Second and Third Visits to England. 211 



I duly received the New York Tribune containing your 

 review, which I read with much interest. The general 

 sketch of the aspects of modern thought was very graphic, 

 the antithesis between the aim of ancient philosophy and 

 the philosophy of the moderns being, I thought, particular- 

 ly happy. 



I rejoice to hear that you continue your intention of 

 returning here for the summer. I hope circumstances will 

 permit us to see as much of one another as before. With 

 kind regards to your wife, brother, and sister, very truly 

 yours, HERBERT SPENCER. 



ANTIOCH COLLEGE, May 12, 1866, 



DEAR SISTER : It was very kind of you to say that I 

 need not give myself uneasiness about you in my absence 

 or trouble myself to write. I did not at all intend to avail 

 myself of your generosity when I left, but, as Jay has 

 probably informed you, the lectures come thicker than I 

 expected five a week instead of three. I have therefore 

 been busy every moment of the time. I shall have two 

 days of liberty now (Saturday and Sunday), and the first 

 thing I do this morning is to drop you a line. The place 

 is pleasanter here than I expected to find it. Indeed, it has 

 some admirable features in its surroundings, of which much 

 might be made if there were the right spirit and plenty of 

 means. The college structures are immense and imposing, 

 but ill adapted to any use. Mr. Mann sent out the plans, 

 but the carpenter threw them under the table, and bought 

 a cheap plan of an architect and built according to his own 

 ignorant notions. I have been glancing over the history 

 of the institution, as shadowed forth in the lately published 

 life of Horace Mann, and it is exceedingly instructive. It 

 has been cursed from the beginning by two things: first, 

 Western jealousy of the East, and second, " religion." Out 

 of debt, with $125,000 endowment, and with a gift of $4,000 

 or $5,000 from the Unitarian organization this year, and with 



