The Apostle of Involution. 153 



that this erroneous notion is widely spread, and may do 

 me much harm if not rectified. 



In the last number of the North American Review I see 

 an interesting article on the Evolution of Language, partly 

 based on First Principles.* If there have appeared, or 

 should appear hereafter, any noteworthy criticism, I should 

 be glad if you would let me know, so that I can get copies 

 of them through Williams Norgate, who have now be- 

 come American agents. . . . 



Faithfully yours, HERBERT SPENCER. 



The foregoing extract is inserted in advance of 

 some of earlier date, which are now to follow, and 

 which present a continuous story. It must be borne 

 in mind that up to this time none of Mr. Spencer's 

 books had been reprinted in America except the Edu- 

 cation, though First Principles and part of the Biology 

 had been issued to subscribers in numbers, as pub- 

 lished in London. 



NEW YORK, Wednesday, September 16, 1863. 

 MY DEAR SISTER : I want very much to go up [to Sara- 

 toga] to-night, and have hitherto hoped to do so, but I shall 

 not be able. Things to do important things thicken, 

 and must be attended to. I find myself in such a position 

 of influence with the New York men that I must avail my- 

 self of my opportunity. . . . Ripley is doing the splendid 

 thing by me in the Tribune, and the more I know him the 

 better I like him. He is broader than I supposed, and 



* I was the author of this article, published in the North American 

 Review, October, 1863 ; and it was followed by another, entitled The 

 Genesis of Language, in the same Review, October, 1869. Neither of 

 these have been republished among rny collected writings, because the 

 rapid progress of linguistic science has rendered them somewhat anti- 

 quated. 



