454 PEKSONALIA : 1898-1906 



To Inglis Palgrave 



December 23, 1903. 



[In reply to some remarks on Herbert Spencer's works.] 



I am not surprised at what you say regarding Spencei 

 and his work. I attribute much of your dishke to the effect 

 of his style and diction, which Huxley and I often discussed 

 and regretted ; but more I think may possibly be put dowr 

 to the stern face set against scientific thought, method anc 

 teaching in the educational system of your early years. Yoi 

 somehow acquired an appreciation of scientific methods bj 

 the light of nature, and showed it in those of your earl) 

 writings, which in the opinion of your more scientifically 

 minded friends, induced them to urge your claims on tliest 

 very grounds, for election into the Eoyal Society, but this 

 appreciation went no further than your own professiona 

 work and habits of thought, as far as you were concerned 

 Then too, may there not be a little of the odium theologicwn 

 in your dislike of Spencer's system of philosophy ? 



As it is, I do not think that any one, except a deeph 

 read man, can appreciate the immensity of Spencer's convers* 

 with all that man has done in the spread of knowledge, anc ] 

 of its influence in the development of every phase of hi, 

 advancement from the savage to the highest civilisation. 



I am wholly unable to draw the line between Bacon anc 

 Spencer ; I feel that I do not know enough of the work o 

 either, though I have everything that Spencer wrote, up f* 

 his last volume, all gifts from himself. 



My mother read his little work on education, and wa 

 much taken with it, though thinking it was too highly pitche( 

 for practical purposes. She told me it was the best boo) 

 ever written for bachelor's children. 



Did you happen to read K'ucker's address to the ' Moderj 

 Languages Association ' in to-day's Times, p. 5 ? It is ver 

 good ; but there is one matter affecting early education tha 

 I have never seen discussed, it is the adverse effect of th 

 modern boy being in point of self education so enormousl; 

 in advance of what boys were 50 years ago. By self educa 

 tion I mean all that he gets by contact with his surroundings 

 social, political, commercial, and everything else, especial! 

 penny papers. It was comparatively easy for an empty 



