Letters & Journal Of W. Stanley Jevons

98 JS86

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LETTERS AND JOURNAL

OF

W. STANLEY JEVONS

LETTERS & JOURNAL

W. STANLEY JEVONS

EDITED BY HIS WIFE

Hon&on

MACMILLAN AND CO.
1886

PREFACE.

IN arranging this selection of my husband's letters,
my object has been to give an account of his life in his
own words, as much as possible. It is hardly neces-
sary to say that none of the letters were written with
a view to publication ; but with the exception of
omissions, and of occasional obvious errors, occurring
through haste in writing, they have been left quite
unaltered.

My warmest thanks are due to Mr. James Sime,
who has helped me in seeing this volume through
the press, as well as in the task of selecting and
arranging the letters. So many had been preserved
by different members of Mr. Jevons's family that
it would have been easy to fill two volumes of
this size, and I found it almost impossible to make a
selection which would give, to those who knew my
husband only by his writings, the best idea of his
character as a man in the different relations of life ;
and after all no one can be more conscious than
myself of the incompleteness of the book from this
point of view.

via

I have placed:"a*tBfe end of the volume as complete

* *

a list as I could form of my husband's writings, with
the exception of reviews of books which he occasionally
wrote for Nature and other papers.

I wish to take this opportunity of most sincerely
thanking those correspondents of my husband who
have entrusted me with his letters, and permitted me
to make my own selection for publication.

HARRIET A. JEVONS.

2 THE CHESTNUTS, HAMPSTEAD.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

1835-1851.

Birth Parentage Early education University College School, London

Pages 1-13

CHAPTER II.

1851-1854.

At University College Begins to keep a Journal Examinations Walks in
London Work at College A change of prospects . 14-39

CHAPTER III
1854-1859.

Voyage Arrival in Sydney Preparations for work New home Death of his
father Excursion at Chnstmas Religious opinions Wreck of the Dunbar
His intention to leave the Mint Music His resignation . 40-111

CHAPTER IV.

1859.

Mcteoiology Overland route to Melbourne Visits gold-diggings Voyage to
South America Lima Havanna Lands in the United States Visit to
his brother in Minnesota Return to England . . . 112-147

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V.
1859-1863.

Returns to University College Uncertainty of prospects Statistical work
Volunteering Publication of diagrams Sends papers to the British Asso-
ciation . . Pages 148-176

CHAPTER VI.
1863-1866.

Pamphlet on a Senons Fall in the Value of Gold Offer of tutorship at Owens
College Leaves London Publication of Pure Logic Settles in Manchester
--The Coal Question The logical abacus Tour in Switzerland Letter
from Sir John Heischel ..... 177-217

CHAPTER VII.
1866-1868.

Success of The Coal Question Appointed Profes^oi of Logic and Political
Economy at Owens College Political opinions Pans Exhibition His
mamage ... ... 218-239

CHAPTER VIII.

1868-1872.

His logical machine Paper on the Gold Cuiicncy Publication of The Substitu-
tion oj Similar* Elementary Lessons in Logic The Tlieory of Political
Economy ...... 240-255

CHAPTER IX.

1872-1874.

Ill health Tour in Norway Leave of absence fiom Owens College Second
tour in Noiway The Principles ofSneme completed . . 256-289

CHAPTER X.
1874-1876.

The Principles of Science Tour to the South of France and Italy Death of his
elder brother Correspondence with Professor Leon Walras Revisits Nor-
way Publication of Money and the Mechanism of Exchange Birth of his
son Resigns his Professorship at Owens College . . 290-346

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XL
1876-1880.

Logical notation Revi&its Norway His new home Professoi at Univcisity
College Sun-spots and the price of Coin Tour in Denmark and Sweden
Criticism of Mill's philosophy Theory of commercial crises Tour in
Norway .... . Pages 347-409

CHAPTER XII.
1880-1882.

Studies t/i Deductive Logic Resignation of his Professoiship Piessure of liteiary
work Opinions on the Irish (Question Visit to Bulveihythc Death
Liteiary woik Religious opinions . 410-455

APPENDICES.

A Letters from H. R. Gienfell, Esq. To H. R. Grenfell, Esq. . 457-458
B Mr. Jevons* Writings . 459-467

"For my own paif I felt it to be almost presumptuous to
pjonounte to myself the hopes f held and flu schemes I formed.
Time alone could rwcal whether they ivtre empty or real ; only
when proved real could they be knoivn to othcts" Joninal,
1862, p. 13.

LETTERS AND JOURNAL

OF

W. STANLEY JEVONS.

CHAPTER I.

1835-1851.

WILLIAM STANLEY JEVONS, the son of Thomas and Mary
Anne Jevons, was born at No. 14 Alfred Street, Liverpool,
on the ist September 1835.

The Jevons or Jevon family (for the final s was first
added by Stanley's grandfather) is evidently of Welsh origin,
but they had been settled in Staffordshire for many gener-
ations. At Cosely in that county Timothy Jevon, the
great-grandfather of Stanley, lived ; and here his grand-
father, William Jevons, was born and grew up to manhood.
William Jevons had but slight educational advantages, but
he was endowed with a great deal of good sense, and was a
man of strong affections and of much religious feeling.
Having been brought up at home and employed in his
father's trade of nail-making, he became assistant to a Mr.
Stokes, engaged in the nail trade at Old Swinford, and it
was to increase the business of Mr. Stokes that he removed
to Liverpool at the end of the year 1798, accompanied by
his wife and young family, consisting of three sons and a
daughter. He had not been long in Liverpool before he
was enabled, with the assistance of capital lent him by
a friend, to commence business on his own account as an
iron merchant. Mr. William Jevons gave to all his children

B

IV. STANLEY JEVONS.

the best education in his power, and when his eldest son
Thomas grew up he took him into his own business, and
before long made him a partner. Later on, Timothy, the
youngest son, joined the firm, which was known as Jevons
and Sons.

Mr. William Jevons attended the Unitarian chapel, then
situated in Benn's Garden, and his second son William
became a Unitarian minister, after receiving his college
education at York, then the home of Manchester New
College. He was an intellectual, cultivated man, but owing
to a change in some of his opinions he early left the ministry.
He wrote several books one of them a small book on
astronomy for the use of schools. Between him and his
nephew Stanley there was great affection and sympathy,
and they corresponded a good deal.

Mr. Thomas Jevons, the father of Stanley, was a man of
much ability in many ways, and there is no doubt that
Stanley inherited a love of science from him. He was
greatly interested in all new engineering schemes, and was
acquainted with the first railway makers, Stephenson and
Locke. In 1815 he constructed probably the first iron
boat that sailed on sea water, and in 1822 he made an iron
life-preserving boat, and also a model of a floating ship or
landing-place for steamboats. He supported the scheme for
the construction of the Thames Tunnel, by which he lost a
considerable sum of money. In 1834 he published a small
book called Remarks on Criminal Lau\ and in 1840 a
pamphlet entitled T/ie Prosperity of the Landholders not
Dependent on tJic Corn Laws. In later life Stanley described
his father as "one of the most humane of men," and as
being remarkable for " a calm clear mind." He was of too
shy and retiring a nature to go much into general society,
but he was always the devoted friend of his children, even
when the cares of business pressed most heavily upon him.

On the 23d November 1825, Thomas Jevons was
married to Mary Anne, the eldest daughter of William
Roscoe, the well-known author of the Life of Lorenzo dc*
Medici and of the Life and Pontificate of Leo X. Mrs.
Thomas Jevons was about thirty at the time of her marriage.
Her youth had been spent at Allerton Hall, near Liverpool,

HIS HOME.

where her father lived until the loss of his fortune caused him
to remove, about the year 1820, to a small house in the
immediate neighbourhood of Liverpool. She was remark-
ably handsome, with very fascinating manners, and her mind
had been cultivated by constant companionship with her
father and by the intellectual society which she enjoyed
under his roof. She inherited a good deal of her father's
poetical talent, and was the authoress of a small volume of
poems, printed for private circulation. She also edited the
Sacred Offering, a collection of poems which came out in
yearly volumes for several years, and the contents of which
were chiefly written by members of Mr. Roscoe's family,
for his younger daughter and several of his sons also in-
herited more or less of his talent. Mrs. Thomas Jevons
was a woman of strong religious feeling. Like her husband,
she had been brought up a Unitarian.

Although Stanley was the ninth child of his parents,
only three of those older than himself survived beyond
babyhood: Roscoe, born 1829; Lucy Anne, 1830; and
Herbert, 1831. At the time of his birth his mother was
still mourning the loss of a twin boy and girl who had died
of influenza in 1834, and of another baby boy who had
died in the spring of 1835. This must have made Stanley
as a young child somewhat solitary in his plays and occupa-
tions, for the two nearest to him in age were his brother
Herbert, who was four years older, and his sister Henrietta,
three and a half years younger, than himself. He had also
a younger brother, Thomas Edwin, born in October 1 84 1 ,
who, though too young to be a companion in childhood, was
the closest friend of his later life.

The house in Alfred Street had been built for Mr.
Thomas Jevons, from his own designs, at the time of his
marriage, but it was not large enough for his increasing
family, and when Stanley was about a year and a half old,
his father removed to No. 9 Park Hill Road, one of two new
houses built from his own designs for Mr. Thomas Jevons
took great pleasure in planning houses, and showed much skill
in doing it. The other house was occupied for the first few
years by his brother, Mr. William Jevons, and later by his
younger brother, Mr. Timothy Jevons, and his family. His

4 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 3-6.

father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. William Jevons, lived in a
large old house close by, the garden joining his son's. At
that time Park Hill Road was almost in the country : besides
the large gardens attached to the houses there were fields
and lanes close by, so that the children could have plenty
of healthy out-door life. Mr. Thomas Jevons' house is still
standing, and is now used for the Sunday school belonging
to the Unitarian Chapel in Toxtcth Park Road. The
rooms remain the same as he planned them, but the sur-
roundings are so changed that it is difficult, if not im-
possible, to realise the place as it was. The gardens are
all gone, and the neighbourhood is built up with a poorer
class of houses, and is now part of the town.

The first thing that Stanley could remember occurred
during the gre^ storm of January 1839, before he was three
and a half years old. One of the chimneys of the house
of his uncle, William Jevons, was blown down, and Stanley's
mother was so much alarmed that she had her children
roused from their beds and carried down to the cellar for
safety. He could also remember suffering, when he was
very young, from an attack of croup in the night, and being
put into a warm bath, with the doctor standing by. But
on the whole he retained a less vivid impression of his very
early childhood than many people of ordinary ability do.

Of all her children, Stanley was the one who most re-
sembled his mother in personal appearance. His eyes, which
were a blue-gray in colour, were, like hers, large and full of
expression, and were shaded with peculiarly long dark eye-
lashes, which greatly added to their beauty. A friend writing
of him says : u I remember him when such a little fellow with
bright curly hair. What a fine noble boy he was !" Another
friend remembers his running into the room one day when
she was with his mother, and asking for some employment,
saying with great energy, " I cannot live unless I have some-
thing to do." As a young child he almost always had
occupations which he made for himself, and nothing tried
his naturally passionate temper more than to be compelled
to leave the interest of the moment whilst still engrossed
in it.

His sister says that Stanley learned to read and write

6-9. FIRST LETTERS.

without any difficulty, and certainly the following letter at
six years old in his own handwriting is very good for a
child of that age :

" MY DEAR GRANDPAPA When will you come home ?
J am six I was six on Wednesday, and Mamma gave me a
paint box. There was a beautiful rainbow to-night I have
got a sixpenny little boat. Good-bye, dear grandpapa.
Your affectionate STANLEY JEVONS."

Another little letter has also been preserved, written when
he was seven years old, to Dr. Richard Roscoe, his mother's
younger brother, who was a frequent visitor at her house.

" DEAR UNCLE I thank you for the picture. I some-
times say my lessons well. I draw almost every day, and
I paint sometimes. Nurse is going, and another is coming.
Tommy is a very big boy, and is very funny. When will
you come again and see us ? Henny has got a bad cold.
Good-bye. Your affct. nephew, STANLEY."

Mrs. Thomas Jevons always encouraged her children in
their love of drawing and music ; and Stanley's love of music,
which he inherited from both his parents, was through life
one of his greatest pleasures. His mother also taught him
botany, in which he took great interest, and he always kept
the little microscope which she had given him to examine
flowers with. From her, too, came his first teachings in
political economy, as she read with him Archbishop Whate-
ley's Easy Lessons on Money Matters, written for children.
He was not what is usually called a precocious child, but he
was very thoughtful and extremely observant, and eager to
acquire information. In speaking of himself he once re-
marked, " I am said to possess much curiosity, and I often
felt a positive pain in passing any object which I could not
understand the construction and meaning of."

He was always very dexterous in using his fingers. His
uncle, Dr. Roscoe, gave him a set of bookbinding tools, and
I have a little book bound by him when quite a young boy,
the binding of which is a very creditable piece of workman-
ship for his age.

For outdoor occupations Stanley had his own little
garden in which he worked ; he had also some ducks for

W. STANLEY JEVONS.

pets, of which he seems to have been very fond. But his
greatest pleasure was to be with his eldest brother, Roscoe,
who had great talents for mechanical construction. Their
workshop was a coach-house and stable, and here many
happy hours were passed by Stanley in watching and helping
his brother. When Mr. Timothy Jevons came to occupy
the third house instead of his brother William, Stanley had
the companionship of two boys about his own age, and the
cousins must have had frequent opportunities of meeting,
for they had the kindest of grandparents, who permitted
their garden to be the constant play place of the two families
of cousins.

Until the failure of his mother's health, Stanley's home
must have been as happy a one as a child could have,
and he always felt it to have been so; but, in 1845, Mrs.
Thomas Jevons became so ill that she went to London,
chiefly to be under her brother Dr. Roscoe's care, and in
November of that year she died there without seeing her
children again.

The following letter was written to his mother whilst
she was away :

" MY DEAR MAMMA I hope you are better. 1 am quite
well now, and I am getting on very well in my lessons. 1
am translating very small histories of great men, and of
countries, and I know the first twenty propositions of Euclid,
and I also write French exercises and the verbs, and exer-
cises in English composition, and write copies. Yesterday
Roscoe, Herbert, and I took a very long walk to Allerton
Hall. We started at half-past three, and went up through
the Prince's Park, and then went past Mrs. M - 's old
house into Aigburth road a great way, and through roads,
and at last found our way by finger-posts, and came back
the proper way about six o'clock, when it was nearly dark,
not very much tired ; and in the morning we went to chapel,
but papa did not go. We are getting on very well in every-
thing. I found a book of Uncle Richard's, called the Pre-
scribe? s Pharmacopoeia. Roscoe, Lucy, Herbert, I especi-
ally, and all the rest of us, send our best love. Good-bye.
Your most affectionate son,

" WILLIAM STANLEY JEVONS."

MT. 10-12. EARLY EDUCATION. 7

From this time Stanley's eldest sister filled, as far as she
could, her mother's place in the home ; and though a gover-
ness continued to reside with them for a year or two, it
was to their sister that the younger ones were indebted for a
love and care which can only be described as motherly, and
which was returned on their parts by the warmest affection
for her. Until he was more than ten years old Stanley was
taught at home by a governess, but early in 1 846 he became
a day scholar at the Mechanics' Institute High School in
Liverpool, which his brother Herbert was attending. The
late Dr. Hodgson, afterwards Professor of Political Economy
at Edinburgh, was then headmaster of the High School.
Two or three of the school reports of Stanley's conduct and
progress have been preserved, with Dr. Hodgson's com-
ments to his father. In April 1846 he writes, "W. S.
seems a very fine little boy," and in January 1847, " w -
S. J. will do very well indeed, if he gain courage and spirit
as he grows older." The French master writes in the
reports that he is very good and very industrious, but far
too quiet, makes no noise, and does not read above his
breath. He adds, "I should go to sleep if all the class
were like him."

