Various Affairs. 321 



and Youmans was upon the list of vice-presidents, 

 which included Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1873 the 

 association met in New York, when Youmans deliv- 

 ered an address, in Cooper Union, on The Religious 

 Work of Science.* In reference to this address I find, 

 in a letter to his mother a few days later, the following : 



I saw Mr. Beecher the other day, and he was very full 

 of his compliments about my sermon at the Cooper Insti- 

 tute, and thought I had mistaken my calling and should 

 have been a preacher. He said my address was like a 

 poultice, and if scientific men generally would soften things 

 in that way, all parties would get along a great deal better. 

 We must remember, however, that Beecher is a foxy fellow, 

 and knows how to say smooth things. 



In the summer of 1873 my dear friend's health be- 

 gan to be seriously impaired ; his editorial labours 

 were arduous ; the International Scientific Series de- 

 manded constant care ; he was working too hard. 

 Commenting on a long letter from him, wherein his 

 ailments had been described in detail, Mr. Spencer 

 began a series of remonstrances, continued for years 

 afterward. His friend was exhorted in the kindest 

 way to cease from overwork, to husband his strength, 

 to take such timely recreation that he might in the 

 long run be able to do the more. As a first measure 

 of practical reform he was advised to engage an amanu- 

 ensis. In response to Spencer's appeals, he would 

 promise to amend his methods, to work fewer hours, 

 to take regular exercise, to let subordinates assist him 

 as much as possible. But reform, however earnestly 

 resolved upon, was never systematically carried out. 



* It is given in full below, pp. 491-501. 



