io6 Chauncey Wright. [vi. 



I never knew an educated man who set so little 

 store by mere reading, except Mr, Herbert Spencer ; 

 but, like Mr. Spencer, whom he resembled in little 

 else, Mr. Wright had an incomprehensible way of 

 absorbing all sorts of knowledge, great and small, 

 until the number of diverse subjects on which he 

 could instruct even trained specialists was quite 

 surprising. There were but few topics on which 

 he had not some acute suggestion to offer ; and 

 with regard to matters of which he was absolutely 

 ignorant — such as music — his general good sense 

 and his lack of impulsiveness prevented his ever 

 talking foolishly. 



This lack of impulsiveness, a kind of physical and 

 intellectual inertness, counted for a great deal both 

 in his excellences and in his shortcomings. His 

 movements were slow and ponderous, his mild blue 

 eye never lighted with any other expression than 

 placid good humour, and his voice never varied its 

 gentle monotony. His absolute freedom from egotism 

 made him slow to take offence, and among the many 

 accidents of controversy there was none which could 

 avail to ruffle him. The patient deference with which 

 he would answer the silly remarks of stupid or con- 

 ceited people was as extraordinary as the untiring 

 interest with which he would seek to make things 



