MR. HERBERT SPENCER. 45 



phenomena of memory. Thus, when he is dealing 

 with the phenomena of old age (vol. L p. 538, ed. 2) 

 he does not ascribe them to lapse and failure of 

 memory, nor surmise the principle underlying longevity. 

 He never mentions memory in connection with heredity 

 without presently saying something which makes us 

 involuntarily think of a man missing an easy catch 

 at cricket ; it is only rarely, however, that he connects 

 the two at all. I have only been able to find the 

 word "inherited" or any derivative of the verb "to 

 inherit" in connection with memory once in all the 

 1300 long pages of the "Principles of Psychology." 

 It occurs in vol. ii. p. 200, 2d ed., where the words stand, 

 " Memory, inherited or acquired." I submit that this 

 was unintelligible when Mr. Spencer wrote it, for want 

 of an explanation which he never gave ; I submit, also, 

 that he could not ha,ve , left it unexplained, nor yet as 

 an unrepeated expression not introduced till late in 

 his work, if he had had any idea of its pregnancy. 



At any rate, whether he intended to imply what 

 he now implies that he intended to imply (for Mr. 

 Spencer, like the late Mr. Darwin, is fond of qualifying 

 phrases), I have shown that those most able and will- 

 ing to understand him did not take him to mean what 

 he now appears anxious to have it supposed that 

 he meant. Surely, moreover, if he had meant it he 

 would have spoken sooner, when he saw his meaning 

 had been missed. I can, however, have no hesitation 

 in saying that if I had known the "Principles of 

 Psychology " earlier, as well as I know the work now, 

 I should have used it largely. 



