e farmhouse at Hendon, bought a 'superb harpsichord,' resumed his
occupations, and saw a small circle of friends. Wilson urged him to
publish his _Introduction_ without waiting to complete the vast scheme
to which it was to be a prologue. Copies of the printed book were
already abroad, and there was a danger of plagiarism. Thus urged,
Bentham at last yielded, and the _Introduction to the Principles of
Morals and Legislation_ appeared in 1789. The preface apologised for
imperfections due to the plan of his work. The book, he explained, laid
down the principles of all his future labours, and was to stand to him
in the relation of a treatise upon pure mathematics to a treatise upon
the applied sciences. He indicated ten separate departments of
legislation, each of which would require a treatise in order to the
complete execution of his scheme.

The book gives the essence of Bentham's theories, and is the one large
treatise published by himself. The other works were only brought to
birth by the help of disciples. Dumont, in the discourse prefixed to the
_Traites_, explains the reason. Bentham, he says, would suspend a whole
work and begin a new one because a single proposition struck him as
doubtful. A problem of finance would send him to a study of Political
Economy in general. A question of procedure would make him pause until
he had investigated the whole subject of judicial organisation. While at
work, he felt only the pleasure of composition. When his materials
required form and finish, he felt only the fatigue. Disgust succeeded to
charm; and he could scarcely be induced to interrupt his labours upon
fresh matter in order to give to his interpreter the explanations
necessary for the elucidation of his previous writings. He was without
the literary vanity or the desire for completion which may prompt to
premature publication, but may at least prevent the absolute waste of
what has been already achieved. His method of writing was
characteristic. He began by forming a complete logical scheme for the
treatment of any subject, dividing and subdividing so as to secure an
exhaustive classification of the whole matter of discussion. Then taking
up any subdivision, he wrote his remarks upon sheets, which were put
aside after being marked with references indicating their place in the
final treatise. He never turned to these again. In time he would exhaust
the whole subject, and it would then be the duty of his disciples simply