第69章 BENTHAM'S LIFE(13)
IV.THE UTILITARIAN PROPAGANDA.
Bentham in 1802had reached the respectable age of fifty-four.He had published his first work twenty-six years，and his most elaborate treatise thirteen years，previously.He had been brought into contact with many of the eminent politicians and philanthropists of the day.Lansdowne had been a friendly patron：his advice had been treated with respect by Pitt，Dundas，and even by Blackstone；he was on friendly terms with Colquhoun，Sir F.Eden，Arthur Young，Wilberforce，and others interested in philanthropic movements，and his name at least was known to some French politicians.But his reputation was still obscure；and his connections did not develop into intimacies.He lived as a recluse and avoided society.His introduction to great people at Bowood had apparently rather increased than softened his shyness.The little circle of intimates，Romilly and Wilson and his own brother，must have satisfied his needs for social intercourse.It required an elaborate negotiation to bring about a meeting between him and Dr Parr，the great Whig prophet，although they had been previously acquainted，and Parr was，as Romilly said by way of introduction，a profound admirer and universal panegyrist.(91)He refused to be introduced by Parr to Fox，because he had 'nothing particular to say'to the statesman，and considered that to be 'always a sufficient reason for declining acquaintance.'(92)But，at last，Bentham's fame was to take a start.Bentham，I said，had long before found himself.Dumont had now found Bentham.After long and tedious labours and multiplied communications between the master and the disciple，Dumont in the spring of 1802brought out his Traités de Législation de M.Jérémie Bentham.The book was partly a translation from Bentham's published and unpublished works，(93)and partly a statement of the pith of the new doctrine in Dumont's own language.It had the great merit of putting Bentham's meaning vigorously and compactly，and free from many of the digressions，minute discussions of minor points and arguments requiring a special knowledge of English law，which had impeded the popularity of Bentham's previous works.
The Jacobin controversies were passing into the background：and Bentham began to attain a hearing as a reformer upon different lines.In 1803Dumont visited St.Petersburg，and sent home glowing reports of Bentham's rising fame.As many copies of the Traités had been sold there as in London.
Codes were wanted；laws were being digested；and Bentham's work would supply the principles and the classification.A magnificent translation was ordered，and Russian officials wrote glowing letters in which Bentham was placed in a line with Bacon，Newton，and Adam Smith --each the founder of a new science.(94)At home the new book was one of the objects of what Dumont calls the 'scandalous irreverence，of the Edinburgh Review.(95)This refers to a review of the Traités in the Edinburgh Review of April 1804.Although patronising in tone，and ridiculing some of Bentham's doctrines as commonplace and condemning others as criminal，it paid some high compliments to his ability.The irreverence meant at least that Bentham had become one of the persons worth talking about，and that he was henceforth to influence the rising generation.In January 1807the Edinburgh itself (probably Jeffrey)suggested that Bentham should be employed in a proposed reform of the Scottish judicial system.His old friend，Lansdowne，died on 7th May 1805，and in one of his last letters expresses a hope that Bentham's principles are at last beginning to spread.(96)The hope was fulfilled.
During the eighteenth century Benthamism had gone through its period of incubation.It was now to become an active agency，to gather proselytes，and to have a marked influence not only upon legislative but upon political movements.The immediate effect upon Bentham of the decline of the Panopticon，and his consequent emancipation from immediately practical work，was apparently his return to his more legitimate employment of speculative labour.He sent to Dumont at St.Petersburg(97)part of the treatise upon Political Economy，which had been naturally suggested by his later work：and he applied himself to the Scottish judiciary question，to which many of his speculations had a close application.He published a work upon this subject in 1808.To the period between 1802and 1812belongs also the book，or rather the collection of papers，afterwards transformed into the book，Upon Evidence，which is one of his most valuable performances.
A letter，dated 1st November 1810，gives a characteristic account of his position.He refers to hopes of the acceptance of some of his principles in South America.In Spain Spaniards are prepared to receive his laws 'as oracles.''Now at length，when I am just ready to drop into the grave'(he had still twenty years of energetic work before him)，'my fame has spread itself all over the civilised world.'Dumont's publication of 1802is considered to have superseded all previous writings on legislation.In Germany and France codes have been prepared by authorised lawyers，who have 'sought to do themselves credit by references to that work.'(98)It has been translated into Russian.
Even in England he is often mentioned in books and in parliament.'Meantime I am here scribbling on in my hermitage，never seeing anybody but for some special reason，always bearing relation to the service of mankind.'(99)Making all due allowance for the deceptive views of the outer world which haunt every 'hermitage，'it remains true that Bentham's fame was emerging from obscurity.