The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-28

Neither of these great men cared what
the world said about them; they were
too much absorbed in the preparation
and deliverance of their messages to the
world. That each had a message which
the world needed and could profit from
by listening to has been long since ad-
mitted. Without being popular in any
sense of the word, Spencer has patient
ly wrought on his agnum opus
through more years than are contained
in an average lifetime, and in his old
age knows thai he has compelled the
world to listen to his dictum and to
rank him above the average thinker of
his time.
Nor are Spencer's books more popular
than the man, as a glance, for instance,
at his famous definition of evolution
may "A change from an in
definite, incoherent homogeneity to a
definite, coherent heterogeneity, accom-
panying the dissipation of motion and
indignation of matter Cor through con-
tinuous differentiation and ntegra-
tion)." And yet that definition stands,
and the series of books comprised in the
ten great volumes of his synthetic
Philosophy form one of the mightiest
monuments that ever pure intellect has
raised. This is written withou any ref
erence to Mr.. Spencer's conclusions or
differences, which have borne heavily
UPON various OlOS1tS LII A61AASs -
in his deductions he has hewn to the
line. has presented things as he saw
them. 1t is of Spencer as the intellec-
tual giant. as the cosmic philosopher,
that the world must judge him; not as
the p~ositiviSt, the free thinker OF the
agnostic. He sought to grasp the whole
world of science and philosophy, to pre-
sent a cosmic scheme of the universe,
and for the greater part of a life pro-
longed beyond the ordinary span of hui
man existence labored upon the elab-
Grafton of his conception.
1t has beer admitted that Herbert
Spencer has more or less successfully
correlated the whole domain of knowl-
edge" that, while others took only a
certain portion, such as biology, nat
ural science, art, etc., he aimed to grasp
the universe. and all but succeeded. 1t
all events, his differentiation and cor
relation, his analytical reasoning and
especially his syntheticaI fabric seem
to be the nearest approach to compile
ton the world has ever known, and he
himself was the first to lament the I'M
a~voidable deficiencies. due not so much
to lack of mental grasp as to the in
validism which has always been a por-
ton of his life and the approaching end
of life itself. In a quiet way he has
been a hero-one might say an inte1lec-
tual hero-for he has won a victory
over physical nfirmities which might
have defeated a purpos less firmly
based. His first work, Social Statics.,
was published in 1850, when he was 80
years of age, and that was only the
first of a series extending through the
ensuing half century with a consistent
trend toward and development OF evoIu-
ton. He began in 1860 the series which
eventuated in his Synthetic Philoso-
ply" He completed il in 1897 and revised
it for the last time (probably) in 1900. His
books lave never been popular. as al
ready stated. for only the student can
find the time necessary for reading
and particularly for digesting the vast
work he has evolved, and during the
earlier years of his career he was often