John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was a logician and economist, born in London, son of the Harriet Barrow and the Scottish philosopher, historian, and economist James Mill. He was educated pedantically by his father. He began to learn Greek at the age of 3, could read it and Latin at 14, "never was a boy," he says, and was debarred from all imaginative literature, so that in after years the poetry of Wordsworth came to him as a revelation.He entered the service of the East India Company in 1823, but devoted himself to philosophic discussion. Contributed to the Westminster Review, of which he was for some time editor. He published his "System of Logic" in 1843, and in 1848 his "Political Economy". He entered Parliament in 1865, but lost his seat in 1868, on which he retired to Avignon, where he died.
John Stuart Mill wrote a book on "Liberty" in 1859, on "Utilitarianism" in 1863, on "Comte" in 1865, and on "Sir William Hamilton's Philosophy" the same year, and left an "Autobiography". He was a calm thinker and an impartial critic. He befriended Carlyle when he went to London, and Carlyle rather took to him, but divergences soon appeared, which, as it could not fail, ended in total estrangement. He had an Egeria in a Mrs. Taylor, whom he married when she became a widow. It was she, it would almost seem, who was responsible for the fate of Carlyle's MS.
Wisdom & Quotes
- Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you will cease to be so.
- Trade is a social act.
Benito Juarez