The Mills and Harriet Taylor

Abstract

‘Our characters alter exceedingly going through life, and this alteration enlarges our capacity of sympathising with others, remembering what struggles we have encountered, and therefore appreciating their difficulties in passing through the same ordeal. When the change in character has been an extraordinary one, men are often observed to maintain a sort of personal hatred to their former errors and weaknesses, and then, forgetting their struggles, they shut themselves out of the pale of sympathy.’ J. S. Mill in his talks with Caroline Fox¹

‘Quelques femmes vertueuses et tendres n’ont presque pas d’idÉe des plaisirs physiques; elles s’y sont rarement exposÉes si l’on peut parler ainsi, et même alors les transports de l’amour-passion ont presque fait oublier les plaisirs du corps.’ Stendhal, De L’Amour²

‘People praise an artist saying: He creates it all from within. If only I could be spared to hear that again! If you look at it closely, the productions of creative genius are usually reminiscences; a skilled observer can trace them step by step. What is called “original creation” usually makes for false originals and for mannerism.’ Goethe, Maximen und Reflexionen³