558 LOGIC OF THE MORAL SCIENCES. 



security against those selfish interests that constitu- 

 tional checks are required; and for that purpose such 

 checks, in England, and in many other countries, can 

 in no manner be dispensed with. It is true, moreover, 

 that in the particular stage of civilization through 

 which Europe is now passing, either express or vir- 

 tual responsibility to the governed is the only means 

 practically available to create a feeling of identity of 

 interest, in the cases, and on the points, where that 

 feeling does not sufficiently exist. To all this, and to 

 the arguments which may be founded upon it in favour 

 of measures for the correction of our representative 

 system, I have nothing to object; but I confess my 

 regret, that the small though highly important portion 

 of the philosophy of government, which was wanted 

 for the immediate purpose of serving the cause of 

 parliamentary reform, should have been held forth by 

 philosophers of such eminence as a complete theory. 



It is not to be imagined possible, nor is it true in 

 point of fact, that these philosophers regarded the 

 few premisses of their theory as including all that is 

 required for explaining social phenomena, or for deter- 

 mining the choice of forms of government and mea- 

 sures of legislation and administration. They were 

 too highly instructed, of too comprehensive intellect, 

 and some of them of too sober and practical a cha- 

 racter, for such an error. They would have applied 

 and did apply their principles with innumerable allow- 

 ances. But it is not allowances that are wanted. 

 There is little chance of making due amends in the 

 superstructure of a theory for the want of sufficient 

 breadth in its foundations. It is unphilosophical to 

 construct a science out of a few of the agencies by 

 which the phenomena are determined, and leave the 

 rest to the routine of practice or the sagacity of con- 



