d mainly by the influence of Wordsworth--a poet austere yet
gracious, energetic yet sober, penetrated with feeling for nature, yet
penetrated with feeling for the homely lot of man. Here was the
emotional synthesis, binding together the energies of the speculative
and active mind by sympathetic interest in the common feelings and
common destiny of human beings.

For some ten years more (1826-1836) Mr. Mill hoped the greatest things
for the good of society from reformed institutions. That was the period
of parliamentary changes, and such hope was natural and universal. Then
a shadow came over this confidence, and Mr. Mill advanced to the
position that the choice of political institutions is subordinate to the
question, 'what great improvement in life and culture stands next in
order for the people concerned, as the condition of their further
progress?' (p. 170). In this period he composed the _Logic_ (published
1843) and the _Political Economy_ (1848). Then he saw what all ardent
lovers of improvement are condemned to see, that their hopes have
outstripped the rate of progress; that fulfilment of social aspiration
is tardy and very slow of foot; and that the leaders of human thought
are never permitted to enter into that Promised Land whither they are
conducting others. Changes for which he had worked and from which he
expected most, came to pass, but, after they had come to pass, they were
'attended with much less benefit to human wellbeing than I should
formerly have anticipated, because they had produced very little
improvement in that which all real amelioration in the lot of mankind
depends on, their intellectual and moral state.... I had learnt from
experience that many false opinions may be exchanged for true ones,
without in the least altering the habit of mind of which false opinions
are the result' (p. 239). This discovery appears to have brought on no
recurrence of the dejection which had clouded a portion of his youth. It
only set him to consider the root of so disappointing a conclusion, and
led to the conviction that a great change in the fundamental
constitution of men's modes of thought must precede any marked
improvement in their lot. He perceived that society is now passing
through a transitional period 'of weak convictions, paralysed
intellects, and growing laxity of principle,' the consequence of the
discredit in the more reflective minds of the old opinions on the
cardinal subjects of religion, moral