第47章

HistoricalMethodI。JohnAustinIhavespokenmorethanonceoftheparadoximpliedintheUtilitariancombinationofappealsto’experience，’withindifferencetohistory。TheimportanceofhistoricalmethodsalreadyrecognisedbyMillhasbecomemoreobviousinlateryears。Itwas，ashesaw，clearlydesirablethattheUtilitariansshouldannexthisfieldofInquiryandapplyappropriatemethods。

IhavesaidsomethingofMill’sviewoftheproblemsthussuggested；buttheattitudeoftheUtilitariansinregardtothemmaybemorefullyindicatedbythewritingsofsomeofhisallies。

JohnAustin(1790-1859)(1*)wasacceptedastheheir-apparenttoBenthaminthespecialdepartmentofjurisprudence。Fiveyears’serviceinthearmywasauniqueapprenticeshipforaBenthamite；and，ashiswidowtellsus，helpedtodevelophischivalroussenseofhonour。Itmayalsohelptoexplainawantofsympathyforthedemocraticzealofmostofhiscomrades。Inanycase，itdidnotsuppressadelightinintellectualactivity。

Austinleftthearmy，andin1818wascalledtothebar，butill-healthcompelledhimtoretirein1825。Hewasthusqualifiedtobeajuristbysomeknowledgeofpractice，andforcedtoturnhisknowledgetotheoreticalapplication。UponthefoundationoftheLondonUniversityhebecamethefirstprofessorofjurisprudence。Withthetruescholar’sinstinctforthoroughpreparation，hewenttoBonn，studiedthegreatGermanwritersuponjurisprudence，andmadetheacquaintanceofeminentlivingprofessors。TheinsularnarrownessofBenthamandJamesMillwasthustobecorrectedbycosmopolitanculture。Austinreturnedamidstthehighestexpectations。Aclearvoice，aperfectdelivery，andacourteousanddignifiedmannerweresuitedtogiveeffecttohisteaching；andunanimoustraditiontellsusthathispowersinconversationwereunsurpassed。WhydidhenotacquiresuchanintellectualleadershipinLondonasDugaldStewarthadenjoyedinEdinburgh？Somereasonsareobvious。

Englishbarristersandlawstudentswereserenelyindifferenttothe’philosophyoflaw。’TheyhadquiteenoughtodoinacquiringfamiliaritywiththetechnicalitiesofEnglishpractice。TheUniversityitselfturnedouttobechieflyahighschoolforboysnotyetripeforlegalstudies。ThoughJ。S。Millattendedhislecturesandtookelaboratenotes，fewmenhadMill’sthirstforknowledge。Moreover，AustinthoughtitadutytobeasdryasBentham，anddischargedthatdutyscrupulously。Theaudiencesdwindled，andthesalary，derivedfromthefees，dwindledwithit。Austin，apoorman，couldnotgoondiscoursinggratuitouslytoemptybenches，andgavehislastlecturein1832。

Admiringfriendsdidtheirbesttofindasphereforhistalents。BroughamplacedhimontheCriminalLawCommission，wherehesoonfoundthattherewasnoseriouschanceofbeingemployed，ashedesired，inactivecodificationAcourseoflecturespromotedbythesoundUtilitarian，HenryBickersteth(LordLangdale)，attheInnerTemplefellasflatastheformer。

AustinretiredtoFrance，sayingthathewasbornoutoftimeandplace，andshouldhavebeena’schoolmanofthetwelfthcenturyoraGermanprofessor。’HewasafterwardsonaCommissionatMalta，withhisfriendSirG。CornewallLewisforacolleague。A

changeofgovernmentbroughtthisemploymenttoanend。Austingaveupactivework。HepassedsomeyearsinGermanyandFranceintheenjoymentofintellectualsociety。Aftertherevolutionof1848hereturnedtoEngland，andledaquietcountrylifeatWeybridge。Hissolelaterpublicationwasapamphletagainstparliamentaryreformin1859。HediedinthefollowingDecember。

Weakhealthandafastidioustemperamentpartlyaccountforhissilence。Afterpublishinghisearlylectureshecouldneverbeinducedtobringoutasecondedition。Hesufferedfromscholar’sparalysis——preferenceofdoingnothingtodoinganythingshortoftheidealstandard。HehadnotstrengthtosatisfythedemandsofGermanprofessors，andcarednothingfortheapplauseoftheBritishpublic。His’estimateofmenwaslow，’saysM