The Portuguese Cortes voted in December 1821that he should be invited to prepare an 'all-comprehensive code'；and in 1822he put out a curious 'Codification proposal，'offering to do the work for any nation in need of a legislator，and appending testimonials to his competence for the work.He set to work upon a 'Constitutional Code，'which occupied him at interval during the remainder of his life，and embodied the final outcome of his speculations.He diverged from this main purpose to write various pamphlets upon topics of immediate interest；and was keenly interested in the various activities of his disciples.
The Utilitarians now thought themselves entitled to enter the field of politics as a distinct body.An organ to defend their cause was desirable，and Bentham supplied the funds for the Westminster Review，of which the first number appeared in April 1824.
The editorship fell chiefly into the hands of Bowring (1792-1872).Bowring had travelled much upon the Continent for a commercial house，and his knowledge of Spanish politics had brought him into connection with Bentham，to whom Blaquière recommended him in 1820.(132)A strong attachment sprang up between the two.Bentham confided all his thoughts and feelings to the young man，and Bowring looked up to his teacher with affectionate reverence.
In 1828Bentham says that Bowring is 'the most intimate friend he has.'(133)Bowring complains of calumnies，by which he was assailed，though they failed to alienate Bentham.What they may have been matters little；but it is clear that a certain jealousy arose between this last disciple and his older rivals.
James Mill's stern and rigid character had evidently produced some irritation at intervals；and to him it would naturally appear that Bowring was the object of a senile favouritism.In any case it is to be regretted that Bentham thus became partly alienated from his older friends.(134)Mill was too proud to complain；and never wavered in his allegiance to the master's principles.
But one result，and to us the most important，was that the new attachment led to the composition of one of the worst biographies in the language，out of materials which might have served for a masterpiece.Bowring was a great linguist，and an energetic man of business.He wrote hymns，and one of them，'In the cross of Christ I glory，'is said to have 'universal fame.'A Benthamite capable of so singular an eccentricity judiciously agreed to avoid discussions upon religious topics with his master.To Bowring we also owe the Deontology，which professes to represent Bentham's dictation.The Mills repudiated this version，certainly a very poor one，of their teacher's morality，and held that it represented less Bentham than such an impression of Bentham as could be stamped upon a muddle-headed disciple.(135)The last years of his life brought Bentham into closer connection with more remarkable men.The Radicals had despised the Whigs as trimmers and half-hearted reformers，and James Mill expressed this feeling very frankly in the first numbers of the Westminster Review.Reform，however，was now becoming respectable，and the Whigs were gaining the courage to take it up seriously.Foremost among the Edinburgh Reviewers was the great Henry Brougham，whose fame was at this time almost as great as his ambition could desire，and who considered himself to be the natural leader of all reform.He had shown eagerness to distinguish himself in lines fully approved by Bentham.
His admirers regarded him as a giant；and his opponents，if they saw in him a dash of the charlatan，could not deny his amazing energy and his capacity as an orator.The insatiable vanity which afterwards ruined his career already made it doubtful whether he fought for the cause or the glory.But he was at least an instrument worth having.He was a kind of half-disciple.If in 1809he had checked Mill's praise of Bentham，he was soon afterwards in frequent communication with the master.In July 1812Bentham announces that Brougham is at last to be admitted to a dinner，for which he had been 'intriguing any time this six months，'and expects that his proselyte will soon be the first man in the House of Commons，and eclipse even Romilly.(136)In later years they had frequent communications；and when in 1827Brougham was known to be preparing an utterance upon law reform，Bentham's hopes rose high.
He offered to his disciple 'some nice little sweet pap of my own making，'sound teaching that is，upon evidence，judicial establishments and codification.
Brougham thanks his 'dear grandpapa，'and Bentham offers further supplies to his 'dear，sweet little poppet.'(137)But when the orator had spoken Bentham declares (9th February 1828)that the mountain has been delivered of a mouse.Brougham was 'not the man to set up'simple and rational principles.
He was the sham adversary but the real accomplice of Peel，pulling up lies by the root to plant others equally noxious.(138)In 1830Bentham had even to hold up 'Master Peel'as a 'model good boy'to the self-styled reformer.
Brougham needs a dose of jalap instead of pap，for he cannot even spell the 'greatest happiness principle'properly.(139)Bentham went so far as to write what he fondly took to be an epigram upon Brougham：
'So foolish and so wise，so great，so small，Everything now，to-morrow nought at all.'(140)In September 1831Brougham as Chancellor announced a scheme for certain changes in the constitution of the courts.The proposal called forth Bentham's last pamphlet，Lord Brougham displayed.(141)Bentham laments that his disciple has 'stretched out the right hand of fellowship to jobbers of all sorts.'(142)In vain had Brougham in his speech called Bentham 'one of the great sages of the law.'Bentham acknowledges his amiability and his genius；but laments over the untrustworthy character of a man who could only adopt principles so far as they were subservient to his own vanity.
