Volume 1

First principles / by Herbert Spencer.

  • Spencer, Herbert, 1820-1903.
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: First principles / by Herbert Spencer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    9/252 (page 5)
    EDITION In ten days more, forty years will have passed since the first lines 1 of this work were written. Nothing was done to it until 1867, when a further development of its leading conception necessitated re-organization of the second part. In 1875 some changes were : made in the Chapters on “ The Indestructibility of Matter,” “ The ( Continuity of Motion,” and “ The Persistence of Force,” more fully i harmonizing the views set forth in them with the conceptions at that time reached. Since then there have been introduced no !.alterations worth mentioning. Of coiu-se the advances of knowledge in many directions during intervening years, have made needful sundry corrections in the illustrative passages. Criticisms, too, have prompted a few modi- ifications of statement. Add to this that further developments of imy own thoughts have suggested certain improvements in the ^exposition, among which may be included the explanatory “ Post- script to Part I.” Passing over changes of little moment, I may mame as chief amendments those contained in §§71a-71c, §93, §150, ^152, and §§182-3; and as noticeable ones those contained in i§46, 54, 65, 72, 79, 88, 111, 120, 123, 132, 139a, 157, 159, and 0.64; together with the appendices A and C. Meanwhile neither the objections made by others nor further ■considerations of my own, have caused me to recede from the general principles set forth. Contrariwise, while writing the succeeding works on Biology, Psychology, Sociology, and Ethics, the multiplied -Uustrations of these principles furnished by the facts dealt with,