Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-12-11
HERBERT SP[N.
Ger THE GREAT
Scientist, Publicist, Philess.
pher. Physislogist and
Ethical Teacher
HIS EARLIER WORK
Synthetic Philosophy In Ninteen
Volumes Monumental
Achievement?
HIS EARLIER WORK


In the death Of Herbert Spencer
scientist. publicist, psychologist, phil
osopher and ethical teacher. the world
has lost one Of her greatest men. Nc
phase Of life was left untouched by
him, and he touched nothing that he
did not elevate. His great aim was "a
work ont effectively a complete sys
tenn Of the philosophy Of life In har,
mony with the principles and results
Of modern science. After long years
Of devotion 10 this great purpose, his
life has ended IN his ~eighty.fourth
year.
Father an Entomoioqist.
He Was born On April ~. 1890. at
Derby, England. His father, William
George Spencer, WAS q scloolmastcr
of some note and az q time secre-
tiary 81 the Derby Philosophical asso.
citation. From the studious and
thoughtful father, Herbert Spencer
imbibed his love of natural science,
ana his wonderful faculty Of obserya.
ton 30 conspicuous In his work. The
father was much interested In ento-
mology, and when but q lad the son
collected. sketchel. described and
classified many Of the insects family.
His education was received mainly at
home under the instruction Of his
father and hts uncle. Thomas Spencer,
N. A.
Rejecting the Cambridge career
recommended by his uncle, he applied
himself to the study OF civil engineer
Ing, ana followed It's practice for
SAMBo WHIT :. :. FRIDAY
eigth yesrs. He gradually. however,
entered upon journalistic and literary
work, and WAS for q time the editor
Of q publication known as the Econo.
mist. He became . regular contribu-
tor 70 the Westminster Review and
the Edinburg Review. AZ we'll a. other
quAfterlies and from the first his con-
tributions were 80 social. economic
and ethical questions.
His Earlier Work.
Among his earlier essays were Man
ners and Fashions, progress. hts Law
and cause; and, In HIS Principles Of
Psychology. published in 1856, the
doctrine uf evolution began 10 take
definite form. Upon the publication
Of Darwin's comprehensive work, ORR
gin of Species. in 1862. he found him
self supplied thereby With . large
amount III data and scientific facts IN
support Of much that had before been
i matter III speculation, II 1851 he
published All extended essay IN the
Classification III The Sciences, ~ which
be embodied the then new principle
Of evolution and criticised the phtloso
ply oi his predecessors. His great
work, A system Of synthetic fhiloso
ph,, III which. bfginning with the hrst
principles OF ali knowledge he endeay.
pfed 10 trace how the law Of esoln.
lion was gradual, realized IN lille.
mind. societ, and morality. though
announced and begun in 1860 Was not
completed until 1852. and comprises
nineteen volumes. His Data II Eth.
YES and the Book Of Education, In
tellcctual. Moral and Physical. are
perhaps the hestknown and most
widely read Of all that he has written
Had Large American Following.
Herbert spencer's brilliant power Of
generalization, his u%ntechnical Ian.
guage. his acquaintance with the va
rious departments q science, and his
remarkable wealth Of illustration are
unsurpassed. lie Is one of the few
great minds Of history who have car
ried out the attempt 10 give a sys.
tematic account Of the universe In Its
totality. Tho principle Of morality
was looked upon by Spencer AS the
cap.stone Of his system and all els
was preliminary 70 this. Ethics and
conduct be believed were MOI based
upon caprice Or whim. but have their
root IN physical. biological, %psychiolp
gicaI and social conditions. Spen
GERS following III America ~ well as
In England II large. and Il may ~
said that John Fiske's Outlines o. Cos
mic Philosophy il founded On spen.
Ger.
Though he lived 10 y ripe old axe.
NJ. Spencer had been In III health
for the greater part Of his life. When
. young man and before his health
failed. bis chief recreation was sal
mon Or sea-trout fishing. '