380 Edward Livingston Youmans. 



into the next century ; and I am contented that it contains 

 evidence that I knew a good thing when I saw it. 



Has Sumner sent you his new little book ? It is quite 

 well worth looking over. He presents the anti-philanthropic, 

 anti-meddling side with considerable point and freshness. * 



37 QUEEN'S GARDENS, October j, 1883. 



MY DEAR YOUMANS: By this post I send you a copy (if 

 I can get one) of to-day's Times ; if not, by as early a post 

 as I can. It contains a report of the meeting of the Church 

 Congress, which will be interesting and probably useful to 

 you the address of Prof. Flower, and other papers on the 

 topic of evolution. Theological opposition to the doctrine 

 is rapidly disappearing, and before the end of the century 

 will be forgotten. . . . 



I returned two days ago from Gloucestershire, where 

 the fortnight has been very beneficial, especially the first 

 week, during which the weather was fine and I got plenty of 

 outdoor games; lawn tennis, bowls, and quoits, with bil- 

 liards in the evening, did me a great deal of good. 



I have got a copy of Sumner's little book, but have not 

 yet had time to look over it. I am glad he is taking the 

 turn you describe, and wish others who entertain kindred 

 views would devote themselves to active propagation of 

 them, for at present there is a most disastrous movement 

 in the other direction. Indeed, I have almost given up all 

 hope of seeing it checked, for the wave has become too 

 vast.. We are on the highway to communism, and I see no 

 likelihood that the movement in that direction will be 

 arrested. Contrariwise, it seems to me that every new step 

 makes more difficult any reversal, since the reactive por- 



* What Social Classes owe to each other, by Prof. W. G. Sumner, of 

 Yale University, one of the clearest and strongest of American thinkers. It 

 is a golden little book, and ought to have had a sale of half a million copies, 

 instead of that stupid Looking Backward, the success of which is a 

 sufficient commentary upon Puck's remark, " What fools these mortals be!" 