In after life Stanley felt that he had gained much from
Dr. Hodgson's teaching ; and he regretted that his father
had removed him so soon from the school. In June 1 847
he received the prize of his class, a large volume of Crabbe's
poems, in which the following inscription is written :

" This Book, being one of the Prizes granted by George
Holt, Esq., is assigned to W. S. Jevons, as first pupil in the
6th class of the High School, his conduct and attention
throughout the year having been not less satisfactory than
his progress."

Mr. Thomas Jevons at this time removed both his sons
from the High School, because he thought some of the boys
attending it were undesirable companions for them, and
after the summer holidays, Stanley was sent to Mr. Beck-
with's private school in Lodge Lane as a day scholar.

In January 1848 the firm of Jevons and Sons failed.
Stanley never forgot one Sunday when, instead of going to
chapel as they were in the habit of doing, his grandfather,

8 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 12-14.

father, and uncle were shut up all the morning together
with the books of the firm. He was much puzzled and
rather shocked at the proceeding, which was his first in-
timation that anything was wrong.

This misfortune made a great change in the circum-
stances of the three families in Park Hill Road. The
houses were given up at once, and Mr. Thomas Jevons
removed with his family to No. 125 Chatham Street. Mr.
William Jevons, who had lost his wife in 1846, became
from this time a member of his eldest son's household. He
brought with him an organ, on which Stanley used to play a
good deal ; and he did it well enough to give much pleasure
to his grandfather and father, who were both very fond of
music, although unable to play any instrument themselves.

Owing to the failure it had become necessary for the
family to live as economically as possible. Stanley was old
enough to understand this, and it early taught him to be
very careful in what he spent, and always to try to lay out
his small sums of money to the best advantage. He still
continued at Mr. Bcckwith's school. He used to speak
of this as almost a wasted time in his education after
the teaching he had had at the Mechanics' Institute High
School ; but he acknowledged that the attention paid to
Latin at Mr. Beckwith's was of service to him, and saved
him future trouble, for he had no natural talent for learning
languages. His half holidays were often spent in walks with
his two cousins, who still lived near. The summer holidays
were spent either at Parkgate, a little old-fashioned place at
the mouth of the Dee, or at West Kirby, also on the Dee;
and he always retained an affection for that neighbourhood.

He was at this time a quiet thoughtful boy, very shy
and reserved, and quite unconscious of his own abilities, but
on 3 ist January 1849 his elder sister made the following
entry in her diary : " In Stanley I see the dawning of a
great mind."

In the summer of 1 849 Stanley went with his younger
sister and brother to Nantwich, to pay a visit to his mother's
sister, Mrs. Hornblower, whose husband was the Unitarian
minister there. Aunt Jane had great affection for her
nephews and nieces, and Stanley at different times spent

,ET. 15. AT SCHOOL IN LONDON. 9

many pleasant weeks under her roof. During this visit his
father wrote to him : " I must begin this letter by thanking
you for your manly and excellent note to me. In it I see
signs of ripening thought and judgment, which gives me great
joy. In this visit you are not only adding vigour to your
bodily frame, but I feel satisfied that you are gaining manli-
ness, and gaining some little power over that natural timidity
of character which is the worst or perhaps I may say almost
the only weakness you have. A little more observation of
the world, and a habit of looking closely into the origin of
the fears that create the timidity or bashfulness which you
occasionally display, will help you wonderfully to get the
better of it."

After the summer holidays of 1850, when he was just
fifteen, Stanley was sent to London to attend University
College School ; and for a short time he stayed with his
brother Herbert in Harrington Street. Afterwards he lived
for several months in Gowcr Street, in the house of a lady
who received as boarders boys attending University College
School. Here he was very unhappy, partly perhaps because
it was the first time he had lived with strangers, but also
because he had good reason to dislike his three fellow-
boarders. Years afterwards he wrote in his journal that he
never passed the house without a feeling of dread at the
remembrance of what he suffered there.

Five weeks after his arrival in London he wrote to his
father: "Everything is done so systematically that I like
the school altogether very much." On the i/th of Nov-
ember 1850 he again wrote to his father: "I have been a
i^rand sight-seeing to-day, and have walked nearly from one
end of London to the other. I started a little before ten
o'clock, and went straight to St. Paul's. They do not let
you go into the choir if you come very late, and I only saw
what I had seen before. I then went and saw Smithfield
and St. Bartholomew's and the Post Office, after which I
went along Cheapside to the Exchange, etc. I next found
my way to the Tower of London, and then to the Thames
Tunnel, into which I went. From the Tunnel I came back
and went along the Strand, Whitehall, St. James's Park, and
Green Park, the Exhibition in Hyde Park, and then along

io W. STANLEY JEVONS* m. 15.

Oxford Street, Regent Street, and home, where I arrived at
half-past four ready for dinner. The Glass Palace is getting
on famously, and I saw some of the glass. All the work
looks very light and slender, but I suppose that the iron will
be quite strong enough. Great crowds go to see it. If the
half-finished building makes such a stir, what will the
Exhibition itself do!"

He was greatly interested in the "Glass Palace," and
often visited it On the 1st of June 1851 he wrote to his
father : " Last Wednesday I went to the Exhibition. I
think that nothing can be more astonishing or wonderful
than to walk round the galleries, or to look from one end to
another, and though I had heard every one talk of it for a
long time, and had seen numbers of pictures of it, I did not
expect it to be so splendid. It was a long time before I
could stop to look at any particular thing instead of staring
about, and still longer before I could leave the nave. I
liked the organs especially, and perhaps spent too much
time in listening to them instead of looking at the other
things. I spent some time in watching cotton and flax spin-
ning and weaving, which I never properly understood before."

Again, on the 5th of July 1851 : " I went last Monday
to that place of all places, the Great Exhibition. I went
through a good part of the south-western division of the
building, where the minerals, chemicals, vegetable productions,
agricultural implements, and hardware things are. I have
learnt a great deal since I came to London about minerals
and the metals, particularly from my chemistry and partly
from museums ; and I intend if I have time in the holidays
to arrange all the minerals and fossils I have got at home.
I saw also the Illustrated London News steam press, which
is very wonderful. I had not observed the hydraulic press
from the Britannia Bridge before. What an immense thing
that is ! I heard Gray and Davidson's organ at the east end
of the nave played, and liked it better for its size than the
largest. In the American part some ass of a Yankee had
put a piano with a fiddle, and by turning a handle the fiddle
begins to squeak ; and, to the disgrace of mankind, it must
be said that there is as great a crowd round this thing as
round anything else almost in the place."

*T. 15. LETTERS FROM HIS FATHER. 11

His father was much pleased with his progress at school.
On the ipth November 1850 Mr. Jevons wrote: "I am
glad to see the first report of your character and progress
and standing in your school. It is very good, but only
what I expected from you." And again on the 1 8th March
1851 : "I was not a little gratified by the receipt of your
character as pronounced by your several masters. I have
no doubt of its truthfulness, and it is highly honourable to
you. Go on in like manner, and prosper you must in what-
ever walk of life you select." On the 28th June 1851 he
wrote : " I shall be very glad when your holidays commence,
for it seems a long time to be deprived of your society, and
I shall begin now to look to you for assistance in family
affairs by consultation and advice. ... I need the help of a
friend in whom I can trust, and I must bring you forward to
take part in the battle of life, young as you yet are."

At midsummer 1851 Stanley returned to Liverpool,
bringing with him five prizes, three first and two second.
His school-days were then at an end, for at that time boys
did not remain at University College School beyond the
age of sixteen, and he would attain that age during the
holidays. He was already beginning to think about some
of the difficult problems of philosophy, and before his return
to college in October he had written an essay on " Free
Will and Necessity," in which he tried to prove that the
arguments in favour of the doctrine of necessity were much
stronger than those in favour of the doctrine of freedom of
will.

Looking back upon his early boyhood, he wrote in
December 1862, when he was twenty-seven years of age:
" When quite young I can remember I had no thought
or wish of surpassing others. I was rather taken with a
liking of little arts and bits of learning. My mother care-
fully fostered a liking for botany, giving me a small micro-
scope and many books, which I yet have. Strange as it
may seem, I now believe that botany and the natural
system, by exercising discrimination of kinds, is the best of
logical exercises. What I may do in logic is perhaps
derived from that early attention to botany. My Uncle
Richard also gave me Henslow's Botany. He presented me

12 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ;ET. 15.

with certain bookbinding tools, which I had the greatest
pleasure in using or trying to use. I am yet partial to book-
binding, and shall sometime perhaps begin it again. I used
to think I should like to be a bookbinder or bookseller it
seemed to me a most delightful trade and I wished or
thought of nothing better. More lately I thought I should
be a minister, it seemed so serious and useful a profession,
and I entered but little into the merits of religion and the
duties of a minister. Every one dissuaded me from the
notion, and before I arrived at any age to require a real
decision, science had claimed me."

At the same time he recalled some of his thoughts about
religion at this early period : " T was not without a tendency
to inquire into the subject. The Gospels seemed worth more
than reading ; they were worth analysing and making into a
rigorous history of Christ. And this I actually undertook to
do. While living in Chatham Street, perhaps about the year

1850, I began the work during the quiet of Sunday after-
noons in my small bedroom, where I had a very diminutive
table, with an inkstand and a few little things in a study-
like array. By noting down the facts as stated in the
Gospels, and comparing them and arranging them in chrono-
logical order, I intended to form a regular Life. But alto-
gether, apart from any difficulties which older persons might
meet, I found the task very perplexing for my then powers.
What most impressed the work on my memory is that the
second or third Sunday my father appeared suddenly in my
room. As this was at the very top of the house, and he
was usually sitting during the afternoon after dinner in the
parlour, I expect he must have missed me and come to see
my occupation. But finding me writing, he prcssingly
inquired the subject, which I was at last almost forced to
confess, to my entire confusion and dismay."

Of his secret aspirations during his school life in Lon-
don he wrote at the same date : " It was during the year

1 85 1, while living almost unhappily among thoughtless, if
not bad companions, in Gower Street a gloomy house on
which I now look with dread it was then, and when I had
got a quiet hour in my small bedroom at the top of the
house, that I began to think that I could and ought to do

*2T. 15. REFLECTIONS ON HIS BOYHOOD. 13

more than others. A vague desire and determination grew
upon me. I was then in the habit of saying my prayers
like any good church person, and it was when so engaged
that I thought most eagerly of the future, and hoped for the
unknown. My reserve was so perfect that I suppose no one
had the slightest comprehension of my motives or ends.
My father probably knew me but little. I never had
any confidential conversation with him. At school and
college the success in the classes was the only indication of
my powers. All else that I intended or did was within or
carefully hidden. The reserved character, as I have often
thought, is not pleasant nor lovely. But is it not necessary
to one such as I ? Would it have been sensible or even
possible for a boy of fifteen or sixteen to say what he was
going to do before he was fifty ? For my own part I felt it
to be almost presumptuous to pronounce to myself the hopes
I held and the schemes I formed. Time alone could reveal
whether they were empty or real ; only when proved real
could they be known to others."

CHAPTER II.

1851-1854.

IN October 1851 Stanley returned to London to attend
classes at University College, and he was fortunate enough
to find a home in the house of his aunt, Mrs. Henry Roscoe,
who then lived at 9 Oval Road, Camden Town. Here he
remained all the time that he was at University College, and
he was very happy, for besides his aunt's kind care, he had
the companionship of his cousin Harry (now Sir Henry
Roscoe), with whom he formed a lasting friendship.

At this time his favourite study was physical science,
especially chemistry, and at Easter 1852 he received at
College the silver medal for chemistry, and at Easter 1853
the gold medal for the same subject. In 1852 he also
received the first prize for Experimental Natural Philosophy.
In July 1852 he matriculated at the University of London,
and took honours both in chemistry and botany.

Soon after receiving the silver medal he wrote to his
father : " I am very glad that you were so pleased about the
medal, as I see from yours and Lucy's letters, but I have no
intention of trying very hard or injuring my health at all
to get any more that is, any more prizes, though, of course,
I shall try to learn all I possibly can while I have the
opportunity at college. If a person goes into an examina-
tion people are always disappointed if he does not come off
one of the first, and for that reason I was rather sorry after
I had gone into the chemistry examination, as I had no
right then to expect anything more than one of the last
certificates. I am afraid now that you will be disappointed
at my not getting anything at the college examination in

JET. 16. EXAMINATIONS. 15

June, for though I may possibly get a certificate in Greek,
and possibly either in Latin or mathematics, I have no
chance of any prize, and this is literally true as far as I can
judge at present. As to the matriculation, I shall try to
pass in the first division, and if I pass the examination at
all, I shall probably try to pass the examination in honours
for chemistry ; but you must not expect any prizes here
either."

To his sister Lucy, before he knew the results of the
matriculation examinations, he wrote : " I daresay you will
want to hear about the matriculation, and so I will tell you
that it has all gone off very well. ... I am not at all afraid
of being plucked, and the only thing that I think will put
me in the second division, if I am so, will be the history,
for all the examinations were much easier than those at
college. ... I have not told you, I think, that I was invited
by a student I know at college named Colvill, the nephew
of Dr. Sharpey, with whom he lives, to go and get tea
there. . . . He is a very nice old fellow, and one of the best
physiologists alive. He attended Mr. Graham's class this
year with all the other students, and since Easter has been
working all day in the laboratory, with Dr. Williamson
telling him how to do the things. You must not complain of
me making messes and blows-up in the cellar if an old chap
of sixty begins to learn to do it. I am going to bring out
something fine next holidays in the chemistry line ! "

Early in January 1852 his grandfather, Mr. William
Jevons, had died at his father's house, at the advanced age
of ninety-one, but Stanley was not at home at the time, as
he had remained in London for the Christinas holidays.

During the summer vacation of 1852 Stanley began
to keep a journal, the first entry dated is the 23d August
1852: "The college lectures ended on the isth of June,
and the examinations in mathematics, Greek, and Latin
for the chemistry ended at Easter were finished on
the next Monday. The mathematical exam, was six
hours long, while the chemistry one had been eight, but
nevertheless the mathematics tried me far more, and before
the end I got quite stupid, to which I must partly attribute
my low place. Soon after was the distribution by the Earl

16 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 16.

of Carlisle. My certificates were fourth in Latin, fifth in
Greek, and sixth with Colvill in mathematics.

" The matriculation was to begin on the 6th July, and
till then of course I worked hard ; I had got up all the
Latin and Greek for the college exams., and so attended
chiefly to English history and grammar, chemistry and
botany. It was only a few months before that I had begun
to think of going up in botany, and considering that I did
not know any more than I had learned from reading a few
small ' Introductions/ etc., and Henslow's Botany^ with my
botanising at West Kirby for six weeks, it was rather
adventurous. But I went over the orders again, and learnt
Lindley's Elements, and wrote home for Henslow's to read
again. In the chemistry I learnt the inorganic exclusively,
as that only is required in the pass. Sam Archer now
came to stop with us to pass the matric. The exami-
nations were from ten to one, and from three to six on the
6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th of July. The first exam, in mathe-
matics I did only pretty well, and the history in the after-
noon decidedly badly, so much bo as to put me into rather
bad spirits, but all the rest was very easy, and the geometry
and grammar were the most pleasant of all. I had to try
most of course at the chemistry on the second afternoon,
and was satisfied with what 1 did. The natural philosophy
on the third afternoon I missed. In the two hours between,
Sam and I went to a coffee-house, where we looked over a
book, or learned off our notes for the afternoon ; but the
heat, everywhere indeed, was most tremendous.

