much greater in a literary
than in a philosophical sense, the result was naturally unsatisfactory
from a scientific point of view. He had vaguely appealed to the sound
Whig doctrine of social compact, and while disavowing any strict
historical basis had not inquired too curiously what was left of his
supposed foundation. Bentham pounced upon the unfortunate bit of
verbiage; insisted upon asking for a meaning when there was nothing but
a rhetorical flourish, and tore the whole flimsy fabric to rags and
tatters. A more bitter attack upon Blackstone, chiefly, as Bowring says,
upon his defence of the Jewish law, was suppressed for fear of the law
of libel.[228] The _Fragment_ was published anonymously, but Bentham had
confided the secret to his father by way of suggesting some slight
set-off against his apparent unwillingness to emerge from obscurity. The
book was at first attributed to Lord Mansfield, Lord Camden, and to
Dunning. It was pirated in Dublin; and most of the five hundred copies
printed appear to have been sold, though without profit to the author.
The father's indiscretion let out the secret; and the sale, when the
book was known to be written by a nobody, fell off at once, or so
Bentham believed. The anonymous writer, however, was denounced and
accused of being the author of much ribaldry, and among other
accusations was said to be not only the translator but the writer of the
_White Bull_.[229]

Bentham had fancied that all manner of 'torches from the highest
regions' would come to light themselves at his 'farthing candle.' None
of them came, and he was left for some years in obscurity, though still
labouring at the great work which was one day to enlighten the world.
At last, however, partial recognition came to him in a shape which
greatly influenced his career. Lord Shelburne, afterwards marquis of
Lansdowne, had been impressed by the _Fragment_, and in 1781 sought out
Bentham at his chambers. Shelburne's career was to culminate in the
following year with his brief tenure of the premiership (3rd July 1782
to 24th February 1783). Rightly or wrongly his contemporaries felt the
distrust indicated by his nickname 'Malagrida,' which appears to have
been partly suggested by a habit of overstrained compliment. He incurred
the dislike not unfrequently excited by men who claim superiority of
intellect without possessing the force of character which gives a
corresponding weight in political affairs. Although his ed