《论自由·第五章·应用》第6节
Again, there are many acts which, being directly injurious only to the agents themselves, ought not to be legally interdicted, but which, if done publicly, are a violation of good manners and coming thus within the category of offences against others may rightfully be prohibited. Of this kind are offences against decency; on which it is unnecessary to dwell, the rather as they are only connected indirectly with our subject, the objection to publicity being equally strong in the case of many actions not in themselves condemnable, nor supposed to be so.
注释摘要
密尔在此处处理的是一个看似细微、却对他整个自由学说构成边界挑战的问题。全书的论证核心在于区分仅关乎自身的行为与涉及他人的行为，前者绝对不受社会或法律强制。但在该段中，他引入一种特殊类型的行为：行为仅直接伤害到行为者本人，因此按照原则不应被法律禁止；然而，一旦这种行为被公开进行，它就转变成对他人的冒犯，即对良好礼仪的侵犯，从而进入了可被正当禁止的"涉他行为"…