16 HERBERT SPENCER 
embrace all things within this great thought of Zvolution, and soon 
afterwards he issued the prospectus of the Synthetic Philosophy—a 
new theory of the Césmos, from its earliest nebular manifestations 
to its highest development in man and civilization. Contrary to a 
very general misconception, frequently met within newpaper 
articles and scientific works, Spencer’s scheme was not an elaboration 
of Charles Darwin’s great theory, being published nearly twelve 
months before the latter’s epoch-making work ‘“ The Origin of 
Species.” 
In a letter to Professor Ray Lankester, Darwin says in 1870 
“T suspect that hereafter Spencer will be looked at as by far the 
greatest living philosopher in England ; perhaps equal to any that 
haye lived.” 
And in a letter to Spencer in 1872, he says “‘ Everyone with eyes 
to see and ears to hear, ought to bow their knee to you, and I for 
one do.” 
Three times he temporarily abandoned the project through lack 
of funds, poor health, and in one instance, a period of insomnia which 
lasted for 18 months, and if I wished to rouse your sympathies I 
could tell you of his 20 years’ struggle with poverty: and of his 
indomitable will overcoming obstacles which would have deterred 
almost anyone else; and all for the absolutely unselfish motive of 
giving to the world the information which he felt convinced was 
wanted for the benefit of humanity at large, irrespective of nationality, 
creed or social status. Certainly wealth was not his aim, as in 15 
years he had lost £1,200 by his publications. and it was only after 
24 years that he could say “ I am now not poorer than when I began.” 
But in 1896 after 36 years, he completed this great work “for 
which the 19th century will be remembered and honoured in all 
time coming.” 
In that part of his great work devoted to ‘‘ Justice,’ he gives 
the great principle “ That every man is free to do that which he wills, 
provided he infringes not the equal freedom of any other man,” and 
upon this bases his objection to Socialism and state interference, 
proving that both attempt to improve social life by breaking the 
fundamental jaw of social life. 
To many people his work on Education is the one work he is 
known by ; and that alone, published first in 1861 would have made 
