The Evening Telegraph

A Talk with Mill.

A correspondent of the Albany Evening Journal, who has been visiting John Stuart Mill at Avignon, writes:—"I was ushered into a quaint little room with a fire-place adorned with tiles. On the hearth burned a bright wood fire. A choice selection of books stood invitingly on the book shelves. A glance revealed two or three:—The Morte d'Arthur, Kant's works, the Italian poets in their vernacular, Milton, Shakespeare, J. S. Mill, and many eminent French authorities. But here comes the man himself. Above the medium height, slender, somewhat stooping, sandy complexion, a profusion of light brown hair at the sides, entire baldness on the top of the head, a blue eye, aquiline features, side whiskers, this is all that I have time to note before the cordial greeting of the philosopher.

We sit down and begin to talk. My part is simply to ask questions and to listen. By and by I find my role a difficult one to play. I am quickly questioned by one who has our country's story at his fingers' ends. Whither are we tending with a hundred different reforms? What influence have the masses upon legislation? Is this a success? Is that theory a failure?"