Collected Works of John Stuart Mill : XXXI. Miscellaneous Writings

Brings together fascinating examples of Mill's diverse interests, including botany, medicine, and journalism.

Mill''s interests and activities were so wide-ranging that even the varied subjects of thirty previously published volumes of Collected Works cannot encompass them all. This volume brings together diverse and interesting instances of his polymathic career, none before republished and some previously unpublished. Neatly framing Mill''s writing career are his editorial prefaces and extensive notes to Bentham''s Rationale of Judicial Evidence (1827) and James Mill''s Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind (1869). Both demonstrate his extraordinary powers of mind and diligence. His abiding passion, field botany, is shown in his botanical writings, which open a window on an almost unknown activity that sustained and delighted him. Brief comments on two medical works hint at another interest. Two co-authored articles demonstrate his work as editor of the London and Westminster Review, and a calendar of his contributions to the Political Economy Club provides yet another glimpse into his chosen activities and concerns. Published for the first time are Mill''s English and French wills, providing still further biographical detail.