the purpose by Peters. He also (the dates are uncertain) acted as tutor to Wilhelmina (b. October 1776), the Stuarts' only child, afterwards the object of Scott's early passion, and subsequently wife of Sir William Forbes and mother of James David Forbes [q. v.] Mill, in one capacity or other, spent much time at Fettercairn House, where both Sir James and Lady Jane Stuart became strongly attached to him, and their daughter spoke of him affectionately with ‘her last breath.’ The patronage of the Stuarts enabled him to study at Edinburgh instead of Aberdeen, for which his father had intended him (Mill to F. Place, 26 Oct. 1817). He entered the university of Edinburgh in 1790, at the then unusually late age of seventeen. He joined in his first session the senior classes in Greek and Latin. He heard the lectures of Dugald Stewart, and long afterwards he told Macvey Napier that neither Pitt nor Fox approached Stewart in eloquence. In 1794 he began his studies in divinity, which lasted through four winters. The library records show that he was interested in philosophy: studying Plato in addition to the ordinary Scottish authorities, and showing some knowledge of French by reading Massillon and Rousseau. He became so good a Greek scholar that in 1818 there was some talk of his standing for the Greek chair in Glasgow (Bain, p. 166), and he was always a keen student of Plato. He made few friends, and did not, like most of his many contemporaries who afterwards distinguished themselves, belong to the Speculative Society. He formed, however, a close intimacy with Thomas Thomson, the distinguished chemist, and his brother. He was licensed to preach on 4 Oct. 1798; and delivered some sermons in his own district, not, it would seem, with much success. He lived partly at home, where a corner of a room was curtained off as his study and bedroom, and held some tutorships. He appears to have been tutor in the family of a Mr. Burnet in Aberdeen; and also in the family of the Marquis of Tweeddale. There is a vague story that he gave up this position in consequence of a slight received at the dinner-table, and resolved to seek his fortunes in London. Another rumour is that he left Scotland in consequence of disappointment at not being appointed minister of Craig. At any rate he went to London in the beginning of 1802 in search of literary employment. He accompanied Sir John Stuart, who was going to attend parliament as member for Kincardineshire. Stuart procured him frequent admission to the gallery of the House of Commons, where he listened to some great debates and became an ardent politician. His friend Thomson wrote a testimonial on his behalf to be shown to John Gifford [q. v.], then editing the ‘Anti-Jacobin Review.’ Gifford gave him some work, and he gradually found other employment. He undertook to co-operate with Dr. Henry Hunter [q. v.] in rewriting a work called ‘Nature Delineated.’ One of the publishers interested in this book was Baldwin, who after Hunter's death in October 1802 changed the scheme for a periodical called the ‘Literary Journal,’ of which Mill became editor. He obtained the co-operation of Thomson and other friends, and the first number appeared at the beginning of 1803. It lasted for three years as a shilling weekly, and through another year a ‘second series’ appeared as a monthly. During 1805 and for two or three years subsequently Mill also edited the ‘St. James's Chronicle.’ In 1804 he published a pamphlet upon the bounties on the exportation of grain, and in 1805 a translation of Villers's ‘Spirit and Influence of the Reformation of Luther.’ He was thus managing to make a living, and writes at the beginning of 1804 that he has been a volunteer for six months, and spent at least twenty-one or twenty-two guineas in consequence. Professor Bain estimates his income during the double editorship at over 500l. a year. He therefore thought himself justified in marrying. In 1804 he became engaged to Harriet Burrow, daughter of a widow who managed a lunatic asylum, started by her husband, in Hoxton. They were married on 5 June 1805, and settled in 12 Rodney Terrace, Pentonville, in a house bought by his mother-in-law, for which he paid her 50l. a year.
Like many energetic young Scots, Mill managed to keep out of debt by rigid frugality; but the struggle was for a long time a severe one. The loss of his editorships left him no resource except writing articles. He was determined to write a work which might give him a more permanent position. About the end of 1806 he began with this view the composition of a history of India, and the task was far more laborious than he had anticipated. Three years spread into ten. His family was increasing, and he ultimately became the father of nine children, an oversight for which his eldest son apologises. Meanwhile, his relatives in Scotland were distressed. The mother died before his departure to England. His father was paralysed and became bankrupt through imprudence in giving security for a friend. The other son, William, died soon afterwards. The father continued to live in his house with his only other child, May, who married one
