Journal. 265 



37 Q VIKK, \V., December 28, 1870. 



MY in- \K YMI MAMS: Your letter dealing with the 

 tion of the dedication took me somewhat by surprise. Hnw- 

 . it was in one respect satisfactory, since it relieved me 

 from the feeling which I have long had that an adequate 

 recognition of the sympathy of my American friends had 

 not been made and was due from me. I trust to your judg- 

 ment in the matter. I had very nearly given orders, before 

 receiving your letter, to stereotype the dedication, wishing 

 to prefix it to a supply that was being bound for the English 

 market. However, I did not do so, and since the receipt 

 of your letter I have caused the type to be distributed. 



Your late letters have given but evasive replies to my in- 

 quiries respecting your own affairs, and have tended to con- 

 firm my suspicion that things were not going well with you. 

 This suspicion I was sorry to have verified lately by Dr. 

 Draper, who is over here, and who quite confirmed me in 

 the belief that your sacrifices in the propagation of ideas 

 had entailed an undue neglect of your own interests. This 

 is a very unsatisfactory consciousness for me, knowing as 

 I do that so much of your time has been occupied in the 

 diffusion of my works. I should be well pleased to hear 

 that you were devoting yourself for a time entirely to per- 

 sonal advancement. Would it not be well to look for a pro- 

 fessorship ? You have had offers of the kind. The duties 

 would be congenial, and would leave you a considerable 

 share of freedom. Ever sincerely yours, 



HERBERT SPENCER. 