" On the Saturday, after the exams, were finished, Sam
and I set off for an excursion to Epping Forest. We went
by railway to Tottenham, from which we walked very
slowly to the River Lea. There we had a two hours 1 row
on the canal, which was rather a new thing to me. We
found the walk to the Forest rather longer than we expected,
and did not reach it till nearly seven, though we had set off
at ten in the morning. The Forest was a splendid place, and
quite wild, though the trees arc very small ; but we could not
stay long from the lateness. We then walked to Chigwcll,
which I wanted to see very much, as it is a part of the scene
in Barnaby Rudge, my favourite novel ; but we missed seeing

AT. 16. EXAMINATIONS. 17

the Maypole, which I believe really exists, and is called
Queen Elizabeth's Lodge. We got to Chigwell at eight
o'clock (!), and considering we were ten or eleven miles from
home, without any prospect of getting an omnibus, and very
much tired already, we were rather alarmed, but set off at
once, determined to walk it. We reached Bow after ten, but
fortunately found an omnibus just starting, by which we got
to St. Paul's, from which we walked home, considerably tired.
The country was very beautiful, and in the naturalising way I
found several new flowers, and a glow-worm for the first time.

" On the Monday I set to work seriously for the honours,
having few doubts of passing in one of the divisions. I
worked chiefly at home for about seven or eight hours a day,
and finished nearly all I intended by the 23d the day of
examination. In the chemistry I really believed I should
do very badly, and in the examination I actually felt quite
lazy and careless ! But the botany examination in the after-
noon of the same day was far more interesting. I wrote
concisely, and therefore I suppose well, though I made several
mistakes. The question on the chemical products of as-
similation I did easily of course, as I had learned it in the
chemistry. Sam went in for zoology with four others, while
I had only one other, named Turner, who like me went in
for chemistry. I got home with a bad headache, but
managed to get to the 8.45 mail train, by which I got to
Liverpool at four in the morning, and after spending the
day at Chatham Street, I went over to West Kirby with
papa in the afternoon.

" I set to enjoy myself as much as possible in one week,
for I found that they were going to stop only one week
more, and not ten or fourteen days. I had expected to be
able to press nearly ten plants a day, having brought proper
paper with me, but I believe I did not do more than one a
day fit to keep, which is not surprising when I did not know
how to set about it. The country was very pleasant certainly,
and the weather pretty fine except on the Monday, and I
enjoyed three or four bathes with Tommy very much in
spite of the bad shore. One day we went an expedition to
Hillbre Island, where Tommy, Henny, and myself spent
most of the time in catching crabs, but I also got six new

C

i8 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *r. 16.

kinds of seaweeds and several plants, including the fern
Asplcnium marinum. The rest of the time I spent pleas-
antly, sometimes lazily, in walking about the hill, sandhills,
etc., but I was not in the best spirits.

" On again reaching Chatham Street the next Saturday
I felt completely at a loss what to do first of the many
things I intended to do. I began, however, on the Monday
by clearing out my work bench, which with the bottles,
cupboard, etc., I found in a very dirty state. It was a long
and unpleasant job, but I made it very nice in a little time,
putting all the glass apparatus in a box by themselves, so
as to be out of the way. The only thing I did in chemistry
was to put some salts to crystallise on the kitchen chimney-
piece, but they have not succeeded at all, and to make some
acetic acid from old sour beer.

" I at last began my herbarium by buying three quires
of foolscap paper to put the specimens on, cheating myself
as usual by buying it at is. a quire when much cheaper
paper would have done equally well. I soon after bought
six feet of half-inch board fourteen inches wide to make the
shelves, in which and other things I was chiefly occupied till
within the last few days."

The next entry is dated the 26th of August: "My
chief, almost exclusive, occupation lately has been botany.
The herbarium is now nearly finished, for I have put shelves
in one compartment, as much as I am going to do these
holidays, made the covers and labels for all the orders I
require now, and mounted most of the specimens I have yet
got, in number between fifty and sixty. I have also pressed
a good many, chiefly out of the Parliament Fields, where
there are yet enough to last me some time. I got several
also by an expedition to Upton and Morcton with Sam
Archer, and I got several garden plants too. I have not
altogether omitted the less agreeable part of botany, the
learning of the orders. I did not mention, I believe, last
time that on Saturday night I heard for the first time that
I had got the prize in botany at the matriculation. Turner
is the name of the other one who went in with me, and he
has passed too, and also has got the prize in chemistry, in
which I am second with another person.

*:T. 17. CLEVERNESS AND GENIUS. 19

" I have often thought much about what is called clever-
ness and genius. The oftener an action is repeated, the
more easy is it to perform it again, and the more perfectly
will it be performed. It is by long repetition that workmen
or jugglers acquire such perfection, and the only credit given
to them is for their diligence. But I think that is exactly
the same case with students, for if they have been accustomed
for a long time to study diligently, but particularly in a good
way, they get practised or clever in acquiring knowledge,
while those who have been lazy or have studied in a careless
manner cannot expect to become expert in it. I know that
at least since I went to Mr. Beckwith's I have worked pretty
hard, and I am very sure that if I had not I should never
have got the prizes I have. By this time, perhaps, I have
become more practised in acquiring knowledge than some
others who have not attended to study, and this it is that
constitutes all the cleverness I may have. . . .

" Friday, $d September. On Tuesday I went with Sam
Archer to get some shells from the bottom of ships in the
graving docks. I got three kinds and a seaweed. Wednes-
day was my birthday, when I became seventeen, but I began
the day in an unusually bad humour. I began a letter to
Aunt Jane, of which, however, I could finish only a few
sentences, and had hard work in keeping my agreement
with Sam Archer to go to Crosby. We set off all right,
however, and at the railway I met a man named Sanson,
who is a very good botanist, though a custom-house clerk,
and I should like to know him. We wandered about the
Crosby sandhills for several hours, and I got a good many
rather nice specimens, as Triglochin palustrc, Gcutiana
amarclla, Parnassia palustris, Anagallis tcnclla, Echium
vulgar e, Euphorbia par alias, Enphrasia officinalis, Spergula
nodosa, etc., and Sam found some willows, with numbers of
pretty good caterpillars, hawks, and pusses. I got home at
six, got my tea, pressed several plants, and had to get ready
immediately for the Philharmonic concert, but as I had to sit
by myself, and was, moreover, in a bad humour and tired, I
enjoyed it but little, as I expected. It took all Thursday
morning to examine and press my plants, in which, however,
I succeeded better perhaps than I have ever done before.

20 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 17.

" Last night I spent chiefly in sorting what few shells I
have. . . . This morning 1 walked along the docks a little,
and was fortunate in finding some large foreign snail shells
on some dye-wood. I am going to set to work to-day
at arranging the minerals, and have got the cardboard for
the boxes."

On the 24th of September he writes : " I have let a
long time pass over without any entry, and had once indeed
resolved to give up my Journal. But I daresay I shall find
it easy to write regularly when I am working hard at
London, for my energy is like that of others 1 have heard
of, never excited but by pressure and difficulties. For
instance, during the whole of these holidays I might easily
have done two or three hours' work a day at lessons and got
a great deal done, but I have not done so for more than a
week altogether. I am, indeed, very much vexed at having
done so little these holidays, for during two months I have
only collected about fifty or sixty plants, arranged them as
an herbarium, arranged my minerals, gone a few excursions
and walks with Sam Archer, read grandpapa's life, and done
some few other things hardly worth mentioning. During
the same time at college I have no doubt I could have done
as much while attending regularly to all my classes. I think
this will be the last opportunity I shall have of wasting my
time, for till next July I shall be at college almost con-
tinually, and then (after a short time in the country, I hope)
I shall go at once to business, and need not hope for any
more holidays for some time.

" The idea that I have formed of the manner of spending
the next few years, though of course I cannot expect that it
should turn out half as I like, is to devote this next session
at college to learning as much science as possible, especially
natural philosophy, mathematics, botany, and chemistry, the
last perhaps less than the others, because I am more advanced
in it. I shall spend some time also in walking over London,
especially the remote and low parts, and during the season
taking walks and excursions into the country to collect
plants for my herbarium. After a short tour, most likely
among the Lakes, on which I shall collect plants, 1 suppose
I must begin some business directly, the nature of which

AST. 17. A PLAN OF STUDY. 21

does not matter so much, but as far as I know at present, I
should like that of a general broker, since there is more
variety. The office, meals, etc., will occupy me from about
eight in the morning till seven in the evening (though no
doubt I could devote at least an hour of tltat to reading,
particularly if it is light reading), and there will be left for
real study at least two hours in the evening and one in the
morning. I shall thus work for about eleven hours a day,
but the eight of them spent at the office will not be nearly
so fatiguing as the seven or eight at college, while the study
in the evening will become, I expect, more a pleasure than
a trouble. Of this study only a little will be given to
science, and the rest to Latin, Greek, history, French, or
German, etc. This appears a grand but practicable scheme,
but I must be prepared to see it frustrated at any time, and
to find it a far less easy job than I had expected to
accustom myself to going to business in the middle of the
noisy town for nothing but to write out dry letters, invoices,
etc., run errands, and the like. But it has been done before
under harder circumstances.

" I have done very little during the last few weeks worth
mentioning. My minerals are most of them in neat boxes,
and some of them with names. I have added about twenty
new specimens to them, many of them pretty good, as iserine,
several iron ores, two carbonates of copper, obsidian, etc.,
but I hope to get many more in London. I think I shall
take a vow to spend the whole of the Christmas holidays in
learning mineralogy and crystallography, and finishing the
arrangement of my collection by putting a paper to each
specimen telling its name, composition, form, and a little of
its history. I shall buy the minerals chiefly which are men-
tioned in the chemistry, and study these chiefly, and thus
shall be gaining something useful for the examination at
Easter.

" I have collected very few plants lately. One or two
days I spent in making up some stray sheets and plates of
Roscoe's Monandrian Plants into four copies as complete
as possible. The first, the most perfect that can be made,
has all the printing, but wants nineteen plates, some of
which Lucy will copy for it. I have, of course, looked well

22 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 17.

through the book in doing this, but though it is very splendidly
executed, I should think it was not of much use as a
botanical work, since grandpapa's arrangement is not men-
tioned in the Penny Cyclopedia (Art. * Scitaminaceae '). He has
made also a great mistake in defending the Linnaean against
the natural system. The former is no better an arrangement
of plants than that would be of animals which made the
classes depend on colour, as the white class, red class, brown
class, etc. It might often happen that all of one natural class
were of one colour, and were in one class of this system, as
sometimes happens in that of Linnaeus, while the variations
in colour of single animals scarcely exceed those of plants
in the number of the stamens and pistils. Linnaeus has
acknowledged the imperfection of his system by making the
classes Didynamia and Tetradynamia, which are nothing more
than natural classes."

He returned to London at the commencement of the
college session in October 1852, and continued his journal
throughout the winter. On the 23d October he writes : " I
am now fairly at work again for my last session, and shall
try to get through a good deal of work, but rather with the
intention of enabling myself to go on easily afterwards than
of finishing up. During the first week and a half I had only
chemistry, but though this took very little time, I got
through little else, except reading the first three chapters of
De Morgan's Trigonometry, and a few other things. In
chemistry I began by reading the subject of the lecture up
in a number of books, as Graham's Chemistry, * Heat ' in
Encyclopedia Metrop., Library of Useful Knowledge, etc., but
I found that while I got but little new from so many, it
confused me very much, so I have left it off. In reading
difficult mathematical things I found that the best way to
make them out was to go over them very carefully for two
or three days together, instead of puzzling yourself for
several hours to understand one sentence or one mathe-
matical transformation.

"On the 1 5th, Thursday, was the introductory lecture
of the arts, by Professor Clough, on the Literature of Eng-
land, but I did not make much out of it. The next morning
I attended De Morgan's higher junior, and had the usual

*T. 17. ORIGIN OF SPECIES. 23

lecture on our necessary notions of ratio, with which he
always begins. Professor Potter in the afternoon gave us
an introductory lecture on Force, as the universal agent, as
in motion, heat, electricity, chemical action, etc. I also
began the long job of copying out De Morgan's tracts, with
those on ratio. I intend to do them all, as they come out
in my classes, because I think that whenever I work at any
of the subjects again I shall miss them very much ; I also
intend to have all De Morgan's books.

" A few days after I got here I went to the university at
Somerset House, and got my three certificates for the matri-
culation and an order to the bookseller for my prize-books.
I had to go several times to the bookseller, Richard Taylor,
but at last fixed upon Regnault's Cours dc Chimic, 4 vols.,
2 is.; Schleiden's Scientific Botany, 2 is.; and Lindlcy's
Vegetable Kingdom, with Glossary of Botanical Terms, about
35s. The rest of the $ being taken in the binding.

" I have had several rather learned discussions with
Harry about moral philosophy, from which it appears that I
am decidedly a c dependent moralist/ not believing that we
have any ' moral sense ' altogether separate and of a different
kind from our animal feelings. I have also had a talk
about the origin of species, or the manner in which the
innumerable races of animals have been produced. I, as far
as I can understand at present, firmly believe that all animals
have been transformed out of one primitive form by the
continued influence, for thousands, and perhaps millions of
years, of climate, geography, etc. Lyell makes great fun of
Lamarck's, that is, of this theory, but appears to me not to
give any good reason against it.

"3U* October. I have been working steadily all this
week at college. I have worked full nine hours a day,
chiefly at mathematics, which I get to like more as I attend
to it better. We have just finished what we arc to do at
present of double algebra and series, which I think rather
interesting though hard. In the higher junior class we have
been at ratio and fractions. I have finished copying out the
four tracts on ratio and the one on series.

"The chemistry has been going on very slowly and
stupidly, for we are only as far as gases, although we have

24 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^ET. 17.

gone over the last few subjects very quickly. The best way
to do well in the examination will be, I think, to work up
the whole of Graham, and some out of Regnault, etc., well, a
week or two before.

" In natural philosophy we have got to levers, but I do
not like either the class or the present subject much. I
have gone through the subjects in Potter's book.

" By myself I have given most of my time by far to
mathematics, and have done nearly all the exercises for both
classes. I have nearly finished reading Buff's Physics of the
Earth, and have also been reading the introduction to
Regnault's Chimic on crystallography, which I intend to
study in the Christmas holidays. I think I shall try to
make wooden models of the crystalline forms, and a
Wollaston's goniometer. I have bought a few minerals
since I came, but have chosen them badly. I shall spend
about five shillings more on them before Christmas, and get
chiefly those which are mentioned in the chemistry.

" I have long had a curiosity about the dark passage and
arches between the Strand and the river, so, having read
' The Strand ' in Knight's London, I went on Friday. The
first thing I saw worth mentioning was the * dark arches '
under the Adelphi, but the first time I only looked in, and
was afraid of going farther. Then after having a look at
the Savoy Chapel, the only remains of the old Savoy Palace,
I got down to the river below the arches by one of those
extraordinary passages to the boats, and took courage to
walk up through the arches. There were some women in
them then, and I read a little time ago in a newspaper of
some women who were found almost starved in them.

" Yesterday I made one of my excursions to Spitalfields.
I walked to King's Cross, from there by the New Road and
City Road to Finsbury Square, through Cannon Street to
Bishopsgate Street, and from there into Spital Square. The
appearance of the houses from the first was rather peculiar,
and the greater proportion of the houses have the large
weavers' windows running the whole width of the house, for
the top storey at least. It was some time, however, before
I found any of the wretched places I have heard so much
of. One narrow lane was the worst, I think, that I ever

;ET. 17. WALKS IN LONDON.' 25

saw ; almost every house had a dirty piece of paper in the
patched and dirty window, with ' Lodging for single men/ at
2d. or 3d. a night. The chief rooms of the houses, opening
of course to the street, were very small and exceedingly
dirty, and by the light of the fires, for it was getting dark, I
could see that there was nothing but a narrow bench or two
inside. Nothing looks more unwholesome, also, than the
crooked little back doors leading into a few filthy square feet
of yard behind each house. There were a few of the bird
traps on the tops of the houses so characteristic of the
Spitalfields weavers.

