204 Evolution of Society. 



ending with a "conclusion," and, in later editions, a "post- 

 script" of some forty pages more. And when the end of 

 the book is reached, the wonder of it all is, that he did not 

 write finis, and drop the subject then and there forever. 

 That he did not do so, is one of the many marks of his im- 

 perial genius. 



In the preface to Part II, Vol. II, Principles of Sociology, 

 Mr. Spencer says in substance that the full and satisfactory 

 treatment of political evolution alone "would require the 

 labors of a life," and that he therefore limits himself to 

 broad generalization, believing it to be " supremely impor- 

 tant and that no one part can be fully understood without 

 it." But even he, treating the subject in this manner, has 

 only been able to stagger on without going through, or 

 completing it, and seems now to have fallen exhausted by 

 the wayside, leaving his work in this branch unfinished, and, 

 as we fear, never to be finished by him. 



No further excuse need be offered for the various limita- 

 tions of this essay. However, let any one sitting down now 

 to prepare a sociological essay glance at the bibliography of 

 the subject, and he Avill find that the work already done by 

 Mr. Spencer has stimulated scores if not hundreds of able 

 thinkers and writers into activity, as well as many others 

 whose writings may at least have the effect and merit of 

 arousing the attention of some minds that would not other- 

 wise be reached and influenced. Certainly any one inter- 

 ested in sociology, on looking into the books already on 

 library shelves, and noting the yearly procession of them 

 on the march to that position of influence, must be greatly 

 encouraged by the rapid spread of evolution views in the 

 sociological branch of the subject. Whether Evolution has 

 yet furnished us with completely satisfactory solutions and 

 remedies, or not, it has certainly rendered us a great service 

 in disclosing some of the abysses directly under our feet \ 

 and particularly by more than warning us that the dark 

 ages are not necessarily all behind us. 



Especially in America it has done us a valuable service- 

 in developing a well-founded and healthy distrust in the 

 wisdom of many of the old leaders and systems, and in pre- 

 paring us to at least judiciously hope for, if not expect, the 

 eventual coming of a better day. Particularly, it has aided 

 other helps to knowledge, in assisting the suppression of 

 the provincial bombast and self-sufficiency of the Fourth of 



