Herbert Spencer and the Doctrine of Evolution. 533 



oughly systematic character of Mr. Spencer's work is 

 afforded by his preparation for the treatment of the sub- 

 ject of Sociology. In dealing with Biology and Psychology, 

 the data for reasoning were readily accessible ; but in en- 

 tering upon the scientific study of so vast and varied a sub- 

 ject as human society a most formidable difficulty appeared 

 at the threshold of the inquiry, in the absence of facts to 

 form the broad basis of sociological reasoning. So defi- 

 cient and scattered and contradictory were such data that 

 the possibility of any valid social science has been gener- 

 ally regarded with distrust, or unhesitatingly denied. But 

 the phenomena of society are not chaotic; they coexist 

 and succeed each other in an orderly way. The natural 

 laws of the social state are undoubtedly determinable, but 

 such determination is primarily a question of the collection 

 of materials suitable for wide and safe inductions. Mr. 

 Spencer foresaw this several years ago, and began the col- 

 lection and methodical arrangement of all those numerous 

 classes of facts pertaining to the various forms and states 

 of society which are needed to work out the Principles of 

 Sociology. This alone was an immense undertaking. The 

 races of mankind were divided into three groups, illustrat- 

 ing existing civilizations, extinct or decayed civilizations, 

 and the savage state. Three corresponding series of works 

 were projected, a tabular method for the classification and 

 arrangement of facts was devised, and three gentlemen 

 were employed to carry out the work of collection and di- 

 gestion of materials under Mr. Spencer's supervision. The 

 first installments of each of these divisions are now com- 

 pleted, and published. This important work, which is sub- 

 sidiary to his main enterprise, is the first of the kind ever 

 attempted, and when finished and issued will form a com- 

 plete Cyclopaedia of the multifarious data necessary for the 

 scientific investigation of social questions. Its continued 

 publication will depend upon public support ; but the col- 