" But I was most astonished at the great many improve-
ments that arc going on tJtere. One wide road appeared to
have been lately cut right through the worst part, and on
either side I had an opportunity of seeing the backs of the
houses over the empty spaces where other houses had
been removed. In almost every street there seemed to be
some building, and south of Spicer Street I came upon a
whole batch of model lodging-houses, called ' Metropolitan
Chambers/ with churches, schools, etc., around them. In
another street I saw very clean, new, and handsome, though
small, swimming-baths. The people often looked exceedingly
wretched and destitute, but quiet and peaceful, and not the
blackguardly set that you generally see. I shall go again
soon.

"This afternoon I took a walk all over Westminster,
beginning at Charing Cross, down Whitehall, past the
Houses of Parliament, and as far as the Millbank Peni-
tentiary, where I turned up through the poorer parts. There
were several rather dirty narrow places, but great improve-
ments aie going on there also, such as the making of a
grand new road, the Victoria Road, through the worst
parts.

"Sunday, Jth November 1852. I have little to put
down this week, for I have done little but work quietly at
college, mathematics chiefly, and we have been doing series
the binomial theorem and logarithmic series. In the higher
junior we have just finished the fifth book of Euclid. I
never feel satisfied with my knowledge of anything unless
I have gone over it connectedly and systematically, and so

26 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 17.

I am writing out the fifth book, shortly but distinctly, with
DC Morgan's proofs. In the chemistry we have had three
or four lectures from Dr. Williamson instead of Graham.
The subjects have been oxygen and hydrogen, and I have
read them up in Rcgnault, as well for the chemistry as the
French reading. In natural philosophy we are near the end
of the mechanical powers ; it is very necessary to know all
this mechanics, of course, but there is very little interest
compared with what there is in any of the parts of chemistry.
The history class by Professor Creasy began this week, and
we have had three lectures from him already, from half-past
eight to half-past nine in the morning. It has been chiefly
about Grecian history, and will be for several more days, I
expect. I think I shall be interested in it, and though I
shall read pretty much, I cannot expect to do well in the
examination. I shall read a good deal of history after
leaving college.

"Monday, i$th November. Yesterday I explored Clerk -
enwell. I walked to King's Cross and by the New Road,
Hamilton Row, Bagnigge Wells, Guildford Place, and Coppice
Row to Little Saffron Hill. This I went down till near
Holborn, when rather frightened by the appearance of the
inhabitants of pickpockets, I dashed to the left and got to
the site of Hicks Hall in St. John's Road. From there by St.
John's Lane up to Clcrkcnwcll Square, Jerusalem Passage,
and Clerkcmvell Green, where the Session House is. After
examining this as well as the Close, Red Lion Street, and the
surrounding neighbourhood pretty well, 1 struck out north,
and having got as far as the neighbourhood of Northampton
Square, which is, I believe, a good specimen of Clerkenwell,
I returned by much the same way as I came. Clerkenwell
seems to be the seat of a great many little manufactures,
besides watchmaking, such as work-boxes, jewelleries, gems,
musical boxes, etc. The genuine Clcrkcnwcll has a quiet
respectability and industrious appearance, and must be
carefully distinguished from the neighbouring rascally parts,
which are the headquarters of the pickpockets and thieves of
London.

" Stinday, I gth December. The last Sunday before Christ-
mas has now come, and I must conclude my account of this

^ET. 17. THOUGHTS OF HOME. 27

term before turning my thoughts to the Christmas holidays,
and to home, which last, however, I hope they seldom leave.

" I have no walk worth describing this time, partly because
the dark comes on so soon in an afternoon now, and partly
because I have been pretty busy at home. I made an
attempt at a walk through Bermondscy the Sunday before
last, going to Fenchurch Street by railway, and walking
across London Bridge ; but it was nearly dark when I got
there. The narrow dirty streets looked so lonely that I was
frightened, and made my way as quickly as possible to West-
minster Bridge, and so home.

" On Wednesday I went for my botany prize-books from
the university, and was very much pleased by their hand-
some appearance. Regnault's Chimie I have been reading
a good deal lately, and I have nearly been through the first
volume ; but I hardly like it as much as I expected, as it is
chiefly on the practical, not the theoretical part.

" Sunday, i6th January 1853. Christmas and the
Christmas holidays have passed since my last date, and I
am again settled down for three months', perhaps six or
seven months' hard work. The last lectures at college were
on Thursday, 23d December, and on Friday morning at half-
past six I left for home with Harry, who was going to stay
a week or two with the Booths. I got home to dinner, and
found everything as usual, except that there was Herbert in
addition. Lately, I have found myself thinking more and
more of home, and now it is settled that this is to be my
last half year in London, I think more of it than ever, and
feel a kind of anxiety that the time may pass as quickly as
possible, and that there may be no alterations of any kind
in that home. My wish to be at or near home has been one
of my reasons for choosing a common business in preference
to any profession or other occupation, and I have felt as if i1
savoured of selfishness to leave home altogether and go and
take care of your own interests at some place a long way off

" It is now, however, settled finally, I hope, in my owr
mind as well as in papa's and Lucy's, that I am to go intc
some office at Liverpool. I have had doubts whether it wil
not be exceedingly difficult for me to acquire ready businesf
habits, but I think that after setting my mind upon it for 2

28 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 17.

year before, I shall have sufficient determination to do it.
In every other respect I believe that my two years 1 colleging
in London will be a great advantage even in business. One
necessary will be that I should not think of my business in
the day-time and my work at night as on an equality, but
the latter as altogether subordinate, at least for a long time ;
not that I think it actually of less importance to success.
My plan of work, as far as I have thought of it as yet, will
be this : for the rest of this session I will give almost all my
attention to the following, and in the order in which they
are mentioned : mathematics, chemistry, natural philosophy,
botany, crystallography or mineralogy. For several of the
first years that I shall be at home I shall also give most of
my leisure time to science, because I know that to do a thing
well the mind should be engaged with it as singly as possible,
that is to say, when you arc thinking much about such
things as the theory of equations, diffusion, the atomic theory,
relation of the forces, etc., the mind cannot take such
interest in, and therefore cannot so well learn, history, or
Latin and Greek. The case is quite different, I believe,
when you are working for prizes or a degree, and not for the
sake of the knowledge.

" I shall, however, as soon as 1 am at home, begin to
work a little at French or German, and I shall, of course,
read more novels and common books than I do now. I shall
also amuse myself down in the cellar with chemical experi-
ments, making instruments ; which, however, I think are not
altogether useless amusements. After those years are past,
and when I shall be a man at twenty-two or twenty-three, I
shall make a gradual transition to literary studies, and espe-
cially history, though always keeping up my scientific know-
ledge a little. I don't know how far I shall be able to learn
any mathematics by myself.

" So much for all my grand schemes and anticipations,
which will be upset most likely some fine day. I passed
the Christmas holidays better perhaps than most of my
holidays on former occasions, but perhaps because there was
not time to get into my usual lazy way. We had the usual
Christmas dinner at our house. During the next week I set my
bench in order and began my * reflective goniometer/ which

MT. 17. WORK AT COLLEGE. 29

I had had in my head for some time. I made it entirely of
soft mahogany, zinc plate, and a few brass screws, but it has
succeeded, and is correct, I believe, to the tenth of a degree.
I had nearly knocked under to making and graduating the
dial, and I did not finish it till the last day of the holidays.

" I played the organ a good deal, especially out of the
Messiah. The New Year's Day dinner at St. James* Road
was decidedly pleasant, and well finished up by a good game
at blind man's buff. Almost every party I go to makes me
like dancing parties worse, but other ones rather better, so I
think I shall never be a dancer. I spent a part of two
evenings in looking over half of Mr. Archer's collection, and
I saw Philips, the great mineralogist, at the Medical Institu-
tion. I also bought three shillings and sixpence worth of
minerals from Wright, chiefly forms of carbonate of lime.

"Sunday, 2 $d January. Since I came to London at
the beginning of this term I have chiefly kept to my work,
and have therefore little worth putting down. I have been
twice to the British Museum, and find I can take as much
interest in the sculptures and other antiquities as the
minerals, etc.

" I have been wanting very much to get Mayhew's
London Labour and London Poor, as that is the only book I
know of to learn a little about the real condition of the poor
in London. I managed to root out a dozen of the numbers
in rather a dirty condition in a shop in Ilolywell Street, and
yesterday I bought them at a penny a piece. They will
lead, I expect, to a few walks this term.

" Last Friday 1 had a great treat in attending one of
Faraday's Friday evening lectures at the Royal Institution.
... As to college affairs, I am going on steadily and just as
usual. In mathematics we are just beginning the theory of
equations, and during the last week have got through Des-
cartes', Fourier's, and Sturm's theorems of the limits of the
roots of equations. They are the most truly difficult things
we have come to, and I do not thoroughly understand them yet.

" It is only about two months to the chemistry examina-
tion, and I am beginning to think seriously of it. The best
way to learn the metals thoroughly I think to be to make
a large table containing the composition, preparation, crys-

30 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 17.

talline form, etc., of each metallic compound. I began the
table last night. (It turned out a failure.) I have been
reading a good deal of Rcgnault's Chimie, and a little of
Daniell's Introduction to Chemical Philosophy, which, however,
I think a poor book.

" In the chemistry class we have only just begun the
metals, as we are very late ; we are to do the metals and
the organic together, which I do not think a good way.
Before the examination I shall read most of Graham, some
of Licbig's Letters, work at parts in Gmelin's Handbook, read
a good deal of Regnault, etc.

"In Potter's class of natural philosophy we have been
engaged since the beginning of the term with electricity.
He does the experiments magnificently, but gives us a
minimum of all theory, which consequently I have to read
for myself. I must read and work an awful deal for this
class after Easter.

" 1 now and then read a little of Schmitz's Greece, but I
get on very slowly, and shall not go into the examination.

"Sunday* ^th January. On Friday night I was again
at a lecture at the Royal Institution by Dr. Williamson.
The title was ' On some recent Discoveries in Organic
Chemistry.' At college we have been doing very hard
things in the theory of equations, which puzzle me awfully.
In natural philosophy we have finished electricity and begun
voltaic electricity. I have nearly finished reading electricity
in Library of Useful Knowledge, am half through Sir Snow
Harris' Electricity, and am at the same time reading in
chemistry two volumes of Regnault, Liebig's Letters, now
and then a little of Graham, Schmitz's Greece, etc., more
than I have read for a long time.

"Sunday, 27 th February. I have now a whole month
to make up, although several important things have happened,
which I ought to have put down long since, and would have
done perhaps, if my last one or two Sundays had not been
rather engaged.

" Soon after the beginning of this month we heard that
my uncle, F. Hornblower, was very ill of rheumatic fever,
and as he had for some time been very poorly and weak, it
was considered dangerous. In a day or two he died, from

AT. 17. CHOICE OF FUTURE WORK. 31

the complaint reaching the heart This news was particularly
sad on poor Aunt Jane's account His funeral was from
our house at Liverpool. Aunt Jane has been living there
ever since, and I should think will continue to do so as long
as she lives. I have known Uncle Hornblowcr better than
any of my uncles, almost as much more as I have known
Aunt Jane better than any of my aunts, and he has always
been particularly kind to me. Several years ago (I think
about five or six) I used to dine every day at his house in
Falkner .Street, at the opposite corner to our present house,
while I was at the Mechanics' Institution. Since that I
have spent many weeks at his house at Nantwich, which
have always been very pleasant ones. The last time was in
October.

" About the middle of the month I received from papa
one of his business-like letters, which I like to get better than
any others, on the important subject of * What I am going to
be, 1 as the phrase is. I had before made up my mind to be
in some commercial business, but in this letter he advised
me to choose some one which I should be more able to like
for itself, and proposed the iron trade. This letter, of course,
set me to think very seriously, as now one of the greatest
questions of my life was to be settled once for all. I had
before thought of some of the reasons which he gave, and
having had the same advice from several other people, I was
not long in fixing to be a manufacturer of some sort, putting,
however, an ironmaster's business out of the question, because
it would not suit me at all well, and would, besides, take me
from home for the rest of my life. Now, however, I have
the great pleasure of thinking that, as far as can be known
at present, it is determined I shall not be away from home
more than six or seven months longer. It can hardly be
conceived, I think, how many pleasures, and still more how
many real advantages, I should have lost by leaving or, I
may say, losing my home at once. The choice now is
between a sugar refinery and a soap, chemical, or some other
sort of manufactory, and an indispensable condition is that
it be in Liverpool. I shall probably go into the Birkbeck
Laboratory next term.

" About a week ago there was a rather hard frost, and

3 2 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. *ST. 17.

skating began vigorously as soon as the ice bore. On
Saturday, ipth, I skated for two hours on Regent's Park,
where the ice, however, was very bad, and in the afternoon
for about two more on the Serpentine. At the latter place
I enjoyed it especially, as, besides plenty of tolerably good
ice, there were crowds of people everywhere, which always,
I think, increases the fun, and the excitement now and then
of somebody falling in and getting saved by the Royal
Humane Society's men. On Sunday I went with Harry to
some ice near the railway station at Barnes, where we skated
for some time. The Monday before last we had some
capital fun at college with snowballs, chiefly in the storming
of the portico, which was defended by another party of the
students. The medicals had a fight in the streets with
blackguards, which ended in rather a serious row.

" On Friday, 1 8th, I went over a lucifer match manu-
factory, which I thought very well worth seeing, though it
was a dirty low hole. Harry wanted some specimens of
matches in different stages for a lecture which he gave last
Monday at the Spicer Street Domestic Mission, * On the
Use and Importance of Chemistry, illustrated by the improve-
ments it has produced in lucifer matches, bleaching, and
other things. 5

" I have got into a rather lazy way of working lately,
partly, I think, on account of the skating, etc., but am going
to set to work seriously for the chemical examination, which
is only a month off; we are now going through the organic
and the metals at the same time, on different days of the
week, and get on very well. I had hoped that when we
began algebraical geometry, as we have done now, we should
have had a little rest in mathematics, but the exercises seem
only to get harder and harder. The natural philosophy also
is very dull, being on hydrostatics, and, worst of all, the
history class begins to-morrow morning at eight o'clock.

u I have been one or two good walks lately, chiefly
among the manufacturing parts. One Saturday I went
from Waterloo Bridge eastwards along the wharfs on the
Surrey side, as far as Jacob's Island, which I found much
improved since I visited it about a year since. The ditches
had been filled up or arched over, and the streets were

*T. 17. WALK'S IN LONDON. 33

beginning to be filled. Another Saturday I started from
the same place, but travelled west as far as Vauxhall Bridge,
where I again crossed the river, and proceeded again in the
same direction nearly to Chelsea, whence I walked straight
home. Belvedere Road is full of small wharfs and manu-
factories, such as drain tile potteries, gas-works, slate-works,
bone -mills, glue, whiting, etc., manufactories. Yesterday
afternoon I accomplished still more. Starting from college
a little after two, I walked through the city and along
Whitechapel and the Commercial Road almost to the West
India Docks. I then turned up, and passing a good many
manufactories, reached Bow and got home by railway. I
feel as if I could see nothing with so much pleasure now as
a dirty pearl ash manufactory or tar distillery. I have
remarked that in Bermondscy, Tower Hamlets, and most of
the parts east of London Bridge, the streets are wide and open
showing, T suppose, that land is cheap but that the houses
arc very low, not always unhealthy or dirty, seldom more
than two low stories in height. These parts are very low and
wretched, but are not, as far as I could sec in the day-time, half
so full of busy vice and crime as St. Giles, Drury Lane, etc.

