New-York tribune., 1872-06-07
uERBERT SPENCER AND HIS AMERICAN
FRIENDS
xrE TRUTH ABOUT THE SUMS OF MONEY TRANS
mTrED TO HIM FROM AMEhnCA'
~ IN, PdfIor of The Tribune.

AIR. 1 ask "a pNIllou VI sN"'
at certain misstatements which have appeared IN ne
.'os in reference 10 the assistance given to Mr.
rerhert spencer from this country in pubhshnH ni'
~orks Repeated contradictions OF these erronouu ts
statements have already appeared IN your columns , S
they seemed 20 have failed OF their purpose as '
lowing extract from recent evening paper VIII spO"
1he writer said: The considerable sums 'haV nav
been transmitted TO Mr.. Spencer from his Amell0" ~
ushers have been the means, he himsen n"' O'iN
witness Of enabling him 70 apply himsen N ie 80
Of purpose TO the great hfe-work' II ui -
shond be spared 10 us only long enough 10 Oou'lo ~
work Ohe philosophical SYSTEM IL Is sisui"' y
,der n viii be 10 his American revenue that the SAVING
t,o,, frttering bread and-butter work, which Wonu
.,ho,se have been a necessity Of fruitful years SUI
feient 10 its completion, will be due
uis no doubt creditable thing that a afeW persons III
,bis country seeing the great public Importance OF MI
speneers abors and learning that they weren pero
,,orrupton for,lack Of support contributed literally TO
rrcvept a result which they believed would be pubhc
calamity; hut II the matter is to be talked about ana
leasted Of as national honor it becomes important TO
know exactly how the stands A glance at the
facts will show that the writer above quoted claims al
together 100 much. The circumstances were these.
During the earyIpart Of his career as philosophical
writer Mr. Spencer was habitually loser by hi abors
not simply in deyong time without return, bus IN hav
fng 70 spend publication sums which were only IN part
repaid by sales and consequently forced to make
repeated nroads upon his property. His projected pho
sophical system.was formidable undertaking which ne
expected 20 occupy twenty years Of time, and which
would involve heavy expenditure, which no publisher
would undertake. To meet this he chose the form Of
subscription the only plan holding ont any mducement
Of enabling him prosecute the work. Accepting the
assurances he received that 10 would be- sustained he
sommcnced publication 1860, with about $50 English
subscribers and from this country. But owing
20 which need not bc named the enterprise was
not sustained two three years the English SUD
tcrpton fell of to about 800 and the American ceased
entirely. His American publishers paid him copy
right on his books that with r proceeds from the
English subscriptions was insufficient 10 protect him
from loss. Early 1866 he found upon examining INTO
affairs that spite OF every effort 20 eco nomze he had
In the course his literary rttcrcd away nearly
$1,000 and that If he went much longer IN the same
way nothing would be left and so, with much reluct
aBee, he announced the disContnuance of the serial
But English thinkers were by no means indifferent 10
The fate Of the undertaking. Mr. Mil made noble pro
pOsal Offering the entire pecuniary iesponS
kility of going on with the work. but Mr.. Spencer de
elined H. A movement was afterward made 10y certain
heading scientific 70 secure artificial increase in
the circulation OF his serial This Mr.. Spencer at hIst
resisted but was aerward induced to consent 10 the
rangement q qualified form. While the matter was
pending however the sudden death of Mr.. spcncers
father occurred altered the aspect of the case, SO
tbst at Cancelled the arrangement and resolved
to continue tle work at his own expense.
Meantime moved 10y the announcement that Mr..
