Recent British Philosophy: A Review, with Criticisms; Including Some Comments on Mr. Mill's Answer to Sir William Hamilton

Recent British Philosophy: A Review, with Criticisms; Including Some Comments on Mr. Mill's Answer to Sir William Hamilton

Masson, David

London: Macmillan & Co., 1865

Internet Archive

1865

George Eliot to Sara Sophia Hennell, 28 October 1865. “I have read Mr. Masson's book on "Recent Philosophy." The earlier part is a useful and creditable survey, and the classification ingenious. The latter part I thought poor. If, by what he says of Positivism, you mean what he says at p. 246, I should answer, it is simply "stuff"; he might as well have written a dozen lines of jargon. There are a few observations about Comte scattered here and there, which are true and just enough. But it seems to me much better to read a man's own writings than to read what others say about him. Especially when the man is first-rate and the "others" are third-rate. As Goethe said long ago about Spinoza, "Ich immer vorzog, von dem Menschen zu erfahren wie er dachte, als von einem andern zu hören, wie er hätte denken sollen." However, I am not fond of expressing criticism or disapprobation. The difficulty is, to digest and live upon any valuable truth oneself.” GEL 4: 206-7 

Masson, David, Recent British Philosophy: A Review, with Criticisms; Including Some Comments on Mr. Mill's Answer to Sir William Hamilton, George Eliot's Reading, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/57089

https://georgeeliotarchive.org/files/original/2814956a7c8b4decd9da3f432dcb180b.pdf