" Sunday, -$d April. On the 1 2th March I had a pleas-
ant walk from London Bridge through the close parts of
Bermondsey and among the tanneries, till I came into the
middle of the market gardens. I went down Blue Anchor
Road, and returned up the Dcptford Road to the Thames
Tunnel, whence I came home by the railway.

" Before Easter we were going through the conic sections
in the mathematical class, and I kept up pretty well in them
till near the end, when I partly left off working at mathe-
matics that I might have more time for chemistry. In
natural philosophy we went at a great rate through pneu-
matics, the air-pump, the steam engine, heat, and part of
acoustics, to none of which I attended much, except the last,
for which I am reading a little.

"A few weeks before Easter I got a letter from papa
with some money, and asking me to go to Liverpool for the
Easter holidays. I was very much astonished at it, but of
course said immediately that I would, though I should not
have more than a week.

D

34 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 17.

u Thursday, the day before Good Friday, was the first
day of the holidays, so on that day I went down. I
had a comfortable journey, reading all the way nearly the
whole of ' Les Corps Gras,' in Regnault. I did not find the
house turned so much topsy-turvy by Aunt Jane's illness
as I had expected, and everything seemed as cheerful as
usual. I soon found, however, that music was not allowed,
and, in fact, neither the organ nor the piano were opened all
the time I was in Liverpool.

"The greater part of the first morning I spent in a
walk with Tommy at Birkenhead, but I began a few
chemicals, practising a little at crystallising on nitre. On
Saturday morning I went with papa to call on a Mr. Nevin,
the manager of Steele's Soap Works in Sir Thomas Buildings.
Papa had seen a letter of his in the newspaper on penal
jurisprudence, so he sent him one of his books, and getting
to know his address, called on him. Sunday morning to
chapel, and the rest of the day at chemicals.

" On Monday morning Willy Jevons and I went over the
soap-works with papa. On Tuesday morning I went over an
iron shipbuilding yard at Birkenhead with Willy and Uncle
Timothy. The punching and shearing were neatly done,
but the carpentering machines were not at work. Mr.
Steele's head clerk, Mr. Ncvin, had given me a letter to see
a soda-works of his at Prestatyn near Rhyl, and on Wednes-
day papa and I went to see them, and it was fixed that I
should go straight to London from Chester. We crossed
to Birkenhead by the 9.45 boat, and got to Prestatyn
about one, going by railway to Chester, and from there
by the Chester and Holyhead Railway along the Wales
shore of the Dee. We saw over the works very completely,
and I got specimens of the materials and the soda ash in
different steps of the process. The process was almost the
same as I had learnt it from Graham, but the only way to
gain a good idea of the manufacture is to see it. After
dinner we returned to Chester by the railway, and papa
there left me, while I went on at six to Crewe, passing
Beeston Castle and the Nantwich station. From Crewe to
Birmingham I went by the South Staffordshire Railway,
except between Crewe and Stafford, passing through the

;ET. 17. IN THE LABORATORY. 35

middle of the iron district, where there were numberless iron
furnaces, two or three together, blazing away on either side
of the railway, and lighting up the sky ; this part of the
journey was long and troublesome, but pleasant, because it
was new to me. Getting to Birmingham after ten, I found
that the train for London started from another station, and
I was perhaps nearly an hour walking about the streets
(which did not appear to me at all fine) to find it I then
exceedingly enjoyed some tea and ham at a coffee-house
I found open, and set off for London at 12.15, getting home
without further trouble at about five in the morning, having
been out quite eighteen hours, the greater part too on the
railway.

" Till the next Tuesday I had none but the chemistry
class to attend, and I had then great doubts whether I
should go into the chemistry examination or not. At last
I resolved I would make an effort and go in, come what
would, and the result was that I answered the eleven ques-
tions in eight hours, quite, I believe, to my own satisfaction,
but I do not yet know how much to the satisfaction of
Graham.

" The next day I entered the laboratory, to which I had
been looking forward some time, but I did scarcely anything
the first day but get my apparatus, clean my bottles, and
arrange my bench. The next day I was set to try the
reactions of antimony, tin, and arsenic ; and after being a
few days over these I had to separate them from a common
solution, which I found a long and troublesome process.
One day, while making arseniurctted hydrogen, I suppose I
breathed a little, for I was ill and sick after it a real case of
poisoning by arsenic. After this I began the regular course
of analysis, which I found far better, having merely to find
out the salt in a particular solution, and then try its
reactions.

"I expected Potter's class would be better when on
Light, but it is duller than ever. In mathematics we are
just beginning the differential calculus, at which I am
going to work very hard at nights. I am seriously thinking
of making an effort for both the natural philosophy and
mathematical examinations, seeing how well that for the

36 W. STANLEY JEVONS. SET. 18.

chemistry succeeded ; but I have very little time to work,
and can only expect a low certificate in the latter class.

" I took my first proper botanical walk yesterday in
some fields at Hampstead, where I got four ranunculacca,
primroses, and a specimen of daisy. I have bought a map
of the environs fifteen miles round London, which distance
only I intend to be the limit of my numerous projected
excursions this summer."

There is no further entry in his journal until the 29th
January 1854, when he writes : " From several causes,
among which laziness, business, and the want of the book,
are some, I have not written a word since last April. 1
must now therefore give a history of these last nine or ten
months, about which I can perhaps remember now as much
as I shall ever want to read again.

" During the last two months at college I attended
chiefly of course to the laboratory, though working at
Potter's and trying to keep up in DC Morgan's. With
analysis, as has always happened to me in practical chem-
istry, I did not succeed quite so well as I might have done,
much to my own disappointment, and I had regular periods
of disgust with the laboratory. I got through (rather slowly,
however) nearly all the * bottles ' and did several quantitativcs,
which were neither very bad nor very good, which with a few
preparations was all my work. But I consoled myself with
thinking that it was the first three months I had learned [in
the laboratory].

" I worked up well for Potter's examination, not keeping
merely to what was sufficient to get the prize ; and having
De la Rue's electricity, I learned much more on that subject
than was necessary. I had no difficulty with the mechanics,
sound, light, electricity, except a little I missed in hydro-
statics and a mistake or two about telescopes, but was not
so much up in astronomy a newer subject to me. On
waves I answered a good deal. Mathematics was a much
harder affair, of course. Some time before the examination I
formed some desperate resolutions as to the place I would
get, and I did work up 1 a little. I tried very hard in the
examination, but spent too much time on the hard ones, and
came out fourth. Since Easter I had been thinking a great

*ST. 18. A CHANGE OF PROSPECTS. 37

deal of again living at home, and looked forward to it as a
great happiness.

" Now came the most sudden and important change of
prospects I have ever had. On Friday afternoon, about a
week before I was going to leave the college and go home,
Harry [his cousin, Henry Roscoe] said he had a very ex-
cellent and unexpected thing to tell me. This rather sur-
prised me, as I hoped it would be as pleasant as good, and
I was rather horrified and disappointed when he told me
going home that it was the offer (as I understood it then) of
the assayership to the new mint in Australia. There was
scarcely anything that could be more distant from my wishes
then than to emigrate, and that, together with the responsi-
bility and difficulty of such a place, made me think at once
that it was perfectly impossible. This I told Harry at once,
and I even made him partly agree with me. I also remem-
ber congratulating myself for some time after upon the very
quick and strong decision I had shown myself capable of
making upon any great occasion.

" I at once, of course, wrote to papa about it, but had
the disagreeable job next morning of speaking to both
Williamson and Graham about it.

"Williamson, it appeared, had recommended me to
Graham as the one best fitted in the laboratory for the
place. I thanked them both, but said I thought I should
hardly take the offer, as I did not wish to go so far from
home, and hardly felt old enough for the place ; but I said
that of course I must hear from my father before deciding.
This, it afterwards turned out, was a very necessary pro-
vision. On the Sunday I went a quiet wall*, and thought
but little about the affair, considering it quite impossible.
Once or twice perhaps a sort of vision came into my head
of independence, a large salary, and a position in society,
etc., at the age of eighteen, but did not make much im-
pression.

" Harry told me next morning that Williamson had been
speaking to another student about the place, and that if I
had any thoughts whatever about it, I ought to say some-
thing more decisive. I did not think that there was the
slightest chance, but about an hour afterwards I got a letter

38 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 18.

from papa asking me to consider, and saying that though
he would hesitate as to my taking it if I had to leave
England for good, he did not see such a great obstacle in
leaving for some years together. I told this to Graham,
and asked for a few days to consider and decide, and, as my
father wished, packed up at once and left for Liverpool.
I remained at home from about the Tuesday to the Satur-
day, a sufficient time, as it appeared, for me to change my
mind as to the leaving home, but not to get rid of another
objection, that of not thinking myself quite old enough for
and equal to the position. I talked very little to any of
them and they said very little to me, so that I was con-
vinced merely by knowing what my father and the others
thought, and by thinking about the thing myself.

" On returning to London I lived for a short time again at
Aunt Henry's. On the Monday I saw Graham, with whom
I wrote a letter of application to Captain Ward, the master
of the new mint at Sydney, through whom the appointment
would be made. I at once went into Graham's own assay
laboratory, which I had fully expected would be the case,
though it was merely from his own kindness, and at consider-
able expense and trouble to himself. On being taken over the
rooms and seeing the quantity of particular apparatus neces-
sary, and the numbers of things to be attended to, I felt
very much alarmed, so much so that at last I determined to
put as much of the responsibility of the acceptation as
possible off my own shoulders by telling Graham plainly
that I was afraid of undertaking it, after seeing in what the
work consisted, and the extent of the arrangements I should
have to make for setting up an assay office in Australia,
lie only laughed, and I did not know how to make any
further objection. Accordingly I set to work to learn the
assaying, and, after a little, joining in the regular business of
the laboratory.

" At this time I lived in solitary lodgings at Camden
Town (No. 1 3 Albert Street), and though rather troubled
with business, I remember the time without displeasure.
Occupied during the day at college, or about town buying
apparatus, I spent the evenings very agreeably in reading.
Geology was the subject I chiefly attended to, and De la

*:T. 18. DEPARTURE FOR SYDNEY. 39

Beche's work on Geology, Observation, and Comparison with
Changes now going on, the work I chiefly read."

At the beginning of February 1854 Stanley went to
Paris for about two months to study assaying at the French
mint. It was the first time that he had been out of Eng-
land, and the journey to Paris was full of interest to one so
keenly observant as he was. He stayed at a pension, 59
Rue de Lille, and went every day to the mint, where he
practised silver as well as gold assaying. In a letter to his
father, written towards the close of his stay, he said that he
had learned much. His leisure time he devoted to seeing
as much as he could of Paris and the environs, especially
Versailles, of which he wrote home a long account. After
satisfactorily passing an examination at the mint he returned
to England, and made a brief stay in London to finish the
necessary purchases of apparatus which he had to take out
with him to Australia. He then went to Liverpool, remain-
ing at home until he sailed.

His journal has plainly shown with what happiness he
had looked forward to living at home again, and there is little
need to say how much it had cost him to accept an appoint-
ment in Australia ; but though it was chiefly done in defer-
ence to his father's wish, he never regretted it in after life,
and he acknowledged at the time the force of the reasons
which made the appointment too good a one to be refused.
It not only relieved his father of any further expense on his
account, but put him in a position to help his family, if
necessary, in the future. Though he was not yet nineteen,
his father could let him go so far away with the fullest con-
fidence that he would do well, for, as Mr. Jevons said about
this time, Stanley was "a son who had never given his
father one hour's anxiety." He was so quiet and reserved
in the expression of his feelings that he said but little of
the sorrow he felt in leaving home; but it was none the less
apparent to his family. He shrank from the leave-taking,
the pain of which was prolonged by the departure of the
ship Oliver Lang being delayed day after day. He was
glad at last to go on board, and on the 2pth June 1854 he
set sail for Sydney.

CHAPTER III.
1854-1859.

The Ship " OLIVER LANG,"

i \th September 1854.

" DEAREST FATHER As we are now in pretty nearly the
last week of the voyage to Melbourne, it is high time to be
beginning some sort of an account of it, to let you know how
pleasantly it has been passed by myself, or how unpleasantly
by others. ... In the Tropics it was certainly often ex-
tremely hot, but we felt it less than I expected, and the
delightfully cool evenings made up for the days. For two or
three days near the Tropics we had rather curiously in the ,
middle of a dead calm a very large but low swell, which
shook the ship about in a most uneasy and uncomfortable
manner it must have been caused by a storm just before.
I can remember perfectly some of the splendidly fine days
we had in the Tropics when we were lying on the deck under
the awning all day, reading, playing draughts, or cards, etc.,
after tea, watching the sun set and the moon rise, and then
sitting out in the night till late. Sometimes the sun went
down quite alone without a cloud all over the sky. More
often there were clouds of all variety of shapes. One time
the sky all round was covered with bright fiery-coloured
clouds, which, being of a scattered shape, looked exactly like
ridges of flames ; another time there were splendid moun-
tainous masses of cloud about the sun, with others of different
shapes and colours about the sky. Besides the clouds, there
were the tints of the sky, which were very beautiful, chiefly
singular greens, every variety of reds and oranges, and, after
the sun set, a very beautiful rose or pink tint. Not to tire

-ET. 19. VOYAGE TO SYDNEY. 41

you as we were tired with too much fine weather, I must
come to the gales. We saw a little of the sort on the 22d
of August, but on the 24th at 10 P.M. began the strongest
Though the captain had fully expected it, he had, according
to his usual custom, kept all sail out. One topsail was reefed
by the men very slowly, but they as good as refused to reef
the two others, though ready hauled up, and accordingly they
were both soon torn ; three of the stay sails had been split
at the first, and the three jibs were torn completely to shreds.
These, with one royal, made nine sails more or less injured.
The next day a different gale came on at 10 A.M., and we ran
all day before the wind with only the mainsail and foresail
set, looking more like a wreck than anything. A very heavy
sea, of course, rose, and the large waves rolling in astern,
and leaving by the head, looked very grand, and more like
rather distant mountains and valleys than anything else.

" On 4th September and the night before we had another
tremendous gale, during which five or six more of the prin-
cipal sails were more or less torn, including the mainsail and
foresail. About this time, too, we had plenty of hail and
snow, and water often froze on the deck.

cc Since then we have only had one other gale worth
mentioning, on the 9th, but the captain had taken in sail
before it began, and we ran quite safely and without injury
through it with closc-rcefcd topsails. Studding sail booms
have been carried away without number from time to time,
and two of them by dipping into the waves and snapping
off with the force of the ship's motion. I always said that
the ship could not be rigged well in such a short time as it
was, and it is quite proved now by many things which
are defective. Most of the iron-work is of the most horrible
iron, and this is the chief cause of the loss of so many sails,
as well as of the falling of two of the topsail yards, though
luckily not down to the deck.

" We have, of course, had the usual succession of fishes
and birds to amuse us. We wondered for a long time at
the porpoises, until at last some dolphins were seen, a small
one of which was caught by a line. In the Tropics we saw
thousands of the small white flying fish, sometimes chased
by porpoises, and at length a shark appeared with his two

42 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 19.

pilot fish. He swam round the vessel for some time, but
was caught, with some difficulty. Several others were
caught from time to time, but the best sport was with
the last one he appeared in the middle of some Cape
pigeons he was trying to catch, but soon came up to the
ship. The hook with a large piece of pork was put over the
stern, and we saw him slowly turn over twice and take it in
his mouth. He was not, however, hooked till the third bite,
when he was hauled straight up and dragged away to be cut
up. He was about five or six feet long, and had a pigeon in
his stomach, swallowed whole.

