EDITOR'S TABLE. 



269 



cellor of the University of New York is 

 reported to have declared that, if the 

 works of Herbert Spencer should be in- 

 troduced into the institution over which 

 he presides, he would resign his position. 

 Yet these works are introduced and 

 freely used in the English universities. 

 Alike in England, Scotland, and Ire- 

 land, students are required to be ac- 

 quainted with the contents of the 

 " Psychology " ; and in some of the uni- 

 versities Spencer's philosophical trea- 

 tises are used as text-books. Oxford 

 led the way a dozen years ago with 

 the "Biology" as well as the "Psy- 

 chology," and even went so far as to 

 allow Spencer's works to be given as 

 prizes. In France, the state authorities, 

 who superintend educational affairs, 

 have formally adopted Spencer's works 

 to be introduced into the libraries of the 

 lyceums and colleges throughout the 

 country, and have also made them avail- 

 able for prizes. And all this without 

 any such foolish noise and fanatic splut- 

 ter as has followed a similar attempt 

 in one of our own colleges. 



Something has, however, happened 

 in France equally funny and instruc- 

 tive, which it is proper to mention, 

 especially as it may serve as a hint 

 for compromise on this side. The ques- 

 tion is, "When an author can not be an- 

 swered, what is to be done? The tac- 

 tics of the Chancellor above referred to 

 is to run; but there remains the alter- 

 native of expurgation. If there are 

 things that can not be replied to, and 

 which will "pervert the young mind," 

 cut them out. Now, the French have 

 very little trouble with Spencer's treat- 

 ment of religious subjects, but his ir- 

 reverence for the ancient classics great- 

 ly troubles them. It might be thought 

 a good method to point out his errors 

 to students, but that plan does not meet 

 with favor. And so the Minister of Pub- 

 lic Instruction in France has arranged to 

 prepare an edition of Spencer's " Edu- 

 cation" which the Government may 

 approve, and in which the part deal- 



ing with science and classics is omit- 

 ted. 



Now, why not have an edition of 

 "The Study of Sociology" with the 

 part on the " theological bias " left out ? 

 The " Independent " is confidently look- 

 ing for a new text-book which Profes- 

 sor Sumner can use without theologi- 

 cal objection ; but why not adopt the 

 French dodge, and protect the students 

 as effectually as may be by dropping 

 out of the existing volume all reference 

 to the influence of religious prejudices 

 in hindering the scientific investigation 

 of social phenomena ? 



MISUSE OF THE "SCIEXCE PRIMERS." 



To the excellence of the well-known 

 series of " Science Primers," of which 

 there are no w a dozen, we have uniform- 

 ly testified. They are written by the 

 ablest scientific men of England, who 

 are masters of the topics upon which 

 they write, and they have been pre- 

 pared under the eminent editorial su- 

 pervision of Professors Huxley, Eoscoe, 

 and Stewart. They have made a very 

 favorable impression upon the public, 

 and met with a success that was suffi- 

 ciently assured at the outset. A million 

 of the books, it is said, have been called 

 for in England, and they have had a 

 large sale in this country. Professor 

 Huxley engaged to write an introduc- 

 tory primer to the series, which has 

 just appeared, and the public is in- 

 formed that sixteen thousand copies of 

 it were ordered in advance, of the Lon- 

 don publisher. Authors and booksell- 

 ers are to be alike congratulated upon 

 so brilliant a result. 



The secret of this success is un- 

 doubtedly to be found in the perfect 

 adaptation of the books to the existing 

 conditions of education. They may be 

 employed in schools without giving 

 the slightest trouble, and are certain to 

 be favorites with teachers who can use 

 them with a minimum of intellectual 

 exertion. They are all so plainly writ- 



