The Apostle of Evolution. 171 



but the obligations foreshadowed in your last letter are in 

 part such as I can and must avoid. If my American 

 friends, moved by your active efforts, agree to take upon 

 themselves the risk of republishing some of my writings — 

 a risk which I dare not run myself — I cannot help it; and 

 while I feel somewhat uneasy at seeing such responsibilities 

 undertaken, I cannot but feel a considerable pleasure in 

 finding so much interest manifested in the success of my 

 aims. But when it is proposed that my friends should sup- 

 ply Messrs. Appleton with the stereotype plates, and that I 

 should begin to reap the profits of the reprint from the 

 outset, as seems to be implied by your statement of the 

 arrangement, I must decline to agree. It is, I think, a 

 quite sufficient generosity on their part if they save me 

 from a contingent risk and give me the contingent profit 

 after their expenses have been paid. The twenty per cent, 

 on the sales, which the Appletons agree to give me, must 

 be set aside for defraying the cost of composition and 

 stereotyping, until that cost has been repaid — supposing this 

 twenty per cent, profit should suffice for the repayment. 

 Only after such repayment has been made must the twenty 

 per cent, on the sales be payable to me — only then will I 

 accept it. . . . Perhaps the best title for this proposed vol- 

 ume of selected essays would be Illustrations of Universal 

 Progress. ... 



Give my kind regards to Mrs. Youmans, along with my 

 thanks for the trouble she expended in copying your last 

 letter. Once more accept yourself my warm acknowledg- 

 ments for your untiring and disinterested labours in fur- 

 therance of my scheme, and believe me. 



Very truly yours, Herbert Spencer. 



New York, January 12^ 1S64. 

 My dear Mr. Spencer: Yours of the 17th of Decem- 

 ber, 1863, is received, and I regret exceedingly that you so 

 interpret what we are doing as to be troubled with any 



