254 Edward Livingston Youmans. 



from fatigue, I find the penalties of travelling greater than 

 the pleasures. In early days I had considerable appetite 

 for sight-seeing ; but nowadays my appetite is soon satiated, 

 especially as not looking at things through the spectacles 

 of authority, I often find but little to admire where the 

 world admires, or professes to admire, a great deal. The 

 chief pleasure I get in travelling I get from fine scenery ; 

 and of this there is plenty to be had without leaving Great 

 Britain. 



Thank you for the copy of the American edition of 

 Culture, etc. I have read a good part of your preliminary 

 essay on Discipline, and like it very much. The argument 

 is sound and well-sustained, and I wish the English edi- 

 tion had the advantage of it. The only passage to which 

 I should take exception is one on page 17, where you have 

 committed yourself to the vertebral theory of the skull. 

 You should modify this in the next edition. 



I can quite understand that you were disappointed that 

 I did not use the general title of Synthetic Philosophy, 

 as I had thought of doing. I discussed the matter at 

 considerable length with both Huxley and Tyndall, and 

 though the objections they raised were not, to my think- 

 ing, adequate, still they had weight, and though I 

 thought, and continue to think, that on the whole this 

 general title would be desirable, my conviction was not 

 sufficiently decided to lead me to make the change in spite 

 of adverse opinions. I see that you have been speaking 

 of this proposed title, and that Mr. Alger has been making 

 use of it. To this I see no objection ; and, indeed, it 

 strikes me that this habitual application of it by those who 

 write reviews in America will be the most desirable way of 

 establishing its use, if no reason to the contrary should 

 hereafter arise. Ever yours, 



HERBERT SPENCER. 



