xxvi] HERBERT SPENCER 33 



Among his intimate friends, Herbert Spencer was always 

 interesting from the often unexpected way in which he would 

 apply the principles of evolution to the commonest topics of 

 conversation, and he was always ready to take part in any 

 social amusement. He once or twice honoured me by coming 

 to informal meetings of friends at my little house in St Mark's 

 Crescent, and I also met him at Sir John Lubbock's very 

 pleasant week-end visits, and also at Huxley's, in St. John's 

 Wood. Once I remember dining informally with Huxley, 

 the only other guests being Tyndall and Herbert Spencer. 

 The latter appeared in a dress-coat, whereupon Huxley and 

 Tyndall chaffed him, as setting a bad example, and of being 

 untrue to his principles, quoting his Essay on "Manners and 

 Fashion," but all with the most good-humoured banter. 

 Spencer took it in good part, and defended himself well, 

 declaring that the coat was a relic of his early unregenerate 

 days, and where could he wear it out if not at the houses of 

 his best friends ? " Besides," he concluded, " you will please 

 to observe that I am true to principle in that I do not wear a 

 white tie ! " 



Those who are acquainted only with the volumes of 

 Herbert Spencer's " Synthetic Philosophy " can have no idea 

 of the lightness, the energy, and the bright satire of some 

 of his more popular writings. Such are many of his earlier 

 Essays, and in his volume on " The Study of Sociology " we 

 find abundant examples of these qualities. In conclusion, 

 I may remark that, although I differ greatly from him on 

 certain important matters, both of natural and social science, 

 and have never hesitated to state my reasons for those 

 differences with whatever force of fact and argument I could 

 bring to bear upon them, I yet look upon these as but spots 

 on the sun of his great intellectual powers, and feel it to be 

 an honour to have been his contemporary, and, to a limited 

 extent, his friend and coadjutor. 



With the remainder of my scientific friends I had, for the 

 most part, only social intercourse, with no correspondence of 

 general interest. Those I saw most of during my residence 



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