362 A Century of Science 



Henry Lewes, who, although more of an amateur 

 in such matters, had nevertheless devoted years of 

 study to neural physiology, and was thoroughly 

 familiar with the history of the subject. Spencer 

 more than held his ground against the others. He 

 met fact with fact, brought up points in anatomy 

 the significance of which Huxley confessed that he 

 had overlooked, and had more experiments and 

 clinical cases at his tongue's end than Jackson 

 could muster. It was quite evident that he knew 

 all they knew on the subject, and more besides. 

 Yet Spencer had never been through a course of 

 "regular training" in the studies concerned; nor 

 had he ever studied at a university, or even at a 

 high school. Where did he learn the wonderful 

 mass of facts which he poured forth that evening ? 

 Whence came his tremendous grasp upon the prin- 

 ciples involved? Probably he could not have told 

 you. A few days afterward I happened to be talk- 

 ing with Spencer about history, a subject of which 

 he modestly said he knew but little. I told him I 

 had often been struck with the aptness of the his- 

 toric illustrations cited in many chapters of his 

 " Social Statics," written when he was twenty-nine 

 years old. The references were not only always 

 accurate, but they showed an intelligence and 

 soundness of judgment unattainable, one would 



