The sun., 1903-12-09
HERBERT SPENCER IS DEAD.
ENGLISH PHILOSOPHERS END
CAME AT THE AGE or So.
LII Devoted to Science-Gavc Up Active
Work several Years AgO-TOOk Four
teen Years to Dispose 0f One Edition
, OF Ills First WOrk-Nisited America.

IJfe Devoted to SciencP-Gayc Up Active
Work Several Years AgO-TOOk Four
teen Years to Dispose OF One Edition
OF His First Work visited America.
sp.ctai Gable Dsspaith 10 THE SuS.
LONDON. Dec. slierbnrt Spencer died
this morning Of senile decay the Dody
will be cremated.
Herbert Spencer was born in Derby.
England. on April ~, 1920, ana was the son
of q tutor in mathematics He was pre-
cocious boy and early developed talent
for mathematical and philosophical in
vestigation He was sent, at the age OF l3,
to the home of his uncle, the Key; lhomas
Spencer, rector Of Hinton parish, to be
educated. and after, spending three years
thsre, most OF which we're devoted to his
favorite study OF mathematics, he returned
to his father. II e assisted the latter In ms
philosophical experiments, and on his
own account began an enthusiastic study
Of ithe insect world. He spent years in
gathering collection of winged insects and
in rearing caterpillars and making draw
ings illustrative of the phases Of their de,
veIopment. When 10 years old he invented
new theorem in descriptive geometry
and by the next year he was so far adj
yanced in the study of engineering that he
Joined the staff of Sir Charles Fox in the
building of the London and Birmingham
Railway. He declined profercd reap
pofntment in lsil. and went back home TO
spend two years per1ecting hmsell IN
mathematics, drawing and modelling. ne
kept up his botanical studies, too. at this
time, and perfected various Inventions
He made new style of botanical press,
and devised improvements. in the making
of watches, the construction OF printing
presses and the making of type by com
preston of the metal instead OF casting
He was the invent, of the glyptograph
style of electrotype engraving ,,..-
Hetook a fancy o philosophical literat ure
i I tt,t. LINZ tn
embark upon literary career. He re-
ceiSed 80 little encouragement however,
that he was forced to return TO engineering
for. a livelihood. He wrote occasional
essays.
He began TO write elaborate essays on
his famous evolut ion theory in 1852. and
attract ed attention as an original thinker.
He.had a hard time of it though. trying TO
CIRCULATE his books and essays. 1t took
hisprblisher just fourt cen years to dispose
of a single edition of Social States: Or, the
Condition Essent ial to Human Happiness.
and another twelve years TO get RID OF
the edit ion Of Principles of Psychology"
Spencer himself helped the publisher
out on the lat ter work by distrlbutlhg lUO
copies among his own friends.
Then John Stuart Mill, who was deeply
interested in Spencers researches offered
to assist him in the circulation OF ms ~rN-
demnify the publishers against loss. But
Spencer was determined to fight for recog-
milton himself, and declined the offer. He
had faith that his works would ultimately
fifteen years of literary work left him
$1,000 ont of pocket. In 1850 he published
for the first time a prospectus OF his cele-
brated philosophical system OF EVOLUTION.
II followed right upon the heels OF Darwin,s
four wears before the prospectus appeared
however in developing his idea of evolu- |
tion as a universal process of nature.
Americans were the first to give Spencer
the hearty recognition that he had waited
no long to gain, and in America his sub
sequent works found their best sale. Among
these works were his Principles Of Biology,
and the principles of Sociology. The
latter was his most ambitious and com
prehensiye work.
Mr. Spencer visited America in 1882,
and had been only short time here when
he attracted national attention by pro-
claiming. himself an apostle OF "Reax-
made at dinner in his honor at De!mon,,
ico's In this address he divided social
life into three stages--war. work and re-
Taxation. and declared that men were
have had too much of the gospel Of work.
he said. 1T is time to preach the gospel
of RELAXATION"
Mr. Spencer lived up to his own gospel:
Ever since, 1880, when his 'Gondhions oi 4
a%sa enIgsfree honrs daily All his is literary
work was done by dictaton to an aman-
lensis. His three hours dav OF late years
was put in on his Synthetic Philosophy, an
exposition Of his methods OF thought AZ
comprehensive as it is subtle a nd deep.
This was published in 1896. and the fact that
he lived to complete it was subject OF self
graduation. for he had feared that death
would overtake him before he could finish
so tremendous a work. He did practically
nothing else but this in the latter years OF
his life.
Spencer's hours of relaxation were largely
spent at the AthenRum Club, where he went
to drink weak tea, smoke mild cigars and
play billiards. At this game he had at,
tained considerable proficiency. and piqued
himself not little upon the mathematical
exactitude with which his shots were
planned. 1t is in the Atheneum billiard
room that he pronounced much quoted
epigram. He had happened into game
with rather foppish member who, after
complmentng him upon the theory OF
his shots, proceeded TO run the string out
with distinguished ease. second game
resulted lH the same way and Spencer
walked over to the rack, put MS cue up
and turned to his opponent.
Sir" ne said impressively TO play
q good game of Billiards is the mark of a
well rounded education: TO play too good
a game of billiards is the mark of an ILL
spent youth.
pedestrianism and there were few who cared
TO keep up with his long, nervous strides
He repeatedly declined university honors
and refused membership in scientific bodies
because he considered that these things
might consume hours which he could
spend otherwise more proftably. Mr..
Spencer died bachelor.
OLD-TIME SOCIAL RULER DEAD.