38 HERBERT SPENCER

frequented an open racquet-court at Pentonville, and
sandwiched games and First Principles; even in the
Highlands he would dictate while he rowed. It was
altogether like thinking by stratagem, and the tension of
working against time became so irksome, that he issued
a notice to the subscribers that successive numbers
would come out when they were ready. Neverthe-
less, he completed the First Principles in June 1862.

The System Grcwr.—-Having safely set forth his
doctrine, Spencer turned with zest to relaxation,
acting as cicerone to his friends at the International
Exhibition, climbing in Wales, fishing in Scotland,
revisiting Paris, and so forth. The years passed
in alternate work and play, and the next great event
was the publication of the first volume of the
Principles of Biology in 1864, In spite of inadequate
preparation Spencer produced by the strength of
his intelligence a biological classic. At the time, of
course, little notice was taken of it j thus in " The
Athen^um" of 5th November 1864, a paragraph con-
cerning the book commenced thus: "This is but
one of two volumes, and the two but a part of a
larger work: we cannot therefore but announce it."
"la 1864," Spencer says, "not one educated person
in ten or more knew the meaning of the word
Biology j and among those who knew it, whether
critics or general readers, few cared to know anything
about the subject" (Autobiography, ii. p, 105),

It was in the same year (1864) that Spencer

formulated his views on the classification of the

sciences and his reasons for dissenting from the

philosophy of Comte,

Of considerable interest was the formation of a