" We have had Cape pigeons following the ship now for
nearly a month. They are very pretty black and white
birds, of the shape of a pigeon, and fly about the stern in
great numbers. Among them arc nearly always several
albatrosses. We have seen none of these of a white all
over, and most are of a dull black, but they are magnificent
birds, floating about in the air with the greatest ease, and
without even moving their wings, which I have scarcely ever
seen them flap. I have had very poor luck with my lines.
We had some very pleasant meetings with ships till the bad
weather began, since which we have not seen one. On the
23d of July the Fletcher, from London to New Zealand,
came up to us, and ran a race for several days, falling back
at last. There were often two or three in view at the same
time, but there was no chance of sending a letter back.

" To come now to the first cabin passengers, it is no
easy matter to know how to tell you about the continual
quarrels. They have affected me very little, as I have been
on friendly terms with almost everybody, but even con-
sidering that we are all Australian emigrants, and that most
are only second cabin passengers turned into the first cabin,
I could scarcely have conceived that so much jealousy and
hatred, as well as petty quarrelling, could have been crammed
into such a small place as this cabin during three months.
.... I kept clear of everything, till finding that Mr. Lane
was not the one in fault, and that he was a gentleman well
worth knowing, I became more intimate with him. Mr.
Lane is from Cork, but has lived twenty years in different
parts of France, so as to have taken completely the appear-

^T. ig. FELLOW PASSENGERS. 43

ance of a Frenchman. He has been lately professor of
literature (English, I suppose) in the College of Amiens.
He is therefore a very well educated man, and knows a great
many of the first men of France. I have had a great many
very pleasant talks with him, but he has rather extraordinary
political opinions, being a regular republican, engaged a
little in the revolutions at Paris, as well as the Irish Rebel-
lion. He is going to Sydney to see his father, and I shall
therefore probably see something more of him. Mr. Newton
is the one I care most for after him. He is a working
engineer, at one time an engine-driver, but a very superior
man. He has been engaged making the mint machinery,
and is sent out to see it put up. After that he will remain
there on his own account, but will probably be employed by
the mint. As he is such a sensible, pleasant man, I shall
try to get him to let me lodgings in the house he is going to
take for his wife and family, and I should then, I expect, be
comfortable enough. I should even, if possible, like to have
my laboratory in the same house, but 1 cannot tell how it
can be settled till it comes to the fact.

" About John Anderson, my chum, I need only say that
he is as good a fellow in every way as I could wish to know,
but he is going to a farm near Sydney, and I shall not see
very much of him. Mr. Day, a retired old grocer and
butter dealer from Shoreditch, London, is one of the kindest
old men I ever knew. lie has told me so many tales
about all he has seen and done in London that I think
I could write his Life. He is a great cribbage player, and
I have had some very pleasant games to help over the long
evenings, reading being impossible. Mr. Day is going to
Melbourne, as well as Mr. Grylls, a young solicitor, and a
sporting gentleman. Mr. Clarence (alias Joseph) Holt is a
very amusing sort of man, but not from his acting, which
is all tragedy. He is in a state of the greatest fear during
the gales, standing in one corner of the cabin and asking
everybody who passes what they think of the danger. The
second cabin passengers are, on the whole, a very disagreeable
set, though Charles Bolton's * chums are amongst the best of

1 The young man whom he took out as an assistant. He was a younger
brother of Stanley's nurse, who remained a valued servant and friend to the family.

44 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 19.

them. The third cabin and intermediate passengers, on the
contrary, are the best behaved in the ship. I have read
very little, a thing nearly impossible on a ship, but have
spent the time chiefly in watching the weather and such
things, talking, and playing draughts and cards. In the
fine weather, especially in the Tropics, this was all very
pleasant, but since the stormy weather and long nights
began it has got more tiresome. Twenty -four hours of
some of the gales we had is enough to tire anybody out,
from the motion of the vessel, noise, and wet ; and I can give
you no idea of what scenes there sometimes were at dinner,
when, with a sudden lurch, hams, fowls, loaves, and cheeses,
would roll off the table ; water, soup, gravy, etc., would spill
over you ; and the knives and forks would fly into the corners
of the cabin.

Off PORT PHILLIP HEADS,
22 d September 1854.

" At last we arc in sight of land, and lying several miles
outside the harbour, with the pilot on board, and all anxious
to get in, but without a breath of wind to take us in. We
were expecting land all yesterday, and at seven o'clock in
the evening the revolving light on Cape Otway was seen
right ahead of us. The first land or mark of any sort that
we had seen since we lost sight of Cape Clear. We hove to
ten or fifteen miles from it, in order not to reach the Heads
too early in the morning, and you may imagine what a
pleasure it was to feel yourself near land, the Heads being
then just in sight. The pilot came on board at eight o'clock,
but the breeze had gone down entirely, and we therefore did
not attempt to enter. At six o'clock P.M. a light breeze
sprang up, which brought us just within the harbour, where
we are anchored close to two lighthouses on Shortlands
Bluff. The air now has a very distinct and pleasant smell
of the land, and the water is of a dull green instead of its
usual deep blue. We shall start to-morrow morning for
Melbourne, which is still forty miles off. The coast on the
western side of the entrance is very like that near Liverpool
in appearance, with a small hill exactly like Dinas Dinlle,
near Carnarvon ; on the other side it is more uneven and
rocky, with a range of hills in the distance. With the

r. 19. ARRIVAL IN SYDNEY. 45

lescope I can see very plainly the scrubby dark-coloured
ees and the dull green hills just above the beach. The
ly is very fine and warm, and I should like nothing better
ian a walk among the rocks and trees. There are splendid
ieces of branched red sea-weed floating on the water, which
low me what to expect. Since I wrote last we have had
MTIC more stormy weather, particularly a very heavy gale
n the night of the 1 4th, and a very sudden and violent
juall on the 1 8th. One day a shoal of large grampuses
assed us, which looked very singular with their great round
louts slowly rolling out of the sides of the waves. On
le 1 4th and i6th we had fine displays of the aurora
ustralis, which were much finer than anything I have seen
f the sort in England.

MELBOURNE,
Sunday, 24/7* September 1854.

" Here we are, anchored a mile or two from Melbourne,
nd near enough to the shore for us to examine by the
elescope the manner of life in Australia. The appearance
>f the houses in Richmond and Williamstown, which we see,
s very strange and ugly, and tents are very common. The
and round Melbourne is flat and not very inviting, but there
ire ranges of hills all round in the distance very similar in
ippearance to the Carnarvonshire mountains. I shall very
>robably go on shore to-morrow, and I have rather luckily
nade out Caldwell, Train, and Company's name on a large
Duilding at the water's edge. . . ."

On the 6th of October 1854, after a voyage of a
lundred days, the ship Oliver Lang anchored off Sydney ;
md on the i6th of October Stanley wrote to his sister
Lucy : " The passage from Melbourne was a very long and
tedious one for the distance, and we were for five or six
days continually expecting to be at Port Jackson the next
day. At last we got up one morning with the port in sight,
and I was quite disappointed to see nothing but bare per-
pendicular rocks and barren hills. I could not understand
all I had heard about the beauty of Port Jackson till we got
quite into it. Then I thought it really the most beautiful
place 1 had ever seen. You must imagine an ornamental
lake something like the Prince's Park, one of a very large

46 W. STANLEY JEVONS. <ET. 19.

size, with a continual succession of bays, creeks, points, and
islands. The banks are everywhere old rocks overgrown
with bushes and trees with very neat gentlemen's houses
here and there and when you get to the shore, the rocks
under water are covered with sea-wccds and oysters and
other shells. Altogether it is the most beautiful bit of
scenery I ever saw, the different views of bays and points
being endless in number. When I got into the town I was
glad to find it looked such a pleasant old place, most of the
streets being something like those of an old English town,
though the verandahs round many of the houses give it a
curious appearance. In the day-time I have not been able
to sit still for a whole hour together, I am sure, but have
been perpetually walking about town or else in the Domain.
The latter is a sort of natural park the best part lying
along the side of Woolloomoolloo (can you spell it ?) Bay.
It is very beautiful, with its rocks and gum-trees, the shore
being rather like that at the Dingle [near Liverpool], the
water, however, washing up to the rocks, and with no tide
worth speaking of. A part of the Domain is separated off
as a botanic garden. There is no conservatory there, for
bamboos, India-rubber trees, prickly pears, and other tropical
plants grow in the open air, and geraniums, roses, and all
the regular garden plants are flowering splendidly in the
spring. Fruit is another good thing here. The native
oranges and lemons arc very fine, and good ones at about
the same prices as in England, so that we eat a great
number, while the fruit loquats arc very cheap. These are
a sort of small apple with immensely large pips filling half
the inside, but they cat more like a half-ripe cherry than
anything else. We shall have peaches and grapes very soon.
I have been two or three times a short distance into the
bush, but shall soon go rather farther. In most places it is
literally nothing but bush right up to the shores near Sydney,
and if you walk a few yards into it you see a most extra-
ordinary variety of flowers and flowering shrubs. I was
quite astonished the first time Mr. Newton and I went a
walk ; almost every flower we met was a very pretty one,
but quite different from the last, till we picked, I should
think, thirty or forty different flowers in the course of half

;ET. 19. PREPARATIONS FOR WORK. 47

an hour. You may imagine what a collection I shall
have."

On the 1 6th October he also wrote to his father : " It
was fortunate that before I left England I had never ex-
pected the mint to be ready till about Easter, for otherwise
I should certainly have been disappointed to hear that the
building had hardly been begun (only six weeks since), that
rents were enormously high, and that there was very little
other assaying to do."

By the terms of the appointment of the two assayers to
the mint, they were to have their own assay offices, and
might undertake assays for banks or for private persons as
well as for the mint. The first object therefore with Stanley
was to find a place in which he could set up his apparatus.
After a considerable search, in which he was aided by his
friend Mr. Miller, the other assayer to the mint, he found a
two-roomed cottage, 8 Church Hill, which he engaged at
the rent of 2 a week. Ho describes it to his father as
standing in a yard behind a warehouse, but close to the best
part of the town. He then continues : " As to the cottage,
I think we could hardly have made a better assay office
with all the planning and considering we had together. The
laboratory room, which has been a kitchen, has no ceiling,
but is open to the roof as well as along over the ceiling of
the other room. This will make it cool and airy, but the
ceiling of the small room, being floored above, makes a store-
room for everything I shall have to put in it. I think I can
manage to put up the cupel and melting furnaces without
disturbing the chimney and fireplace much, and the other
fittings-up and furniture will not be so expensive as you
would imagine. As to domestic arrangements, I am going
to buy a small sofa-bed to sleep in, in my private room,
while Charles will sleep somewhere about the laboratory or
loft. We shall probably cook for ourselves entirely, and I
have calculated that we shall live so cheaply in this way that
the whole expenses and rent will not be so much as con-
tinuing in lodgings. You will probably say that we shall
be uncomfortable living by ourselves in this way, but it must
be done, as I have not money otherwise, and it is not thought
at all an extraordinary thing here.

48 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *T. 19.

" There are some disadvantages about this cottage cer-
tainly ; it is an old tumble-down place with lots of cobwebs
and rats, and Mr. Korff has the lease for about a year more
only, so that I may then be turned out, though, as he says, he
will most likely have it again, and let it to me again. I shall
therefore make the least possible alteration or improvements,
and there would be less trouble in moving than perhaps you
would imagine."

On November 1 2th he writes again to his father : " The
fittings I have done in the laboratory since I wrote are
(besides the cupel furnace, which is put up in the corner)
building the melting furnace, making the laboratory table,
the work-bench and some other things, setting the balance
in order, and getting the gasfittings done. I daresay you
will wonder that I have done so little, and I am myself
astonished that work should take so long and be so tiring.
The melting furnace I built with Mr. Miller's help, and
though at first our brickwork looked rather crooked and
loose, it has turned out much better than I expected. The
draught is excellent, and will be better when everything is
finished, and the furnace is very convenient to work at. It is
bound together with sheet-iron corners and iron hoops ; next
it I have put up again the old oven, which may be useful.
The greater part of the chimney is stopped up with sheet-
iron. The gasmen have been at work now for two or three
days, and everything is done but joining on the service pipe
to the fittings inside, which will be done to-morrow morning.
.... By the end of this next week I hope to be really in
working order, which it is high time that I was."

In his journal he writes on the 5th of January 1855 :
" Time gets on fast, and I begin to feel the necessity of
doing something satisfactory, and of carrying out to some
small extent all the fine things I have imagined. In the
last eighteen months what serious advance have I made in
knowledge ? I made some progress in geology, of which I
was before that time quite ignorant, and I am gradually
getting some ideas in meteorology, and such half sciences,
but that good solid foundation of all other scientific know-
ledge mathematics I have attempted as yet in vain, and I
am afraid that I have lost the habit of studying, and cannot

^T. 19. REMOVAL FROM CHURCH HILL. 49

concentrate and direct my thoughts as I used. Still, I think
this is no wonder, considering the worry, anxiety, and labour
after common things and arrangements that I have had to
go through. These may have been useful to me, but any
advantage I may have derived from such changes and troubles
must be set down under a different head, for they have not
helped me on with study. For many months yet, too, I cannot
look forward to be settled and to have my mind free for the
subjects I wish. Of one thing, however, I am glad, I begin
to feel that liking for, and interest in, history, poetry, and
literature in general, which I always expected would come
to me some day. It is certainly a much less severe exercise
of the mind than the mathematical sciences, and I hope I
shall not get to indulge too freely in it.

" It seems rather strange to say so now, but I cannot
see that coming on such an errand as this to Australia will
at all benefit me ultimately. It is a perfectly decided thing
in my mind to be at home again in from five to ten years,
and as I have no intention of being nothing better than an
assayer or chemist all my life, I shall have to begin life on
a new bottom. Only I shall begin this second time under
considerable advantages, backed by a small capital (suppos-
ing everything to go on well here), my mind well formed
and its direction clearly determined, with a good many years
colonial experience of the world, which will be equal to double
as much home experience, and I hope with knowledge and
abilities which will enable me to get a good stand wherever
the standing-place may be."

He continued to live at Church Hill until the end of
April 1855, when he moved to the house of his friends, Mr.
and Mrs. Miller, at Petersham, a suburb of Sydney, and dur-
ing the rest of his stay in Australia he made his home with
them first at Petersham and then at Double Bay, where Mr.
Miller built a house. Of the latter place Stanley had always
a very pleasant remembrance, and spoke of it as the most
delightful situation in which he had ever lived. He describes
it in one of his letters.

When the mint got into working order it was arranged
that the assayers should have their offices in the building,
and should receive a fixed salary, giving up all assays for

50 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 19.

the public. They were also repaid for the expensive appa-
ratus which it had been necessary to purchase, and as Mr.
Thomas Jevons had advanced the money to his son for the
apparatus, and for the outfit, his son repaid him as soon as
he could.

This arrangement with the mint was much preferred
by Stanley, as it gave him fixed hours of work, and left the
rest of his time at his own disposal. At Mr. Miller's house
he passed the evenings in his own little study, occupying
himself with meteorology, reading, or music, except when
the mail was leaving for England, when his leisure hours
were spent in writing long letters home full of interesting
descriptions of his new life.

To his sister Lucy*

ANNANGROVE COTTAGE, SYDNEY,
28/7* May 1855.