spencers series was TO stop for lack of support, and
knowing that he had been heavy loser by the puOhca
fion Of works Of great value 10 the public, Of his
American friends contributed sum 20 repay his losses,
aud help the project on; ana m Juy 1850 when gong 10
England ! was commissioned % hand over 10 hr'
spencer the documents showing tnat 5000 had been IN
vested in his name n American securities. The funds
sent 10 bm largeSs or because he was per
Sbib vas m fbrtSed win arrest 6'calst of non-sup-
port Mr.. Spencer not consulted ami the thing was
done ta he had no choice hu 20 acquiescc in the ar
Tancenent The spirit in which he didit is shown III the
following letter; -
Nv nEAE St: Though nv friend Dr. {onnsn BY expressions in
~ tu laa lc me % ,9o,e oa' something W.. s to be SG1s
80 .rJ f ,p , f i.rr 2S Ir roT,tCe Of the stems
en o. te American h Of 'u.clc would be attempted 1il my
Ameroan friends quite asousc t has solaei a to whom
Law named N simply me ct l,e ui also ne manner ID MIG,
sIs t,i ma pa, U g 1C m t p 3 ir & ati o55lt not 10 con-
49, .. s ~l, i o i,i & LAM ] ma - tisS 1 ~ Other hand
resolved place s n ans Questionable position and m uIsa
theraBe ny undertaking But ihe course adopted by American
nr Already from repubised works
5 10 tt an, he f9ns tey defeated me by SAVING
,As! i dd not dy ih. p y % yq ID reIs9 in 9e,ss & AEg &
ss. 1ey eoaa P!o3g 'lss & on M a.3os ] ,,t 81 gl,,l5e
which has from the beginning been manifested n The Jltcl
uous move tlose have natter should also guide
NJ Jol ngo & De 10 tTl % @ & so s ] 10 D. ~Io % T & zone M 81 is %
hs lat year that accent as trust 70 be used 70 public ends aul
rfioi s sei as , admiration Ist me- ada tl siie The material
result Of , A.. vii be that of greatly facilitating nv bors the sp.
rTl 1v- M r In 30 uapsrgeel a rsy from reader. Of another
6snor cannot i to be moral stimulus and support Of eat value TO
RoHEsr MiNrrEN eQ, Ny lorG HERBrEr SrENcrR.
friends would have the effect OF greatly facilitating
his labOrs proved true and in way that no him
self hardly anticipated. Instead of continuing 10 tIn-
plOy youth audnucnss he was able 10 engage "a
gentleman Of university education % give him assist
Of higher kind Not indeed that he wanted this
assistance carry on ms gula philosophical series
he foresaw that u dealing with the Principles Of soc
Ology" tthe great work Of hi, system in three volumes
he would require ihc collection ana classification Of
very large amount OF materials. This begun in
simply with "a view of facilitating his
but IL quickly proved 10 important that r Spencer
aecded have 10 carried out for general use Though
subsidiary 90 his main enterprise this an immense
UNDERTAKING aud one Wmch Is destined 10 prove of great
public moment Mr. Spencer wanted the most comure-
beusiye ana accurate knOwledge concerning all the
into the laws It's development. Deyisiug "a method bv
which different orders of sociological facts could Dee
tabuated anu readily compared hc divided the races OF
mankind into three great grOup,-the existing savage
races the existing civilized races. and the extinct civil
lzed rdtes-"lth tht we" or WORKING OUT the whole sub
jeCt boz the most exhaustive manner. lie has engaged
each division oi tt WORK ana devote 10 II hve years OF
research. The work l- already considerably advanced
and portions the Descriptive Sociology asst Will be
called nave been SLOWLY passing through me press Tor
The last years and MI Spencef hopes 10 De able 10
issue TIE hrst numbers ma tEe course OF the Autumn
These statements viii make manifest the nature Of the
SnappreheusiOu that has arisen. When a few months
ago ln letter 10 MI Alihe,oI part oi M1Ch aplSaed
ron fU qualification the increase of returns from this
country. was that he would be ab% TO push forward
more rapidly the Socioo-ca tables the aHusloh Wdt 10
this supplementary undertaking OF course the outlay
implied 10y IT, including the cost Of printing only, 10 be
returned allef coh,ldtIdDe he Is great ana he Idt
Of progress Is determined by his ability TO meet this
cost The reference Of the above quoted writer tO Mr..
Spencer, as having himself borne witness 70 the ln-
pOftauCC of his American receipts must therefore be in
terpreted 10y these Iaclt. Aiuousn ne mas receiNed
probably nOIt syihpdthcJlc cICouIaEeueht from thl7
country than from his and although more of his
80, ~, No. b r-c,,- "a ai,rt 1,onry nom MS Amer
ithc hai M h'r receiver uote Hi"hty IlVl hls A'II
than from his English sales nor that his American
Income could have alone sustained him, nor thai the
continuance OF his system of Philosophy depend
ent npon assistance from me United states Nj spencer