登陆注册
5589700000073

第73章 BENTHAM'S LIFE(17)

Unscrupulous,restlessly active and cynical,he was a singular contrast to the placid philosopher,upon whom his confidences seem to have made an impression of not unpleasing horror.Burr's conversation suggested to Bentham a singular scheme for emigrating to Mexico.He applied seriously for introductions to Lord Holland,who had passed some time in Spain,and to Holland's friend,Jovellanos (1749-1812),a member of the Spanish Junta,who had written treatises upon legislation (1785),of which Bentham approved.(118)The dream of Mexico was succeeded by a dream of Venezuela.General Miranda spent some years in England,and had become well known to James Mill.He was now about to start upon an unfortunate expedition to Venezuela,his native country.He took with him a draft of a law for the freedom of the press,which Bentham drew up,and he proposed that when his new state was founded,Bentham should be its legislator.(119)Miranda was betrayed to the Spanish government in 1812,and died (1816)in the hands of the Inquisition.Bolivar,who was also in London in 1810and took some notice of Joseph Lancaster,applied in flattering terms to Bentham.Long afterwards,when dictator of Columbia,he forbade the use of Bentham's works in the schools,to which,however,the privilege of reading him was restored,and,let us hope,duly valued,in 1835.(120)Santander,another South American hero,was also a disciple,and encouraged the study of Bentham.Bentham says in 1830that forty thousand copies of Dumont's Traités had been sold in Paris for the South American trade.(121)What share Bentham may have had in modifying South American ideas is unknown to me.In the United States he had many disciples of a more creditable kind than Burr.He appealed in 1811to Madison,then President,for permission to construct a 'Pannomion'or complete body of law,for the use of the United States;and urged his claims both upon Madison and the Governor of Pennsylvania in 1817,when peace had been restored.He had many conversations upon this project with John Quincy Adams,who was then American minister in England.(122)This,of course,came to nothing,but an eminent American disciple,Edward Livingston (1764-1836),between 1820and 1830prepared codes for the State of Louisiana,and warmly acknowledged his obligations to Bentham.(123)In 1830Bentham also acknowledges a notice of his labours,probably resulting from this,which had been made in one of General Jackson's presidential messages.(124)In his later years the United States became his ideal,and he never tired of comparing its cheap and honest enactment with the corruption and extravagance at home.

V.CODIFICATION.

The unsettled conditions which followed the peace in various European countries found Bentham other employment.In 1809Dumont did some codifying for the Emperor of Russia,and in 1817was engaged to do the same service for Geneva.He was employed for some years,and is said to have introduced a Benthamite Penal Code and Panopticon,and an application of the Tactics.(125)In 1820and 1821Bentham was consulted by the Constitutional party in Spain and Portugal,and wrote elaborate tracts for their enlightenment.He made an impression upon at least one Spaniard.Borrow,when travelling in Spain some ten years after Bentham's death,was welcomed by an Alcalde on Cape Finisterre,who had upon his shelves all the works of the 'grand Baintham,'and compared him to Solon,Plato,and even Lope de Vega.(126)The last comparison appeared to Borrow to be overstrained.Bentham even endeavoured in 1822-23to administer some sound advice to the government of Tripoli,but his suggestions for 'remedies against misrule'seem never to have been communicated.(127)In 1823and 1824he was a member of the Greek Committee;he corresponded with Mavrocordato and other leaders;and he begged Parr to turn some of his admonitions into 'Parrian'Greek for the benefit of the moderns.(128)Blaquière and Stanhope,two ardent members of the committee,were disciples;and Stanhope carried with him to Greece Bentham's Table of the Springs of Action,with which he tried to indoctrinate Byron.The poet,however,thought with some plausibility that he was a better judge of human passions than the philosopher.

Parry,the engineer,who joined Byron at the same time,gives a queer account of the old philosopher trotting about London in the service of the Greeks.(129)The coarse and thoughtless might laugh,and perhaps some neither coarse nor thoughtless might smile.But Bowring tells us that these were days of boundless happiness for Bentham.(130)Tributes of admiration were pouring in from all sides,and the true Gospel was spreading across the Atlantic and along the shores of the Mediterranean.

At home the Utilitarian party was consolidating itself;and the struggle which resulted in the Reform Bill was slowly beginning.The veteran Cartwright,Bentham's senior by eight years,tried in 1821to persuade him to come out as one of a committee of 'Guardians of Constitutional Reform,'elected at a public meeting.(131)Bentham wisely refused to be drawn from his privacy.

He left it to his friends to agitate,while he returned to labour in his study.The demand for legislation which had sprung up in so many parts of the world encouraged Bentham to undertake the last of his great labours.

