From Herbert Spencer 2 May 1871
37 Queens Gardens | Bayswater, London, W.
2 May 1871.
Dear Mr. Darwin,
It has occurred to me that it may be worth while to write a few lines to the Contemporary Review à propos of Sir A. Grant’s article.1 I think of drawing his attention to the “Principles of Psychology” as containing proof, both analytic & synthetic, that the division between Reason & lower forms of Intelligence, which he thinks so unquestionable, does not exist.2
Before deciding on this course, however, I think it is proper to inquire whether you propose to say anything on the matter, seeing that the attack is ostensibly directed against you.
Sincerely yours, | Herbert Spencer
Footnotes
Bibliography
Grant, Alexander. 1871. Philosophy and Mr. Darwin. Contemporary Review 17: 274–81.
Spencer, Herbert. 1855. The principles of psychology. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans.
Spencer, Herbert. 1871. Mental evolution. Contemporary Review 17: 461–2.
Summary
Intends to answer Sir A. Grant’s article if CD does not. [A. Grant, "Philosophy and Mr Darwin", Contemp. Rev. 17 (1871): 274–81; H. Spencer, "Mental evolution", Contemp. Rev. 17 (1871): 461–2.]
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7734
- From
- Herbert Spencer
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Bayswater
- Source of text
- DAR 177: 229
- Physical description
- LS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7734,” accessed on 20 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7734.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19