6 Herbert Spencer. 



lowed it steadily to the exclusion of everything else. The 

 history of his personal life may be told in a paragraph ; but 

 who shall write the history of his books ? Who can 

 measure the influence they have already exercised ujjon hu- 

 man thought and action, and who will venture to predict 

 the limit of their power ? 



It is not to be wondered at, perhaps, that social advance- 

 ment involves antagonisms, since the whole process of ev- 

 olution throughout nature is one of action and resistance. 

 This is a law of social as well as physical existence. But 

 it does seem a little remarkable that, where antagonism oc- 

 curs, the interest of men is aroused in proportion to its vio- 

 lence. They are a great deal more observant of destruction 

 than of constructive results. The lightning and thunder 

 command attention, while the sun which is the life of all, 

 sustaining all things, and upon which' evolution for our 

 planet is dependent, is scarcely considered. The "war- 

 lord," who distinguishes himself by killing his fellows, 

 and shows prowess in battle, is the prominent figure 

 in what is called history, while he who has moulded the 

 opinions and conduct of men occupies an inferior po- 

 sition. Even in the life of a scholar like Mr. Spencer, 

 it is his collisions with other people, prominent repre- 

 sentatives of other schools, that make his reputation 

 more than the still, silent work which is accomplished 

 by the diffusion of the knowledge contained in his books, 

 — though it extend from London to San Francisco, 

 and in the other direction to the interior of Siberia, where 

 George Kennan found copies of his writings, somewhat 

 mutilated, indeed, by the Russian censor. But the power 

 which secures the world's progress is assimilative, and, 

 though conflict may be necessary to prepare the way, it is 

 the silent and peaceful forces which, after all, convert the 

 nations. The influence of the great philosopher, though he 

 be not a conspicuous figure of the political or social life of 

 his age, is pervasive, stimulating to activity, far-reaching in 

 time, and works powerfully and effectively even Avhere we 

 are not able to trace it. 



Mr. Spencer's writings met with neglect, and then con- 

 demnation. His systematic treatises were published at his 

 own expense, and the original plan adopted was of a serial 

 issued to subscribers. The publications did not pay, and 

 their author was discouraged by the fact that they were 



