WCP4114

[1]

The Dell, Grays, Essex

Nov. 13th. 1873

Dear Mr. Spencer

I have waited till I had your "Study of Sociology"¹ to thank you for your kind remembrance in sending me a copy. Its perusal has been a great treat, and although I fear that your own estimate of the amount of good possible to be done may be correct, I yet hope that your powerful exposition of Social fallacies may do as much good as I feel they ought to do.

I am afraid however that your elaborate exposition of the difficulties [2] of the study of Sociology will be rather hard reading for the mass even of intelligent men, — & this may lead them to miss the many admirable illustrative passages which from their telling style and overwhelming force of argument would be very widely read, & would thus influence public opinion very largely. The illustrative chapters of your "Social States" produced a permanent effect on my ideas and beliefs as to all political & [soci]al[?] [beginning of word cut off at left margin] matters, and I hope it may be possible for you, when your [3] great work on Sociology is completed, to compose a work especially adapted to the average intellect, showing the application of your principles to all the chief political and social questions of the day.

Just before receiving your book, & in ignorance as to how far you had touched on the subject, I had written & sent to the Ed[itor]. of the Contemporary Review an article on the Limitation of State Functions in the Administration of Justice² which I hope will, as far as it goes, be in accordance with your principles, — as it is in [4] fact wholly founded on what I have learnt from your writings.

Again thanking you for the great pleasure & instruction I have derived from your book

I remain | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Herbert Spencer Esq.