下载辰思小说免费APP
TheFragmentwaspublishedanonymously，butBenthamhadconfidedthesecrettohisfatherbywayofsuggestingsomeslightset-offagainsthisapparentunwillingnesstoemergefromobscurity。ThebookwasatfirstattributedtoLordMansfield，LordCamden，andtoDunning。ItwaspiratedinDublin；
andmostofthefivehundredcopiesprintedappeartohavebeensold，thoughwithoutprofittotheauthor。Thefather’sindiscretionletoutthesecret；
andthesale，whenthebookwasknowntobewrittenbyanobody，felloffatonce，orsoBenthambelieved。Theanonymouswriter，however，wasdenouncedandaccusedofbeingtheauthorofmuchribaldry，andamongotheraccusationswassaidtobenotonlythetranslatorbutthewriteroftheWhiteBull。(29*)
Benthamhadfanciedthatallmannerof’torchesfromthehighestregions’
wouldcometolightthemselvesathis’farthingcandle。’Noneofthemcame，andhewasleftforsomeyearsinobscurity，thoughstilllabouringatthegreatworkwhichwasonedaytoenlightentheworld。Atlast，however，partialrecognitioncametohiminashapewhichgreatlyinfluencedhiscareer。LordShelburne，afterwardsmarquisofLansdowne，hadbeenimpressedbytheFragment，andin1781soughtoutBenthamathischambers。Shelburne’scareerwastoculminateinthefollowingyearwithhisbrieftenureofthepremiership(3rdJuly1782to24thFebruary1783)。Rightlyorwronglyhiscontemporariesfeltthedistrustindicatedbyhisnickname’Malagrida’，whichappearstohavebeenpartlysuggestedbyahabitofoverstrainedcompliment。Heincurredthedislikenotunfrequentlyexcitedbymenwhoclaimsuperiorityofintellectwithoutpossessingtheforceofcharacterwhichgivesacorrespondingweightinpoliticalaffairs。Althoughhiseducationhadbeenbad，hehadsomethingofthatcosmopolitantrainingwhichenabledmanymembersofthearistocracytolookbeyondthenarrowmiddle-classprejudicesandshareinsomedegreethewiderphilosophicalmovementsoftheday。HehadenjoyedthefriendshipofFranklin，andhadbeenthepatronofPriestley，whomadesomeofhischemicaldiscoveriesatBowood，andtowhomheallowedanannuity。HebelongedtothatsectionoftheWhigswhichhadmostsympathywiththerevolutionarymovement。HischiefpoliticallieutenantswereDunningandBarré；，whoatthetimesatforhisboroughCalne。HenowrapidlyformedanintimacywithBentham，whowenttostayatBowoodintheautumnof1781。BenthamnowandtheninlateryearsmadesomeratherdisparagingremarksuponShelburne，whomheapparentlyconsideredtoberatheranamateurthanaseriousphilosopher，andwhointheHouseofLordstalked’vaguegeneralities’——thesacredphrasebywhichtheUtilitariansdenouncedallpreachingbuttheirown——inawaytoimposeuponthethoughtless。HerespectedShelburne。however，asonewhotrustedthepeople，andwasdistrustedbytheWhigaristocracy。Hefelt，too，arealaffectionandgratitudeforthepatrontowhomheowedsomuch。
Shelburnehaddonehimagreatservice。(30*)’Heraisedmefromthebottomlesspitofhumiliation。HemademefeelIwassomething。’TheelderBenthamwasimpressedbyhisson’sacquaintancewithamaninsoeminentaposition，andhopedthatitmightleadbyadifferentpathtothesuccesswhichhadbeenmissedatthebar。AtBowoodBenthamstayedoveramonthuponhisfirstvisit，andwastreatedinthemannerappropriatetoaphilosopher。Themenshowedhimfriendliness，dashedwithoccasionalcontempt，andtheladiespettedhim。HemetLordCamdenandDunningandyoungWilliamPitt，andsomeminoradherentsofthegreatman。Pittwas’verygood-naturedandalittleraw。’Iwasmonstrously’frightenedathim，’but，whenIcametotalkwithhim，
