John Stuart Mill Chronology - World of Biography

May 20,1806	Birth in Pentonville, London, as the eldest son of James Mill.
1809	Began learning Greek and the classics.
1810	Introduced to the Benthamites who called for social and political reforms along utilitarian lines laid down by Jeremy Bentham.
1813	Read the first six dialogues of Plato.
1814	Began reading Latin.
1817	Composed a Roman History, an Abridgement of the Ancient Universal History; a History of Holland and a History of Roman Government.
1818	Publication of James Mill’s History of India, which would greatly influence his son. Began studying logic. Met his father’s friends, David Ricardo, the political economist, Joseph Hume, Jeremy Bentham.
1819	Underwent a complete course of political economy, supervised by his father. Spent a year in France, at General Samuel Bentham’s. Met the French economist Jean-Baptiste Say.
1820	Was one of the most learned children in history; knew several languages, mastered the classics, and began to explore own philosophy.
1821	Read Roman Law with John Austin.
1822	Two letters published in the Traveler, which, under the editorship of Walter Coulson had become one of the most important organs of liberal politics. Founded the Utilitarian Society, with William Tooke, William Ellis, George Graham, and John Arthur Roebuck.
1823	Appointment in the East India Company obtained for him by his father, in the office of the Examiner of India Correspondence. Three letters published in the Morning Chronicle, under the name of Wickliffe, wherein he argued the question of free publication of all religious opinions. Became a frequent contributor to both The Traveler and The Morning Chronicle.
1826	Acute mental crisis forced him to reconsider and adjust his strict Benthamite philosophy. Began to read poetry and took interest in arts and the life of imagination.
1828	Friendship with John Sterling and Frederick Maurice, new Coleridgian members of the society. Their views, strongly opposed to that of the Benthamites, enabled Mill to develop his powers of effective debating.
1830	Supported revolution in France, and visited Lafayette. Wrote five essays on ‘Some Unsettled Questions of Political Economy’.
1832	Wrote several papers for the first series of Tait’s Magazine and for the Jurist dealing with duties of the state respecting church property and the provision of state education.
1833	Wrote for Examiner, contributing nearly all the articles on French politics. Election of first reformed Parliament, which included many of his radical friends. His hopes that they would form an effective party are lost as they lack the necessary leadership. Mill’s critical account of Bentham’s philosophy incorporated in Bulwer’s ‘England and the English’.
1834	Wrote articles for Monthly Repository. Became editor of London Review. Defended the new Poor Law against criticism from those opposed to centralization.
1835	Studied De Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and was influenced by the advantages and disadvantages of democracy discussed therein.
June 31, 1836	Death of his father James Mill.
1837	Resumed the Logic, begun in 1832. Published a manifesto in The Review in support of Durham’s liberal policy in Canada.
1838	Bentham, an essay, published in the London and Westminster.
1840	Coleridge, an essay, published in the Review.
1843	Published System of Logic.
1845	Wrote The Principles of Political Economy.
1846	During Irish famine, he wrote articles for the Morning Chronicle, proposing the establishment of peasant properties on wasteland in Ireland.
1848	Publication of Principles of Political Economy, which was an immediate success, an edition of 1000 copies sold in first year. Vindicated the French provisional government against attacks by Lord Bourgham and others.
1849	Principles of Political Economy reprinted.
1851	Married Harriet Taylor. Continued to keep a tab on public events with interest but is no longer optimistic about social improvement in Europe during the post revolution period.
1853	Worked on the first draft of his Autobiography.
1854	Planned and wrote On Liberty as an essay.
1856	Promoted to Examiner of India Correspondence in the East India Company home service, held the office for two years until the company was dissolved.
1857	Worked on expanded version of On Liberty.
1858	Retired with a pension from East India Company. Death of Harriet Taylor due to pulmonary congestion.
1859	Published On Liberty and two volumes of Dissertations and Discussions.
1860	Worked on Considerations on Representative Government and The Subjection of Women.
1861	Published Considerations on Representative Government.
1862	Reviewed Cairns’ Slave Power to abhor slavery as the central issue in war.
1863	Published Utilitarianism.
1865	Publishes Examination of Sir William Hamilton’s Philosophy and Auguste Comte and Positivism. Stood for Parliament as member for Westminster and got elected. Spoke on controversial issues such as suspension of Habeas Corpus in Ireland
1866	Spoke in favor of abolition of capital punishment, women’s suffrage, and the reform of the government of London
1867	Wrote pamphlet England and Ireland.
1868	Lost his seat in General Election.
1869	Published The Subjection of Women.
1873	Died in Avignon. His Autobiography is published.
1874	Three Essays on Religion published.
1876	Third volume of Dissertations and Discussions published.