The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-09

By his own desire, the least possible
Spencer's illness.
The newspapers all publish long APP
precautions and anecdotes of Mr.. Spen
Ger, whom they universally describe as
the last of the great thinkers of the
Victorian age"
Herbert Spencer was born at Derby,
in 1920. He was educated by his father,
teacher in Derby, and his uncle, the
Rev. Thomas Spencer, a clergyman of
the Established Church, who was ac
tive in various philanthropic move
ments. AT the age of II he became
civil engineer, but after about eight
years abandoned the profession, having
during that period contributed to vari-
GUS papers to the Civil Engineers and
Architects Journal. His first produc-
tons in general literature were a series
of letters on 1.-The Proper Sphere of
Government" published in the Nom
confOrmst in 1912, which were re-
printed in pamphlet form. From 1S4S
to 1853 he was engaged as sub editor
OF the Economist, and during that time
published his first considerable work,
Social States: or, the Conditions Es-
sential to Human Happiness Specified,
and the First of Them Developed"
1851, but this is out of print and has
been suppressed. Various articles,
chiefly for the Westminster and other
quarterly reviews, were written dur
ing the next four years. In 1855 APP
peared his principles of Psychology"
which interpreted the phenomena of
mind on the general principle of evolu-
ton this was four years before the
Origin of Species" appeared). A
breakdown in health followed. which
prevented work for eighteen months;
1857, 1858 and 1859 were occupied in
writing various essays for the quarter
ly reviews, etc. In 1860 Mr.. Spencer
issued the programme of his System
of Synthetic Philosophy" which pro-
posed to carry out in its application
to all orders to phenomena the gen.
eral law of evolution set forth in two
essays published in 1857. To the exc
cution of this project his subsequent
life was mainly devoted. Of the works
composing the System, the following
have been published: First Princi-
PIES" 1862 9th edit, 1880; THE Prin-
ciples of Biology" 2 vols, 1864 (4th edit,
1889; The Principles of Psychology"
2 vols, 1872 (5th edit, 1S90) THE
Principles of Sociology" vol. 1, 1876 Ord
edit, 1851 Ceremonial Institutions"
1879 Ord edit, 1889; Political Institu-
TONS" 1882 (2nd edit, 1855; "Ecclesi-
astical Institutions" 1885 end edit,
1866; 1.-THE Data of Ethics" 1879 18th
edit, 1889. Mr.. Spencer's other works
are: Education: Intellectual, Moral
and Physical 1861 (23rd edit, 1890)
Essays: Scientific, Political and Spec
ulative," vols, 1S5S~1S63 (4th edit,
vols, 1850; THE Classification of the
Sciences; to which are added, Reasons
for Dissenting from the Philosophy of
NJ. Comte," 1864 Ord edit, 1870; The
Study of Sociology" 1873 9th edit,
1885, 1.-THE Man versus the State" 1884
18th thousand. 1856. Beyond his own
proper work, Mr.. Spencer published
eight parts of the Descriptive Soci-
doggy" classified and arranged by him
self, and compiled by Prof. Duncan,
DR.. Scheppig. and Mr.. Collier. This
work was originally undertaken SIM
ply for the purpose of providing him
self with materials for the principles
of Sociology" but was eventually pub
lished for the use of others. Part VIII,
published in 1881, contained the an
nouncement that having during the
preceding fourteen year sunk between
$4,000 and $4,000 in the undertaking,
he could no longer continue it. Mr..
Spencer paid a visit to the United
States in 1882. On May II, 1888, he
was elected a correspondent of the
French Academy of Moral and Politi-
cal Sciences, for the section of Philoso-
ply, in the room of Emerson, but he
declined that in common with all aca-
demic honors. Mr.. Spencer's works
have been extensively translated .All
are rendered into French, nearly all
into German and Russian, many into
italian and Spanish; and the work on
Education has appeared also in Hun
garian, Bohemian, Polish. Dutch,
Danish, Swedish, Greek, Japanese and
Chinese.
The attending physician certif1es that
Herbert Spencer died of senile decay.
The distinguished writer having no
near relatives living, was attended by
the nurse and his secretary. BY his
own wish the remains will be brought
to London, and cremated at Hemp
stead