HistoricalMethodI。JohnAustinIhavespokenmorethanonceoftheparadoximpliedintheUtilitariancombinationofappealsto’experience，’withindifferencetohistory。TheimportanceofhistoricalmethodsalreadyrecognisedbyMillhasbecomemoreobviousinlateryears。Itwas，ashesaw，clearlydesirablethattheUtilitariansshouldannexthisfieldofInquiryandapplyappropriatemethods。
IhavesaidsomethingofMill’sviewoftheproblemsthussuggested；buttheattitudeoftheUtilitariansinregardtothemmaybemorefullyindicatedbythewritingsofsomeofhisallies。
JohnAustin1790-18591*wasacceptedastheheir-apparenttoBenthaminthespecialdepartmentofjurisprudence。Fiveyears’serviceinthearmywasauniqueapprenticeshipforaBenthamite；and，ashiswidowtellsus，helpedtodevelophischivalroussenseofhonour。Itmayalsohelptoexplainawantofsympathyforthedemocraticzealofmostofhiscomrades。Inanycase，itdidnotsuppressadelightinintellectualactivity。
Austinleftthearmy，andin1818wascalledtothebar，butill-healthcompelledhimtoretirein1825。Hewasthusqualifiedtobeajuristbysomeknowledgeofpractice，andforcedtoturnhisknowledgetotheoreticalapplication。UponthefoundationoftheLondonUniversityhebecamethefirstprofessorofjurisprudence。Withthetruescholar’sinstinctforthoroughpreparation，hewenttoBonn，studiedthegreatGermanwritersuponjurisprudence，andmadetheacquaintanceofeminentlivingprofessors。TheinsularnarrownessofBenthamandJamesMillwasthustobecorrectedbycosmopolitanculture。Austinreturnedamidstthehighestexpectations。Aclearvoice，aperfectdelivery，andacourteousanddignifiedmannerweresuitedtogiveeffecttohisteaching；andunanimoustraditiontellsusthathispowersinconversationwereunsurpassed。WhydidhenotacquiresuchanintellectualleadershipinLondonasDugaldStewarthadenjoyedinEdinburgh？Somereasonsareobvious。
Englishbarristersandlawstudentswereserenelyindifferenttothe’philosophyoflaw。’TheyhadquiteenoughtodoinacquiringfamiliaritywiththetechnicalitiesofEnglishpractice。TheUniversityitselfturnedouttobechieflyahighschoolforboysnotyetripeforlegalstudies。ThoughJ。S。Millattendedhislecturesandtookelaboratenotes，fewmenhadMill’sthirstforknowledge。Moreover，AustinthoughtitadutytobeasdryasBentham，anddischargedthatdutyscrupulously。Theaudiencesdwindled，andthesalary，derivedfromthefees，dwindledwithit。Austin，apoorman，couldnotgoondiscoursinggratuitouslytoemptybenches，andgavehislastlecturein1832。