John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty (1859) checked against MLA

MLA (9th edition) Oct 14, 2026 · By Dennis Hackethal

Misquote: 2 issues found

Unmarked changes are underlined in wavy red. Hover over themTap them or see the explanation below. Checked against MLA (9th edition), using the pattern . and the Myers algorithm.

Suggested fix

The quote with each unmarked change either marked or undone. It passes the check.

[T]he peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race.

Original text

If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. Were an opinion a personal possession of no value except to the owner; if to be obstructed in the enjoyment of it were simply a private injury, it would make some difference whether the injury was inflicted only on a few persons or on many. But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.

Quote text

The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race.

MLA (9th edition) marks omissions with ‘. . .’ or ‘[. . .]’.

Diff

If‧all‧mankind‧minus‧one,‧were‧of‧one‧opinion,‧and‧only‧one‧person‧were‧of‧the‧contrary‧opinion,‧mankind‧would‧be‧no‧more‧justified‧in‧silencing‧that‧one‧person,‧than‧he,‧if‧he‧had‧the‧power,‧would‧be‧justified‧in‧silencing‧mankind.‧Were‧an‧opinion‧a‧personal‧possession‧of‧no‧value‧except‧to‧the‧owner;‧if‧to‧be‧obstructed‧in‧the‧enjoyment‧of‧it‧were‧simply‧a‧private‧injury,‧it‧would‧make‧some‧difference‧whether‧the‧injury‧was‧inflicted‧only‧on‧a‧few‧persons‧or‧on‧many.‧But‧tThe‧peculiar‧evil‧of‧silencing‧the‧expression‧of‧an‧opinion‧is,‧that‧it‧is‧robbing‧the‧human‧race;.‧posterity‧as‧well‧as‧the‧existing‧generation;‧those‧who‧dissent‧from‧the‧opinion,‧still‧more‧than‧those‧who‧hold‧it.‧If‧the‧opinion‧is‧right,‧they‧are‧deprived‧of‧the‧opportunity‧of‧exchanging‧error‧for‧truth:‧if‧wrong,‧they‧lose,‧what‧is‧almost‧as‧great‧a‧benefit,‧the‧clearer‧perception‧and‧livelier‧impression‧of‧truth,‧produced‧by‧its‧collision‧with‧error.

added in the quote ~~removed~~ from the original wavy not marked as a change ‧ space

Part-by-part explanation

#	Part	Valid?	Explanation
1	If‧all‧mankind‧minus‧one,‧were‧of‧one‧opinion,‧and‧only‧one‧person‧were‧of‧the‧contrary‧opinion,‧mankind‧would‧be‧no‧more‧justified‧in‧silencing‧that‧one‧person,‧than‧he,‧if‧he‧had‧the‧power,‧would‧be‧justified‧in‧silencing‧mankind.‧Were‧an‧opinion‧a‧personal‧possession‧of‧no‧value‧except‧to‧the‧owner;‧if‧to‧be‧obstructed‧in‧the‧enjoyment‧of‧it‧were‧simply‧a‧private‧injury,‧it‧would‧make‧some‧difference‧whether‧the‧injury‧was‧inflicted‧only‧on‧a‧few‧persons‧or‧on‧many.‧But‧	✓ yes	MLA leaves out text before a quotation without an ellipsis.
2	t	× no	Deletions must be indicated, eg by ‘. . .’ or [replacement].
3	T	× no	Insertions must be surrounded by [brackets].
4	he‧peculiar‧evil‧of‧silencing‧the‧expression‧of‧an‧opinion‧is,‧that‧it‧is‧robbing‧the‧human‧race
5	;	✓ yes	A quotation’s closing punctuation may change to fit the sentence.
6	.	✓ yes	A quotation’s closing punctuation may change to fit the sentence.
7	‧posterity‧as‧well‧as‧the‧existing‧generation;‧those‧who‧dissent‧from‧the‧opinion,‧still‧more‧than‧those‧who‧hold‧it.‧If‧the‧opinion‧is‧right,‧they‧are‧deprived‧of‧the‧opportunity‧of‧exchanging‧error‧for‧truth:‧if‧wrong,‧they‧lose,‧what‧is‧almost‧as‧great‧a‧benefit,‧the‧clearer‧perception‧and‧livelier‧impression‧of‧truth,‧produced‧by‧its‧collision‧with‧error.	✓ yes	MLA leaves out text after a quotation without an ellipsis.

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