Second and Third Visits to England. 217 



hand resolved not to place myself in any questionable po- 

 sition, and in pursuance of this resolve I had negatived 

 sundry proposals made here in furtherance of my under- 

 taking. But the course adopted by my American friends 

 is one which appears to give me no alternative, save that 

 of yielding. Already in the case of the profits accruing 

 from republished works, which I declined to receive unless 

 the cost of the stereotype plates had been repaid to those 

 who furnished the funds, they defeated me by saying that 

 if I did not draw the proceeds they would remain in Messrs. 

 Appletons' hands ; and I foresee that were I now to be rest- 

 ive under their kindness they would probably take an 

 analogous step. I therefore submit, and feel less hesita- 

 tion in doing this because the strong sympathy with my 

 aims which from the beginning has been manifested in the 

 United States makes me feel that impersonal rather than 

 personal considerations move those who have acted in the 

 matter, and should also guide me.' Will you therefore be 

 so good as to say to all who have joined in raising this mag- 

 nificent gift, which more than replaces what I have lost dur- 

 ing the last sixteen years, that I accept it as a trust to be 

 used for public ends, and that at the same time feelings of 

 another kind compel me to express my gratitude as well as 

 my admiration. Let me add that while the material result 

 of their act will be that of greatly facilitating my labours, 

 the approval conveyed by it in so unparalleled a way from 

 readers of another nation cannot fail to be a moral stimu- 

 lus and support of great value to me. Believe me, my dear 

 sir, very sincerely yours, Herbert Spencer. 



Robert B. Minturn, Esq., New York. 



The effect of the subscription gathered by Yoii- 

 mans was rather to extend Spencer's work than to 

 prevent the suspension which a few months before 

 had seemed unavoidable. It enabled him to employ 

 as an amanuensis and assistant a gentleman of univer- 



