New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-22

n
-, -, 20 facts and principles established In the
nreceding works At this stage OF his enterprise MI
epencer encounters certain difficulties "nio nav =" w
met by what we may call side uhuer'"Ni"
works which have an important bearing upon .no
subect Of Sociology but are not properly parts OF MS
hoso,hical svsteu The articles that are appearing
in THE Popular Science Monthly and which, Wheh
cornleted will form a volume OF the Internauoh'i
Scientific Series are designed to explain the nature
scope and claims Of social science such arc tno So
era doubt and misapprehension regarding TINS suV.
that Mr. Spencer was induced TO pause for niue " '
\ stage OF his labors, and present some consiueiao v
the method and subject-matter OF Sociology winch ",o
greatly needed by the public and which do not properly
fan within the course Of his regular eNpoSluon' ~
important TO make this explanation as the papel "o
have published have been supposed by sono W 10
mart OF his longexpected Principles Oh SocioosS'
Another Of the difficulties of his UNDERTAKING wa
foreseen by Mr. Spencer several years ago. ana
has 1od % separate work, which, though
indisnepsable 10 the main plan, is neVerthe-
less of independent value and OF great public import
once AS the scientific character OF his philosophy Is
fundamentally nductlve, the first work In each depart
mept is the collection of data which nductlons are 10
rest The data of biology accessible IN reases on
natural history where they can be obtained IN ugeseu
and authentic form, while any defects may be supplied
by speua Investigations. The data Of psychology are
also available in scientific works upon that SUBJECT ana
the conditions for extending and verifying theh c"n NC
commanded anywhere. But as respects us da' soci
oogy is very different from these sciences Dealing with
the phenomena manifested by diverse races and com
munities of men; dealing with the development OF
society which is a problem OF history dealhg
with those facts Of the social state which Illus
trate its natural laws; and dealing moreover, by sci
entfc method with great subject which mas mtherto
been regarded as not ameDabie that method the diff
Guilty OF gathering the indispensable and pertinent Iacs
FOR sucb an inquiry was formidable History has occu-
i 1,fr.yu frpF
such facts Travellers fill their pages with chaiy gossip
and ecotstoal narrative and give but little attention TO
the social facts which it is most desirable TO know Their
observations are careless and their statements loose ana
often untrustwOrthy Nobody has taken pains to collect
and t from the vast of historical rubbish ana the
bulky litter Of travellers the few and scattered statements
which throw light upon the laws OF social me- beioro
there can be science sociology presenting the gener
alizatons OF social phenomena there must nrst De an
accumulation and a classification OF It's data' foi
| collecting these data, Mr.. Spencer has adopted an
elaborate system Of which considerable portion mas
already been carried into effect. He first devised
system of tables suited present the whole system q
social facts displayed by any community, IN such
| manner that these facts be compared with each
other at glance while the social elements OF dnerent
communities can also be brought INTO comparison VIII
the greatest facility These sociological tables are mar
wells Of analytic skill, simplicity, and comprehensive
ness; and the command they give over the results oi
subject to which they apply. Having h1ed
| upon a method Of presentation. Mr. Spencer d.
| vded the communities of mankind INTO three
| great groups: the existing savage races OF
Asia Africa and America; the existing civilized races
Of Western Europe; aud the extinct civilizations OF
Egypt Palestine, Greece, Rome, and Peru Five years
AGO he engaged an able schOar-a graduate OF the Uni
versv OF Edinburgh-t0 himself TO the study or
the savage races and gather from all the most relape
sources the relating to their social state The
tables are then gradually filed in and each one becomes
a summary we might almost say map, OF the social
condition of the community % which it is devoted The
first volume Of the sociological tables Will embrace de-
scrpnous Of some seventy eighty OF the principal
savage tribes and will be accompanedby an octave vol
ume of extracts from the authorities consulted and on
which the summary of the tables This portion OF
the undertaking nearly completed Another able
scholar-also an Edinburgh graduate-has. been
for some years engaged upon the existing civil
! izations, the results OF which will be pup
| hshed in O second volume of tables and the
second accompanying volume Of authorities and this
work is also well advanced. German historical stu
dent has also taken mp the extinct civilizations, aud will
prepare The third volume upon this division Of the sub
ec We shall thus have the full realization OF what Mr..
spencer pointed many years in the abOvoquoed
extract as great disideratum and which will create
the new and important science of descriptive sociology
Il hardly necessary say that such work will stand
upon its own merits and have general usefulness that
will no way depend upon Mr. spencer's philosophical
doctrines"