Thissuggestsonevitalpoint。Mill,asIhavesaid,hasendeavouredtoenlargeasmuchaspossiblethesphereofoperationofthefreewill——ofthepowerofindividualsorofdeliberateconsciouslegislation。Theresultistoexaggeratetheinfluenceofinstitutionsandtoneglecttheforces,intellectualandmoral,whichmustalwaysliebehindinstitutions。Wecanadmittothefulltheimportanceoftheeducationalinfluenceofpoliticalinstitutions,andthesurpassingvalueofenergy,self-reliance,andindividualresponsibility。Thesentimentisaltogethernoble,andMillexpressesitwithadmirablevigour。
Butthemoredecidedlyweholdhisviewofthedisease,themoreutterlyinadequateandinappropriateappearshisremedy。Thetendencytolevellingandvulgarising,sofarasitexists,cancertainlynotbecuredbyingeniousarrangementsofonepartofthepoliticalmachinery。ItakethistomarkMill’sweakestside。
Thetruthwasdivinedbytheinstinctofhisdemocraticallies。
Solongashevotedforextendingthesuffrage,theycouldleavehimtosavehisconsciencebyamusinghimselfwiththeseharmlessfancies。
VI。WOMEN’SRIGHTS