New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-04-02

Hphlanders arainst the abolition Of hcrsble jurisdic
tons that they preferred that kind Of local rce And
TO tire popular must thus be Isc1Dcd the SroWtn Oh
an irresponsible ruling class then TO the popular nature
must DO aScribed the social arrangements whch tnat
class creates in the pursuit Of its own ends. hyen
where tho Government Ia dospotic the doctrine Sin
holds The character Of the people is before. tne
original source of this political form; and az we have
abundant proof other forms suddenly created will not
act bat rapidly retrOgade the old form Moreover.
snci regulations dcspOt makes If really operative,
are 80 because of their fitness IN the social state His
acts being very much swayed by general opnion-by
precedent by the feeling Of his mobiles. his priesthood,
his nrmyare in part immediate results IL the national
character: ard when they out Of harmony with the
national character. they are soon practically abrogated
The failure Of Cromwell permanently 10 establish
social condition. and the rapid revival Of suppressed
institutions and practices after his death show how
poweross Is monnrch 70 change the type OF tne society
he governs. He may disturb be may reiafd or he may
aid the natural process Of organizations but the general
course of this process beyond his CONTROL Nay more
than this is Those who regard the histories OF
societies The histories OF their great men, and think
that these great shape the faes OF their societies
overlook the truth that such great men are the products
If their societies. Without certain antecedeDts-Witb.
certain average national character they cOnld
neither have been generated nor could have ha0 the Gull
ture which formed them. II their society ~ TO some e1
tent rcmouIded by them, they were both before and
after birth moulded by their socetywere the results
of an those Influences which stered the ancestral char
acter they inherited and gave their own early bias their
creed, morals knowledge, aspirations 10 that such
social changes immediately TaceaDe 10 lndiY1u'
els of unusual power still remotely traceabe 10 the
social causes which produced these indiTldnas. and
hence from the highest point Of view, such social
changes also, are parts OF the gehersl uefciopmehS
Thus that which IL so obviously true OF the industrial
structure Of society is true Of It's whole structure Inc
fact that constitutions are not made, Dut grow u
simply a fragment of tho much larger fact that under
all e. aspects and through oil it, rsmc atoms society
is q growth and not Il Manufacture.
Without assuming to indicate the place which
this author holds in relation 10 the philosophy OF
the age or to define the characteristics Of his genius,
We may say that these writings manifest range OF
intellectual vision, versatility of attainment, and
sustained power Of reflection and analysis that are
certainly remarkable. Whether it be Physics or
Metaphysics, Science or Arts, Astronomy Biology
or Ethics that is treated, We discover not
only the thoroughness of the accomplished
student but an extraordinary power Of org
ina and Independent thought, AS 1t is in
the nature of intellectual progress constantly
to Outgrow and abandon views which have
been long established, so IL Is the ONCE OF the
worlds pioneering and organizing minds to pay
little Difference to opinions because they are widely
accepted but rather to push the work of reyolu-
ton and reconstruction with regard 10 nothing but
the interests Of advancing truth. Such is eminent
" the spirit of Herbert Spencer. Free and
bold vet generally cautious and always serious,
he carries with him the readers synpathies as a
man profoundly in earnest and who differs with
prevailing ideas not from wanton per'ersity but
from tho very necessities of thought. We do not
Of course, always agree with him, but this must
not prevent US from acknowledging the rare and
varied ability displayed in his numerous writings,
or from strongly recommending them to all who
caro- to understand the tendencies of modern philo-
sophie inquiry.