rkable _Analysis
of Natural Religion_, which was ultimately published by Grote under the
pseudonym 'Philip Beauchamp,' in 1822. This procedure from the
particular case of the Catechism in schools up to the general problem of
the utility of religion in general, is curiously characteristic of
Bentham.

Bentham's mind was attracted to various other schemes by the disciples
who came to sit at his feet, and professed, with more or less sincerity,
to regard him as a Solon. Foreigners had been resorting to him from all
parts of the world, and gave him hopes of new fields for codifying. As
early as 1808 he had been visited at Barrow Green by the strange
adventurer, politician, lawyer, and filibuster, Aaron Burr, famous for
the duel in which he killed Alexander Hamilton, and now framing wild
schemes for an empire in Mexico. Unscrupulous, restlessly active and
cynical, he was a singular contrast to the placid philosopher, upon whom
his confidences seem to have made an impression of not unpleasing
horror. Burr's conversation suggested to Bentham a singular scheme for
emigrating to Mexico. He applied seriously for introductions to Lord
Holland, who had passed some time in Spain, and to Holland's friend,
Jovellanos (1749-1812), a member of the Spanish Junta, who had written
treatises upon legislation (1785), of which Bentham approved.[318] The
dream of Mexico was succeeded by a dream of Venezuela. General Miranda
spent some years in England, and had become well known to James Mill. He
was now about to start upon an unfortunate expedition to Venezuela, his
native country. He took with him a draft of a law for the freedom of the
press, which Bentham drew up, and he proposed that when his new state
was founded, Bentham should be its legislator.[319] Miranda was betrayed
to the Spanish government in 1812, and died (1816) in the hands of the
Inquisition. Bolivar, who was also in London in 1810 and took some
notice of Joseph Lancaster, applied in flattering terms to Bentham. Long
afterwards, when dictator of Columbia, he forbade the use of Bentham's
works in the schools, to which, however, the privilege of reading him
was restored, and, let us hope, duly valued, in 1835.[320] Santander,
another South American hero, was also a disciple, and encouraged the
study of Bentham. Bentham says in 1830 that forty thousand copies of
Dumont's _Traites_ had been sold in Paris for the South American
trade.[321] What share Bentham may have had in modify