Ithink，then，thatMill，thoughessentiallyintheright，hasaninadequateperceptionofoneaspectofthequestion。

　　Elsewhere17*hecomplainsthatwehavesubstitutedanapotheosisofinstinctforanapotheosisofreason，andsofallenintoaninfinitelymore’degradingidolatry。’Here，heseemsinclinedtoattackallbeliefsnotduetotheindividualreasonactingindependently。Heaccentuatestoodecidedlytheabsolutevalue，notoffreedom，butofitsincidentalresult，contradiction。Heseemstoholdthatoppositiontoanestablishedopinionisgoodinitself。Hewouldapproveofcircle-squarersandperpetual-motionmakersbecausetheyopposeestablishedscientificdoctrines。Headmiresoriginalityevenwhenitimpliesstupidity。Intelligenceshowsitselfasmuchinrecognisingavalidproofasinrejectingafallacy；andtheprogressofthoughtisasdependentuponco-operationandtheacceptanceofrationalauthorityasuponrejectingerrorsanddecliningtosubmittoarbitraryauthority。Amanafteralloughttorealisetheimprobabilityofhisbeingrightagainstaconsensusofgreatthinkers。Millhimselfremarks，whencriticisingBentham，thatevenoriginalityisnot’amorenecessarypartofthephilosophicalcharacterthanathoughtfulregardforpreviousthinkersandforthecollectivemindofthehumanrace。’18*

　　That，Itakeit，isperfectlytrue，butisapttopassoutofsightinhisargument。Theidealstateisnotoneofperpetualcontradictionoffirstprinciples，butoneinwhichcontradictionhasledtotheestablishmentofarationalauthority。

　　III。THEDECAYOFINDIVIDUALITY

　　Ihaveinsisteduponthischieflybecauseasimilarerrorseemstointrudeintothemoredifficultproblemswhichfollow。

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