本文主要目的，是以彌爾(Jonhn Stuart Mill)的《自由論》(On Liberty)做為探索的焦點，一方面根據晚近學界對於彌爾思想的研究，另方面從彌爾思想背景及彌爾的其他著作去探索《自由論》一書的真正意涵為何。並在這個基礎上檢討嚴復是否準確地把握到《自由論》的要義，進而思考美國學者史華茲(Benjamin Schwartz)對嚴復思想的批評是否中肯。本文試圖證明彌爾捍衛個人自由，卻也兼顧社群的福址；強調個體性，也不忘文明的提升與沉淪。因此，嚴復對《自由論》的理解，總體上來講，是十分深刻的；然而，史華茲的評論由於忽略了彌爾思想中對於德性、社群與文化等面向的關懷，因此仍有不少商榷的餘地。

　　　　　This essay is a study of Mill's On Liberty in the light of recent Mill's scholarship together with an analysis of his contextual and textual backgrounds so as explicate the deep implications of the book. I then proceed to make a review of Yen Fu's translation to evaluate whether his reading of Mill is correct and also whether Benjamin Schwartz's critique of him is tenable. The essay tries to demonstrate that Mill defended individual freedom with an eye on the public good of community, stressed on individuality without losing sight of the significance of ascending and decline problem brought about to a civilization. In a word and on the whole, Yen Fu's understanding of the On Liberty is more exact and profound. Schwartz's critique, accordingly, paying less attention to Mill's concerms with the issues of virtue, community and civilization, is dubious and elaboration wanting.