer, by a review of the entire 

 social situation of human beings, endeavors to assign the exact scope 

 and value of our sympathetic regards. While avoiding all exaggera- 

 tion, he proves by numerous and striking examples the value of altru- 

 istic conduct to all and to each. The dependence of egoism upon 

 altruism tends ever toward universality, becoming greater as social 

 evolution advances. 



He next proceeds to consider the conflict of the two principles, 

 which leads him a second time to discuss the utilitarianism of Bentham 

 and John Mill. Ho inquires what guidance the principle of " the 

 greatest happiness of the greatest number" offers (1) to public policy 

 and (2) to private action ; and pronounces it defective as undertaking 

 an impracticable operation, viz., first to gather all the happiness of 

 mankind into one stock, and then to apportion it properly among indi- 

 viduals. I doubt, however, whether either Bentham or Mill conceived 

 the doctrine of utility as necessitating any such operation. The es- 

 sence and strength of the doctrine seem to me to be brought out by 

 Bentham's two negatives of it — asceticism and unreasoning sentiment; 

 to both of which Mr. Spencer is as much opposed as Bentham. The 

 positive expression — the greatest happiness of the greatest number — is 

 not itself happy, and was ultimately reduced by Bentham to the simple 

 expression, " greatest happiness," which in its convenient vagueness 

 seems to defy hostile criticism. How the greatest happiness of man- 

 kind is to be arrived at remains open for discussion. ■ There is a gen- 

 eral agreement at the present day that the best course is for each indi- 

 vidual to occupy a limited sphere without thinking of the universal 

 happiness. Mr. Spencer seems to me to be arguing for sevei*al pages 

 without an opponent. The expressions that he quotes from Bentham 

 and Mill need to be taken along with their whole system, which is, to 

 my mind, not so very far from Mr. Spencer's own. They would say 

 that society should confine itself to protecting each man and woman in 

 the pursuit of their own happiness in their own way. This is the text 

 of Mill's " Liberty." I admit that they are not able to prove beyond 

 dispute that the greatest happiness will be attained in this form ; but, 

 as far as the needful computation can be carried, they think it is in 

 favor of such an arrangement. 



The discussion has, at all events, been brought to the point of stat- 



