CHAPTER XIV

PSYCHOLOGICAL

Evolution of Mind—Body and Mind—Experience and
Intuitions—Tfst of Truth

IN seeking to appreciate Spencer's contributions to
Psychology, it seems necessary to distinguish between
what he tried to do and his success in doing it. For
an attempt, especially a pioneer attempt, may have
great historical importance although it is only to a
limited degree successful. The attempts to cross a
continent, or to scale a mountain, to make a flying
machine, or to discover the nature of protoplasm, may
be relative failures, but even the attempts may spell
progress. They may offer clues for other attempts,
or they may show that certain ways of attacking the
problem are unpromising. And so while the doctors
of philosophy differ as to the value of many of Spencer's
psychological essays, there are few who go the length
of denying their historical interest and importance.

(l) Evolution of Mind.—In his imaginary review of
his Principles of Psychology, which is not without a grim
humour, Spencer supposes the critic to begin by
saying: "Our attitude towards this work is some-
thing like that of the Roman poet to whom the
poetaster brought some verses with the request that
he would erase any parts he did not like, and whoepts.