282 Edward Livingston Youmans. 



people came from all over Europe to see what had been done. 

 But not a single thing that he did influenced in the slight- 

 est degree a single adjacent parish. And when he died the 

 work stopped, and nothing has been done since. I don't 

 know; perhaps something may be done after a while. 

 Strong men are at work, and they have begun at the right 

 end ; perhaps something will be brought about after a 

 while. 



LONDON, August 19, 1871. 



And now next morning some more Hookerian reminis- 

 cence. He speaks unreservedly of Spencer ; says " Spen- 

 cer is the mighty thinker among us. And what a splendid 

 talker ! He talks right at you like a book, and his language 

 is so fluent and adaptive! He is all right now. The recog- 

 nition of his genius is now complete. What a lucky thing 

 it was that he failed in getting a consulate or some other 

 public appointment when he began his Philosophy ! Had he 

 succeeded, we never should have heard of the Philosophy. 

 The things are absolutely incompatible. No man can do 

 great original work and be hampered by the cares of a 

 position. The thing is impossible. The work must have 

 the whole man. That is why I have tried to get Gray free. 

 You Americans don't know how much of a man Gray is ; 

 but he is hampered with students' work, and is not able to 

 keep an assistant. When you were working for Spencer on 

 the other side I was working for Gray here. I thought I 

 had got it arranged all right. I obtained a promise from 

 Peabody to give money enough to relieve Gray and let 

 him go on with original research ; but when he got over 

 there they worked at him and defeated all the good of the 

 plan. He gave his money to Harvard College. Gray re- 

 ceived no help, and the only effect was to pile on him one 

 more official burden. You did better for Spencer. Your 

 work told just where it should. You have a very honour- 

 able share in his success." 



