Concerning the Suppressed Book. 567 



your misstatements previously uncorrected ? If you think either of 

 these things, I imagine that few will agree with you. There is, how- 

 ever, an easy way of bringing the question to issue. All the articles 

 are copyright in England, and cannot be republished here without 

 the consent of all concerned. I do not suppose that Mr. Knowles 

 will raise any difficulty; and if you agree to the reissue of them 

 here, I am quite willing that they should be reissued. If you think 

 that anything said in refutation of your statements should not have 

 been said, we can easily include an appendix in which you can point 

 out this ; and then, if you wish it, copies of the volume can be sent 

 round to the press. 



" Of course I preserve a copy of this letter with a view to possible 

 future use. Faithfully yours, 



" HERBERT SPENCER. 



" FREDERIC HARRISON, Esq." 



I will add but two comments. Mr. Harrison had this letter be- 

 fore him when he wrote his statement. Does the reader find that 

 his statement produced an impression anything like that which my 

 letter produces ? The other comment is this. Asking whether I 

 have any share in the profits, Mr. Harrison not only by this, but by 

 his title, " A New Form of Literary Piracy," tacitly suggests that 

 I have. Merely stating that the affair is purely the affair of the 

 Messrs. Appleton, and that not even a thought about money ever 

 entered my head concerning it, I draw attention to the readiness 

 with which Mr. Harrison, without a particle of evidence, makes grave 

 insinuations. And I do this because it will enable the reader to judge 

 what need there probably was for taking the measures I did to pre- 

 vent the wider and more permanent diffusion of Mr. Harrison's mis- 

 representations. 



Concerning the newspaper extract describing a Comtist service I 

 know nothing, and greatly regret that it was appended. I will at 

 once ask to have it withdrawn. If three gentlemen, appointed in 

 the usual way, decide that under the circumstances, as stated to 

 me by Prof. Youmans, I was not justified in the course I took, I 

 will, if Mr. Harrison wishes it, request Messrs. Appleton to suppress 

 the book and destroy the stereotype plates, and I will make good 

 their loss to them. I am, faithfully yours, 



HERBERT SPENCER. 



May 29. 



