622 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



telligence. Drawing from objects was here continued. They liad 

 some experimental lessons in mechanics, and Herbert took to reading 

 a good deal ; Rollin's "Ancient History" and many miscellaneous books 

 being gone through. He found, a very varied literature in his father's 

 house. Mr. Spencer, Sr., was Secretary of the Derby Philosophi- 

 cal Society, and also member of a Methodist book-committee. Be- 

 sides many works of different kinds, there came various periodicals 

 and magazines the Lancet, the medical quarterlies, Athencewin, 

 Chcmxbers's Journal, volumes of travel, and occasionally graver works. 

 All these he habitually looked into as a boy, picking up medical, me- 

 chanical, and various information. Mr. Spencer and his brothers, 

 when they were together, habitually discussed all kinds of questions, 

 political, ethical, religious, and scientific: All were liberal and inde- 

 pendent thinkers radicals when radicalism was unpopular. Both 

 Mr. and Mrs. Spencer were brought up Methodists, but, during his 

 boyhood, the father acquired so strong a repugnance toward the 

 priestliness of the Methodist organization, that he early ceased to 

 attend their services, and went to Quaker meeting never adopting 

 their peculiarities, but approving their unsacerdotal system. As his 

 mother continued a Methodist, it resulted that on Sunday he went 

 with his father in the morning, and with his mother in the evening. 

 The enforced learning of hymns, and reading of chapters, at this 

 time, produced, a lasting repugnance to Scriptural language. 



Mr. Spencer encouraged his son in all kinds of little constructive 

 operations, as carpentering, the making of his own fishing-tackle, etc. 

 Readiness in manipulation was thus cultivated. During this period, 

 Mr. Spencer from time to time had at the house assemblies of his pri- 

 vate pupils to witness electrical, mechanical, and air-pump experi- 

 ments. In these Herbert always assisted, becoming thus familiar 

 with the facts, explanations, and practical manipulations. At the 

 same time he made chemical experiments. He is reported as being 

 much in disgrace as a disobedient boy, always more or less in hot 

 water, which led to desponding anticipations of his future. 



At thirteen (1833) he was sent to his uncle, a clergyman, with 

 whom he remained three years. This uncle, the Rev. Thomas Spen- 

 cer, Rector of Hinton, was a cultivated scholar, who graduated with 

 honors at Cambridge. He was a man of great liberality, advanced in 

 his political views, broad in his theology, and the first clergyman of 

 the Established Church to take a public and prominent part in the 

 movement for the repeal of the corn-laws ; having written and pub- 

 lished extensively upon the subject. He will be remembered by some 

 as having made a tour through this country some twenty-five years 

 ago, delivering occasional lectures. His uncle was anxious that Her- 

 bert should prepare for the universitj^, but he was disinclined to this, 

 and the question was a matter of controversy between them. His 

 uncle, however, lived to acknowledge that Herbert probably took the 



