The International Scientific Series. 281 



be voluntarily allowed the practical benefits of an inter- 

 national copyright law. The subscriber has devoted him- 

 self for several years past to bringing about an arrange- 

 ment of this kind, and may refer to Profs. Tyndall, 

 Huxley, and Bain, to Sir John Lubbock, Messrs. Darwin, 

 Spencer, Lecky, Galton, and Mill, who have had experience 

 of its benefits. In its business aspects, therefore, the pres- 

 ent enterprise is but an extension of a policy already exist- 

 ing, and it is now proposed to enlarge the circle of authors 

 who may reap its advantages. Further information regard- 

 ing the project can be had by addressing the subscriber, 



E. L. YOUMANS. 

 16 LITTLE BRITAIN, LONDON, August, 1871. 



The story goes on with the letters: 



LONDON, August /<?, 1871. 



MY DEAR SISTER : . . . I got a note from Dr. Hooker 

 asking me to come over to Kew and dine with him, as he 

 was quite alone. Spencer had spoken to him of my proj- 

 ect, and he had suggested Dyer. I had a very interesting 

 time with him. He mentioned receiving your book, and 

 asked after you. He said : " That was an admirable little 

 effort // came very near being a great book ; it was much better 

 for beginners than any they have in England. . By-the-by, 

 why don't Miss Youmans put herself into relation with Dr. 

 Gray ? He is the greatest botanist in America, and author 

 of the best series of botanical schoolbooks in the world, 

 but his first book is not sufficiently simple for children." I 

 asked him why they did not take the thing up here, and give 

 us a model child's book on Prof. Henslow's method. He 

 replied : " Oh, don't ask. We can do nothing here. Eng- 

 land is convulsed with the effort of trying to teach children 

 to read. The stupid conservatism of England is incalculable. 

 Look at Prof. Henslow's work at Hitcham ! He worked there, 

 in that parish, twenty years, and revolutionized it so that 

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