"... I am now at my new, and I hope final, lodgings
here, and I have been here three weeks already. I have been
living, of course, in a more comfortable and civilised way,
but the chief comfort is, that I now have regular and mode-
rately hard work every day in town, after disposing of which,
I come out here to spend the evening quietly cither in my
own room or the parlour (for we have regained the long-
lost distinctions of parlour, drawing-room, sitting, bedroom,
kitchen, etc.) My little room will be much more comfort-
able when I have got a few more things for furniture. If I
get the first payment of my salary towards the end of this
week I shall probably buy a bookcase with glass doors to
keep my books and other things clean and out of the way.
Possibly I may even spend 30 in getting an harmonium,
as I wish very much to have a little music ; but this may
seem very extravagant. My life is now as active as it was
idle a little time since. I get up about eight, off to town at
nine, getting to the office by ten o'clock. The assays there,
if an easy batch, arc finished by four or five o'clock, and I
start off back for dinner. The distance to my office is quite
four miles, and I walk on an average six miles out of the
eight ; still, though quite fresh to it, I do not find it too much,
and am often ready in the evenings to cut firewood, etc. In

*:T. 19. DESCRIPTION OF NEW HOME. 51

fact, I am in most excellent health, and this place is a deal
better than Sidney for health. The road is one continuous
line from here to Church Hill viz., along the Parramatta
Road, Parramatta Street, and George Street, and a more dis-
agreeable road it is impossible to conceive dusty or muddy,
straight, and going through the hills by cuttings. It is
crowded in the daytime with herds of cattle and sheep,
bullock teams, drags going up the country, mail coaches,
omnibuses, diggers on horseback, etc. ; in fact, it is some-
thing like what the roads must have been in England before
the time of the railways."

To his sister Henrietta.

ANNANGROVE COTTAGE, SYDNEY.
\st Jitly 1855.

" I will now tell you a little about the house I am living
in here. It is a low neatly-built Australian -shaped house ;
the little dining-room is comfortable, and looks on to the road ;
the drawing-room is a fine room of three windows, comfort-
ably and handsomely furnished, and which would be admired
as a good room anywhere. My little room is awkwardly
shaped and placed, but being now furnished according to my
own ideas of comfort, convenience, and elegance, I am
thoroughly satisfied with it. At one end is the harmonium,
always open and ready for an occasional tune ; the book-
case is a really handsome one, with glass doors, standing on
a chiffonier containing a large drawer and fine cupboard to
hold large books, and other things.

"It is easier to plan than to perform things, but, of
course, when the work of the mint becomes easy and regular
I shall begin to think of long walks, collecting Australian
plants, etc Returning to home matters, however pleasant
life here may become, one does not look upon it for one
moment but as temporary. Everybody talks of home, even,
it is said, those who have been born here ; but whatever
other people do, home, you may depend upon it, 7 shall
come in due time. These thoughts occur to me now more
especially because last Wednesday or Thursday was the first
anniversary of the day on which I left home. If other
years pass as quickly as this seems to have done, and they

52 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JKT 19.

will no doubt pass quicker, the time will not seem so far
distant.

"... By the by, very fortunately, the day before yester-
day I found a delightful way to the town through woods and
dales instead of along a dusty road. I start off in the wood
at our back door, and walk through close tall gum-trees and
over picturesque rocks for a full mile, when I come to a
stream, an inlet of the harbour ; this is crossed by a bridge
formed of a large gum-tree which has been blown down and
fallen across it, a long row of bullocks' skulls being laid in
the mud as stepping-stones on one side: the view here along
the stream is also quite pretty, at least to Australian eyes.
Then another mile through bush land and trees brings me
within a few hundred yards of the omnibus stand at the end
of the town."

To his Father.

ANN \NGROVE COTl^GE, SYDNEY.
1855.

" . . . The first good news as to money matters is
Captain Ward's proposal of a fixed salary. To know that I
have really accepted and received the salary of 675 would,
of course, remove all your anxiety about my money affairs, for
I have been getting very low in pocket. I have now, however,
the pleasure of repaying instead of borrowing money, and am
sending i So, which is as much of the 200 granted for back
salary as I can well spare now. Before the end of the year I
shall no doubt be able to send some more, particularly if we
receive soon the 200 owing us for apparatus. I must say
the money has given me very little satisfaction, except that of
sending it home. Whether in the bank or in your pocket I find
IOO like a very disagreeable weight upon the mind, so I shall
be very glad when it is off my hands, though I hope safe in
yours. I don't know whether I shall feel the same with
respect to money always, but if so it is rather depressing. . . .

" We are not altogether without amusements here, and I
have been several times lately to the theatre to see Brooke
act. I like a play now as well as anybody, but it involves
a long solitary walk at night, which suggests revolvers and
convict highwaymen.

JEF. 20. BOTANY HIS FIRST SUBJECT OF STUDY. 53

" I am telling you now, however, very little of the assay-
ing. Even now, when so little gold is coming in, we are
very hard worked ; and if we had any large quantity of
coinage we should require additional assistants. It is the
common remark at the mint that the assayers are the hardest
worked of any. We have also not been altogether free from
anxiety about these sovereigns, but I have no doubt they
will be all right. They are now getting quite commonly
into circulation."

He writes in his journal, 4th November 1855: "For
pretty nearly as long as I can remember I have been
accustomed, as a habit, I believe, to the pursuit of some
particular subject, and when I think about it, it occurs to me
that I have had a regular succession of subjects, each of which
has had my voluntary attention for a year or two at a time.
Botany is about the first subject I think of; and to this I very
distinctly recollect my mother, of loved memory, trying to
direct my liking. In fact, at home are all the books, each of
which I can remember her giving me, and of the little micro-
scope particularly I can remember every circumstance. Botany
was for a long time, in fact till within a few years since, my
only voluntary study. From want of any other help than
books I got on very slowly, and I never had more than
the slightest knowledge of it, though a practical one. Still
1 liked it exceedingly, and no doubt the time was not lost
time.

" Up to the time of my going to London what a little I
knew of any science but botany ; I had tried to read a book
or t\vo on parts of natural philosophy (Library of Useful
Knowledge)^ but I knew not one fact of chemistry except the
recollection of one or two of Roscoe's experiments which I
treasured up in my mind.

" At University College School I took to chemistry, and
went on fiercer and fiercer at it till I got the gold medal at
college : the part of chemistry I liked best was molecular
philosophy, and this I followed out a little, though, from its
branching out into nearly all the other sciences, it was
a serious affair. One, crystallography, in particular I liked.

"While learning assaying in London, another science
rose to the top, i.c. geology, and I followed it through a few

54 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AST. 20.

books and two or three excursions near London and Paris.
Finally I have come to, and am pretty hard on, meteorology.
Buff's Physics of the Earthy recommended to us by Graham,
was the first book I read on it, and my first thermometer
observation was made in the half year before sailing for
Australia.

" I had a thermometer with me, and intended taking the
temperature of the air on the voyage several times a day.
However, I broke it in taking the temperature of the sea a
few days out, and then I was obliged to content myself with
what I could write down of the weather. A very short
meteorological journal I carried on throughout the voyage,
but I was ignorant of the proper meanings and distinctions
of the common names of the clouds, and had no means of
any exact description. Nevertheless I saw enough to interest
me very much in the clouds and several parts of meteorology,
and on landing I determined as soon as possible to begin a
proper series of observations.

" In the middle of January, about three months after my
arrival, I began, buying a maximum and minimum thermo-
meter. In such a place as Church Hill I was awfully
puzzled to know where to place it ; at last I put it in a thick
flat wooden box fixed against the wall of my cottage, and
surrounded on all sides by walls. There, if anywhere, it was
first-rately protected from the sun's direct influence, but what
fraction of the daily range it showed I cannot say. I made
my own barometer, and used it for some months, not caring
much for the bubble of air at the top Two observations a
day I took from the first, at 9 A.M. and r.M."

To his brother Herbert.

PKTERSH\M, NEAR SYDNEY, N.S.W.,
2Q/// November 1855.

"The mint goes on swimmingly now, 20,000 oz. being
an ordinary week's receipt Nevertheless I cannot say we
are overworked, for we get to do the assays very quickly,
and often do not work longer than from ten to three. Still,
when you add in everything that I have to do, it does not
turn out to be a very easy life.

" On the whole, however, I may say that we are getting

>ET. 20. LAST LETTER TO HIS FATHER. 55

on at Petersham better than ever we did before, and there is
nothing like an active life to be pleasant.

" These few nights I am very busily engaged copying 4
out a register of the weather kept on board the Maid of
Judahy from London, by the captain. It was the ship Mr.
Trickett came out in two voyages ago. I am copying the
whole for Trickett, as well as parts for myself. The observa-
tions are every two hours, but were made in a rough sailor-
like manner ; still, they are worth having. At the same time
we are having thunder -showers here, and the splendid
thunder-clouds cause me a deal of trouble in observation and
description, etc.

" A little time ago I was at a very jolly thing, viz. a
moonlight concert in the Domain. It struck my fancy as
the most enjoyable way of hearing music, from the place and
manner being completely natural. The Domain is a sort of
natural park, and you walk about it or lie on the grass in
the moonlight just as you like."

To his Father.

PETERSHAM, N.S.W.,

\Wi January 1856.

" I know that at any time you will be glad to have a
letter from me, and so, without any particular prospect of a
mail, I am going to write you a few pages. I have been
much occupied the last twenty-four hours with an incident
that occurred to me last night, and which I shall not easily
forget. On going upstairs to bed about 10.30 P.M., with a
candle, I had got but a short distance into the room when I
saw a long irregular black thing lying on the floor. I was
puzzled at first to think what it was, but a very few moments
of examination were required to decide the question, for it
was without doubt a black snake, and still further to con-
vince me, the thing began to move and to hiss ! To tell the
truth, I then went out of the room quite as fast as I came in
(as people say), and, to have him in safe keeping, shut the door.
On returning with Mr. O'Connell, provided with sticks, etc.,
for his destruction, we could see nothing of him, but ulti-
mately discovered him hidden in a corner under the bed,
from which being displaced, Mr. O'Connell soon killed him

5 6 IV. STANLEY JEVOXS. JET. 20.

with a few good knocks, but not before he had made a great
display of his wide-opened mouth and forked tongue. The
fellow was then found to be over a yard long, but though he
be no wonder himself, everybody acknowledges it to be the
most singular fact they remember of a snake getting into a
house, for besides crossing the yard, he had to go up several
stone steps into the lobby, and then up long, steep, and rather
awkward stairs into the room. Everybody says, too, that he is
a regularly poisonous rascal. It is well, however, that it was
as it was, for if he had simply moved under the bed before I
came in, I should have probably gone to bed with him under
me a very disagreeable thought. I have thus been giving
you an account of the affair as lengthily as if I had been
talking to you, and I do not know what for, unless for my own
satisfaction and amusement, but I hope not to your alarm.
It is singular that this is the first snake of any size that any
of us have met this summer, and in all probability I may go
to bed every day of my life and not meet a second.

"... Though often rather tired with assaying in the
midst of hot winds and the present awfully close weather, I
am very jolly and well. Last Monday I went a long walk
through the bush and sivawfs to the shores of Botany Bay,
but it is rather an uninteresting place, except for its associa-
tions, and I got back without anything worth relating. . . .

"Sunday, 2jth January. In many of your letters, some
months since, you noticed my having been to a dfjcnncr at
Dawes Battery last year, and seemed to take pleasure in
it. The same thing came off yesterday again, being a general
holiday for the anniversary of the foundation of the colony ;
but as Captain Ward, of course, knows ten times as many
people as he did then, it was on a much more extensive
scale. It was most excessively formal ; but I found it easy
to get on without being noticed for any peculiarity among
the number of people, and I was somewhat pleased to have an
opportunity of observing the Australian aristocracy. That you
may understand the occasion of thewhole affair, you must know
that the Sydney people, liking holidays, make the anniversary
day a good excuse for one, and the whole town turns out in
a way unknown in England, unless it be a Good Friday or a
Fast-Day. The chief attraction is the regatta, the principal

MT 20. DEATH OF HIS FATHER. 57

one of the year, and the points at Fort Macquarie and
Dawes Battery are crowded with people, as well as all other
places within sight. Captain Ward's house, on the top of
the point, has the best view of the whole ; and from the
pictures you have of the harbour you can imagine what a
really beautiful scene it is to see it covered with different
yachts and sailing boats, innumerable row boats, many of
the large coasting steamers strolling about with bands, and
full of visitors, and all the shipping and flag-poles fully
decorated with flags. Any one arriving from sea on a
regatta day must indeed think Sydney a fine place."

This last letter, addressed to his father, was never re-
ceived by him ; he had died in the previous November, but so
^ong did it then take for letters to reach Australia that it was
the 14th February before his son received the news. Mr.
Thomas Jevons was travelling in Italy with his eldest
daughter and niece. An entry in his son's journal says :
" Ai an hotel at Pisa, just at the commencement of his return
journey, he was suddenly seized, on the night of the 7th
November 1855, with an attack of cholera, and after severe
suffering, soothed only by the presence of his most dearly-
loved daughter Lucy, he died on the morning of the 8th."

A few days after the news reached him, Stanley re-read
all his father's letters to him, numbering them, and entering
in his journal the contents of each letter, and any remarks
which the chief passages called forth. Referring to the
letter dated i8th April 1855 he writes: "Next he refers
with evident pleasure to the improving condition of their
iron business, and also to his plans, which have since
acquired such a melancholy interest, of extending their busi-
ness to the Continent. It is evident, in fact, that he had
already made up his mind for a continental journey, which
he had long looked forward to as a crowning pleasure of his
life. In reading it, however much I might wish that he
were still living, 1 feel not even the slightest possible tinge
of regret at the plan. After many years of anxiety, trouble,
and sorrow, he found his affairs continually growing more
and more cheerful in aspect, and he died at a moment when
everything was prosperous and satisfactory, and himself in
the midst of the truest enjoyments."

58 W. STANLEY JEVONS. >KT. 20.

To his sister Lucy.

I4/// February 1856.

" A sad day indeed has this been to me, for the mail,
per Mermaid, this morning brought me numerous letters, in
which the one intelligence was the death of a father such as
ours was, far away from our common home, and that home
still farther off from me. Your letter (of 1 2th November),
I may truly say, has been a very great comfort to me,
written with so much feeling and love, which I know could
never be away from you ; but also in so collected and
thoughtful a manner, as could hardly be expected after such
a sudden and heavy loss, and in such desolate circumstances.
I thank you for it, particularly for portions of it assuring me
that my conduct and progress (such as it is) were to the last
a great satisfaction, nay, a great pleasure, to him. This forms
my chief consolation now, and will through life leave a
bright mark of joy upon his memory. This great loss must
of course alter for all of us very much our motives, duties, and
plans. For myself I feel as if I had very suddenly and almost
unexpectedly lost an object which for a long time has been
more and more a motive urging me to exertion, namely, to
please him whom God has just taken from us, and thus
partially to repay the affection which he has always shown
to all of us in such perfection and constancy ; the same
must be the case with each of us, particularly with you whose
part it has been so long to care and manage for him, and
whom he speaks of in one of his letters to me as acting as
his * right hand. 1 But you will stop me instantly and say
that, though he is no longer bodily present with us, we must
act on, in such a way as would give him pleasure still ; and,
besides this, that we still remain bound by the affections of
brothers and sisters. Nevertheless, one feels that the loss of
our last parent is like the removal of a rest upon which we
stood, and that now one enters the problem of life in a
wider, freer, but perhaps less cheerful sense. Such at least
it is with me ; but a little thought and habit will no doubt
bring things back to a more regular and proper course. . . .
You have mentioned his pleasure in reading my last letters
received in Rome. I wonder what those letters were ? I

MT. 20. LETTER ON HEARING OF HIS FA THER'S DEA TH. 59

am afraid my letters there were not so long and good as I
have since tried to make them ; and it is sorrowful to think
that my letters will still keep arriving at Chatham Street for six
months, and he no longer there to read them. You mention
some small gold coins which he was keeping for me ; they
will be kept as carefully as a small present I received in a
similar way through Uncle Dick from my mother. As to
any other things, I had better leave it altogether in your
hands. The drawings of parts of Pisa will be a very
thoughtful present of yours.