同类推荐
  • 勘处播州事情疏

    勘处播州事情疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诸德福田经

    诸德福田经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编官常典兵部部

    明伦汇编官常典兵部部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 须摩提长者经

    须摩提长者经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说无垢贤女经

    佛说无垢贤女经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 崇祯本科生

    崇祯本科生

    汉人把一切腾飞的条件都准备齐了,满人却来了;满人只需要奴才不需要腾飞,于是一起坠入深渊……
  • 经济学诡计:彻底揭开社会经济运行的真相

    经济学诡计:彻底揭开社会经济运行的真相

    本书通过各种富于哲理、生动有趣的故事,用通俗易懂的语言带领读者走进经济学的世界。经济学与我们的日常生活密切相关,它就存在于我们日常的工作、学习和生活中。作为这个社会中的成员,要理解工作和生活中的各种经济现象及其背后的经济学含义,就应该花点时间来学习经济学。通过对《经济学诡计:彻底揭开社会经济运行的真相》的阅读和学习,读者会从中获得经济学的思维训练,将经济学的基本原理运用到日常的生活中,看透经济现象的本质,为你的生活增添无限精彩。
  • 总裁太腹黑,宝贝别闹了

    总裁太腹黑,宝贝别闹了

    “告诉我,他到底哪里好!值得让你红了眼眶,却还笑着原谅?!”昏暗的卧室内,他冷沉着俊颜,怒视着面前被他牢牢桎梏着的女人。“他是我的未婚夫,你什么都不是!请问顾总是以什么立场来问我这个问题?”顾衍深伸手紧捏她的下颚,冷笑勾唇,“韩梨洛,在你和集团之间,你猜他的选择是什么?”她乍见那隐藏在他假意笑颜之下的诡谲神情,她脸色苍白……“顾衍深,我讨厌你,更讨厌这样爱你的自己!”他将她紧紧搂在怀里,唇角扬起似有若无的笑:“讨厌?昨晚不是还很喜欢?”
  • 百位世界杰出的经济学家(下)(世界名人成功启示录)

    百位世界杰出的经济学家(下)(世界名人成功启示录)

    人类的未来充满了希望,明天的世界令我们无比期待。从历史中汲取知识,感悟人生,追求真理,是每个生活在21世纪的现代人的价值取向。在无比灿烂的历史星空中,众多世界杰出人物犹如明烁夺目的明星,让历史的时空如此地浩瀚,并给后人留下了一份极其珍贵的文化遗产与智慧结晶。期望本书能让广大读者,尤其是青少年朋友们,从世界杰出的人物身上,学习与借鉴人生的智慧,创造卓越的人生。
  • 民事错诉规制研究

    民事错诉规制研究

    从国内外总体情况来看,研究民事错诉的范围比较狭窄,研究的深度还严重不足,我国司法实务界对民事错诉认识的态度还相当保守。这表明了民事错诉的理论还不够成熟,尚需进一步加强和完善。在我国民法典的起草过程中,由王利明教授和梁慧星教授分别主持起草的“中国民法典侵权行为编草案建议稿”中,都曾将民事错诉行为列为侵权行为之一。遗憾的是,有关民事错诉的相关规定没有出现在正式公布的民法典中。这恐怕与民事错诉的研究不够彻底有一定关系。
  • 节士

    节士

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 穿越为婢:腹黑王爷淡定妃

    穿越为婢:腹黑王爷淡定妃

    你说穿越就穿越吧,刚来就被人用明晃晃的利剑抵着脖子是个神马意思?苏紫月双眼瞟着剑尖,她不是瞎子,这不是道具不是木头也不是塑料,是货真价实的只要面前这个黑衣蒙面男子稍微手一抖就能要她小命的利剑!她想哭,她哀嚎:我这是招谁惹谁了,还要以奴婢之身来报答人家的不杀之恩?为毛一到古代就要享受如此不平等待遇?委屈,她忍了!被人那个啥了,她再忍了!被人下了毒药,好吧,她还能忍!什么?嫁给他,是可忍孰不可忍,姐不忍了!
  • 倾心如故:总裁的不良妻

    倾心如故:总裁的不良妻

    两年前,季思辰上了梁漪的当,被骗财骗色,坑深套路长,他没能爬出来。两年后,他挑起她的下颌,“小骗子,你还想往哪儿跑?”“既然都是骗,那就看谁功夫好咯。”梁漪微微一笑。民政局内,梁漪慌了,盯着眼前的男人,“季思辰,你究竟想要干什么?”“想要你,骗我一辈子!”
  • 龙裔成长日记

    龙裔成长日记

    七年前,少年与少女在梦境初遇。少年与恶龙战斗,只为保护身后的少女。七年后,他们在现实相遇,开启了属于他们的冒险。许多年后,大陆为他们颤抖,帝国为他们加冕。 ps1:这是一本关于龙裔养成(雾)的故事。 ps2:慢慢写
  • 网游之疆土无敌

    网游之疆土无敌

    凡剑刃所指,帝旗所在,皆为帝国之疆土。……(简介无能呀,就这样吧。)