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- 20 May 1844 (Creation)
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4 pp.
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RJ thanks WW for his book ['The Elements of Morality, Including Polity', 2 vols., 1845]. RJ has not had much time to look at it: 'Everyone seems much struck with the stile - the half syllabus tone of it which might have been expected to hurt it has it seems the common opinion been a very felicitous hit'. WW has 'avoided a good deal of hostility by giving it a character of didactic ethics and eschewing metaphysical views as far as you could. This will ensure you a great deal of acquiescence and on most points sympathy as far I can see or hear'. However, there are some points 'which appear to others to turn on expediency which you however demand a control over as within the scope of duties and as these involve most of the questions of which bear on topics at this moment the subjects of dispute you must not expect a general acquiescence on them'.