" As to the journey, it really seems as if the pain were
diminished by knowing that his life was terminated in the
midst of such really deep pleasure, almost happiness, which
I can well believe he took in great and interesting sights,
and as his letters and descriptions plainly show. From all
accounts, and my own knowledge, this journey has for some
time been a favourite design and object of his life ; and as
all pleasure and good is to be got only by exertion, and
as exertion must be accompanied by risk, thus alone has
arisen the occasion of his death. Also, if I understand
rightly his object in combining business with travelling, the
present state of affairs with America is near upon the point
of proving his foresight. He seems to have been excellently
attended in his short illness, and you were fortunate in
finding such a kind man as Dr. Lambe. ... As for myself,
I take it and bear it, I hope, as I ought. Beyond half
a day (Mr. Miller taking a box of assays off my hands)
it will not interrupt my usual business, and the people at
the mint will know or observe little more than the simple
fact. But it will be long before the current of my thoughts
in private can be turned from constantly dwelling on you
and the others now forming my much -changed home.
Thus have I given you with much more freedom than
perhaps I should on any less occasion all my thoughts
for the first few hours after getting the letters, and the
time spent in writing this is in the dead and quiet of the
night, which seems the plcasantest of the day ; for never
before did I feel more inclined to be and think alone,
unless indeed I could be in Liverpool ; and it is the first
time I have been able to consider things calmly and

6o W. STANLEY JEVONS. an. 20.

fully, and without the confusion of thoughts that one has
at first."

"Monday Evening, iSt/i February. Though my thoughts
have been almost throughout the day ever upon you and the
one sad subject, the work and other occupations of the day arc
now done and laid aside, and I sit down for a quiet think
and a quiet write. It is my way of bearing such a loss
without anybody near to sympathise with me. Last night
was the most beautiful night conceivable, or that in fact I
think I have ever seen. A cloudless sky, bright moonlight
casting shadows among the trees, and air so warm and yet
so pleasant that I sat out late at night, and felt no feeling of
chill. But the beauty of the weather only reminded me the
more of Italy, which this country is said to resemble most in
climate, and the very hot wind we had to-day is like the
sirocco. Thus I shall often be reminded while here, even
by the weather, of the place and beauties amid which our
father died ; and you no doubt too will similarly feel anything
reminding you of the scenes you saw when accompanying
him there. I must say I think of these things with feelings
scarcely to be called painful, so happy is it to be able to
know that at the last his life was ///// of pleasure and satis-
faction : when one thinks of it thus one could hardly wish it
otherwise, for the very taking of such a long journey shows con-
clusively that his mind was quite at ease as to money matters,
and free from other anxieties, except that indeed of getting
back safe for his children's sake ; and as to this he was saved
from pain by the shortness of his illness. Under this view, you
can, no more than I am sure that I should, feel regret about
this journey, or look back upon it with anything like pain.

" Dearest Lucy, you tell me * never to forget that home
will not have passed away because the head has gone.'
These words I shall remember, for they are intended to
remind me that your love and the others, as well as affec-
tions, perhaps, that we shall now more than ever feel the
value of, remain. Yes, home will always remain, and in con-
ception will have the same good, indeed heavenly, influence
over us in all places ; but how can we hope always to ' think
of it as of old ? ' for we must all feel that Providence often
separates those who love each other best, and that a family

LOVE OF HOME. 61

must often be broken up for its mutual advantage. I set
not my hopes, then, in living again in a settled home, for we
do not know how our lots may next be cast. In this /
particularly, have been well instructed, for, for three years I
lived the greater part away, and then when I would not
willingly have gone again, the offer of this affair made it
evident that on all accounts I must, and so I left for
longer than ever, but is it not sure that he felt much more
sorrow in sending me than I perhaps in going? In all
probability then, we must be contented with two things : I st,
we must treasure up the remembrances of home as it was
long ago ' of old, 1 and this I am sure will remain with me,
more than with most men, the happiest recollection of my
life ; 2d, we must still keep up a sort of ideal home formed of
the mutual affections of brothers and sisters, though distantly
separated, and surrounded by the kindness of other relations
and friends, and this home must take the place for the
younger ones, who most require it, of that more actual and
complete one that they have lost. Even as to this, who can
deny that it will even have a sort of completeness in feeling,
for how can we ever think of each other and not of our
father as well as our mother who died while yet / as well
as the little ones stood in need of her love and care, which
was supplied in feeling much in the way I speak of; and,
as we know, chiefly through yourself?

" Dearest Lucy, when I think of these things I begin to
feel as if I had a right to lament his death more than any of
you, for I have been away more, and was away during the
last year. Hence I almost think I must be actually less
acquainted with him than I should otherwise have been, and
it is after such a loss that we best learn the value of that
loss. But you would never think or believe at any time
that because I less knew and saw him, and was far away
on my own affairs towards his end, I any the less knew his
value, feel his loss, and now feel sorrow at his death."

To his sister Henrietta.

15/7* February 1856.

" One of the things I said in my letters, and which was
repeated again from home, was a sort of wish that home

62 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 20.

should remain the same as it was when I left it, so that my
idea of it then should remain continually true, but howfarother-
wise has it turned out in less than a year and a half. True
it was not positive hope, for every one is aware of the un-
certainty of life, if he have it not continually before his eyes ;
and as to papa, we know that he had already lived many
years, for which we have so much reason to be thankful.
Therefore I was not unprepared for letters such as yours
and the others, and I cannot doubt that in parting from me
he strongly felt the possibility, almost probability, that he
should never sec me more on earth. That parting day, when
I think of it, brings tears into my eyes more quickly than
any other circumstance ; not now alone, but each time that it
has come into my mind since I left, I have felt the manner
of that parting to be most touching. A whole afternoon,
my last one I believe in England, he stayed at home with
me, and near me, disregarding his usual business, and most
unmistakably showing the great difficulty he felt in allowing
me to go so far away and for such a time. And when
beforehand one is sure of a father's love, is it not the highest
proof and trial of its nature that it can thus allow its object
to remove and stay at such a distance, and with such a
possibility at his age of never being together again ? That
parting will always form my last personal recollection of his
love and goodness, and you can imagine that a book which
he gave me that day, his own library copy of my grand-
father Roscoe's life, and which he must have set the greatest
value on, will have with me now an accumulated value, and
shall always remain my own, though before I felt as if it
properly belonged to the house and not to me alone.

" Dearest Henny, for I am afraid I am writing in too
distant a manner, and not enough filled with others 1 sorrow,
I will address this letter more fondly to yourself. I am glad
you arc now just of an age to comprehend and distinguish,
as well as instinctively to feel, papa's goodness, love, and
worth ; and though your sorrow may thus be all the deeper
and more lasting, it will be full of meaning and understand-
ing. In this way the death of a father may well be made
to form one of the greatest and deepest lessons of our lives.
The ordinary course of affairs (in which let us hope that

^ET 20. ADVICE TO HIS BROTHER AT SCHOOL. 63

pleasure always predominates) is disturbed, the question of
life seems forcibly laid open to us, and one then perceives,
if ever, its inexplicable nature, its incompleteness. This
course of thought it is which leads us most irresistibly to
believe in a future life to come, for this life being unfinished,
the object unattained, we cannot but look forward to a future
existence in a more perfect state, certainly in an incompar-
ably happier one."

To his brother Tom.

id May 1856.

"I daresay you will hardly think how much I am interested
in your proceedings in London. It is from the great wish
I have that you should, in the best meaning of the word, be
successful, and obtain all the possible good from the new
course of life you are beginning. Being the youngest, you
were the one of us about whom my father had the fondest
hopes ; and, now he is gone, all the rest of us look forward
just the same to seeing those hopes fulfilled. Moreover, I
feel a great interest in a younger brother going through
exactly the same sort of life which I remember myself with
so much pleasure, and you must therefore write me now and
then a good long letter about everything you are doing at
school, everything you see in London, and what you arc
intending to do

" People, at all events many people, do not like to be
beaten, i c. surpassed, but this feeling may in some circum-
stances be overcome by better feelings. Therefore it is that
1 hope after you have been in London a year or two, that
you will leave me nothing to speak of, as to prizes and the
like ; but whatever you do I do not doubt you will do it with
the best of motives, i.c. to gain real good and worth, and
not in the least for show or the name of the thing. Stick to
the real solid desire of improving yourself, and in some way
or other, more or less direct, rendering yourself useful, and
then you need not care a straw about other persons' opinion
of you. It is the most comfortable thing in the world to
know yourself to be better than people think you, and it
gives you the truest ease of mind ; and this I have no doubt
is worth all the pleasure one can have in being considered a

64 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AST. 20.

clever fellow \ or a very jolly fellow, or even a very good fellou\
which are the commonest ways in which a fellow's worth is
measured and expressed in society. In short, do not look to
others' approbation merely. ... I did not think you would
have taken so high a place as to classes. But do "not think
too much of the place you have got in the school. In this
(as I believe in most other things), the rate of rise or im-
provement is far more to be considered than the point
actually attained. I was rather surprised, and, I must own
agreeably, to find you say ' All the masters mentioned
Stanley, Mr. Key himself included/ and I shall take an
interest in all you tell me about the old school. How do
you like old Mr. Travers ? I think he liked me better than
any, and he was rather grieved at not giving me his first
prize, but he gave me first mention, and a place equal with the
first boy, instead. London is a fine place, and while you
are in it make the best of it. You will do no harm in going
to plenty of exhibitions, all sorts of sights and the like ; and
they are no loss of time or money, provided they do not in-
terfere directly with your lessons. I remember I used to
think the Queen opening Parliament, etc., the best fun
possible, and used to try how often I could manage to see
her.

" When you are a little older I think you will find it very
well worth while to take walks through London just as you
would through a pretty country. The portions of London
are as distinct in appearance and character as the nations of
Europe, and they arc large enough to take long excursions
among them. I will leave all cautions to Lucy, who is great
at them.

" Living as you are with Aunt Richard, and among com-
pany, I am afraid you will grow too fond of parties and such-
like, but my real honest opinion of them is that they are of
very little good ; and, though you have no occasion to be
like me, you would hardly think how much time is lost by
going out one night here and another there. Of home, where
you will be, I suppose, when you get this, I cannot say much,
as nothing was settled even at the latest dates I have heard
news of. I daresay you, most of you, think me a lucky
fellow, for a good sum of money goes a long way, but how

,ET. 20. RELIGIOUS OPINIONS. 65

I should like to be among things again, something like the
' lags ' (convicts) of Botany Bay in former days must have
wished to be at their old practices. However, I amuse my-
self as I best can, and always with a view to my term
expiring''

To his sister Henrietta.

SYDNEY, $d May 1856.

14 ... My opinions go in the same direction, but rather
farther than yours. All the religions and religious opinions
on the earth I regard only as so many different exteriors,
one may say costumes, thrown over a few simple and eternal
truths or principles which are more what would be com-
monly called 'moral truths.' The exterior religion has
varied with different times and people, from the most
barbarous (examples it is unnecessary to name), in which
the inward meaning was often quite lost sight of or mis-
represented, down to the most simple and truthlike, which
I have no hesitation in saying is, among creeds, the
Unitarian.

" I will venture even to say that a man who has a really
serious mind, such as would reflect on the nature of the
world, and on the way in which we arc temporarily placed
in it with the evident design of seeking the purest and
greatest possible pleasure, is sure to gain certain prin-
ciples or feelings, such as a trust in the course of things (t.c.
Providence), a persuasion that we have all duties to perform
to each other, without which society could not be endurable,
and also something of the nature of sympathy ^vith the feel-
ings of others, out of which arises love, etc., and that these
are the essence of all true religion. The man may even be
said to be religious though he never heard of God by any
name, and has never been used to put his feelings into the
form of any creed or set opinions. God is but the em-
bodiment of the first and greatest principle of the world
viz. universal good y order tending towards good, design
all coming under the comprehensive term Providence ;
and Christ I conceive to be an example of a Perfect Man,
and of the relation which such a character must bear to
God."

F

66 W. STANLEY JEVONS. .ET. 20.

To his sister Lucy.

^d July 1856.

" How much would I give to be one of your party ; how
I should like to live in London again, and in my sister's
company, how much pleasanter would it not be than here !
I should feel sad, I believe, at being shut up here and far
away if I did not feel sure that you thought of me as if I
were still among you, and that you only looked upon me as
fulfilling a part which chance -or Providence, as you may
choose, has marked out for me, which being completed, I
may again be free to follow my inclinations.

" While in this serious strain I cannot help mentioning
that few things said in a letter could have affected or truly
pleased me more than the words you remember papa saying,
that 'Stanley never gave him anything but happiness.'
This is what I have long hoped and trusted was the case
more or less, in fact his letters, which I have been lately
reading, often express it ; but to hear it thus distinctly
stated is a fresh proof, and will always raise a delightful
impression in connection with my remembrance of his
character and love towards me."

In his diary he writes, 29th July 1856 : " My principle
of action, indeed of life, is this, and it has been growing more
and more defined for some time : I aim at qualifying my-
self for any object I desire in life, I aim not at it and try no
means to obtain it but those of being fit for and worthy of
it. Witness my almost total and partially intentional
neglect of ties of acquaintanceship and interest and my habit
of total reserve. It originated a deal, no doubt, in mere
bashfulncss, or a nervous want of confidence (which I really
have no want of) ; but I now begin almost to esteem this
property in myself, and should feel utterly wretched if I
knew another to think me better than I was. Persons older
and more experienced than myself might perhaps shake their
heads and say it would never do ; I, however, feel inclined
to regard worth as synonymous with success^ and though not
independent of the chance and unavoidable and inexplicable
evil of this world, still by far the best armour against it.

" Speaking of experience of life as we find it in old people,

;ET. 21. THOUGHTS ON EXPERIENCE OF LIFE. 67

is it indeed at all a desirable thing, and is it not the absence
of it that makes youth daring, enterprising, and happy ? Is
not the old man speaking to and warning the youth some-
thing like a dull, worn-out, old carpenter's chisel with a
rounded edge speaking to a new and fine one just sharpened,
and in the Carpenter's (God's) hand about to enter on its
tough and woody work, saying, c Oh, it is of no use your
beginning your work with such a fine edge as all that ; I
was just as sharp when I was as new as you, and you will
be just as dull and useless as I am before you have been long
at it ? ' It is perhaps true that a chisel dull all its days
might be contented and happy, nay, even as happy as the
sharp, and therefore always busy chisel, just as a quiet
country life may be plcasanter than a busy public one ; but
when would God's work or the carpenter's cither be done if
men and chisels were always dull ? "

To his sister Lncy.

Monday ', lid September 1856.

" A letter from you had been long looked for, and two
or three mails in succession had arrived without a sign of
one, a disappointment which I now find is owing to the
irregularity of the mail ships, since I to-day received the
expected letter 113 days old. The pleasure of such kind,
long, and interesting letters, too, from each of you, was
almost more than I had hoped for ; and after reading and
considering them, I have felt that there is a deeper meaning
in them, especially yours and the one of Henny's, than almost
any letters I have had before. The reason soon suggests
itself to me viz., that while my father lived he was properly
the subject of all our most serious thoughts, and the one in
whom to confide them ; now, however, that this centre is
removed, we arc all in all to each other ; and our common
love resumes a degree of immediate importance and interest
which it did not need to have before, though perhaps it was
equally strong. If you knew (as perhaps you may imagine)
how entirely the letters I write home arc the only way in
which I express my feelings, being as I am completely
among strangers, and without one I care to confide them to,
you would understand the necessity I feel to answer such as

68 W. STANLEY JEVONS.

these, and the real encouragement they give me. If it is
quite true that I have often, especially of late, felt a certain
degree of real loneliness, I do not mean want of society,
since that is what I never did or shall want, but the feeling
of an accumulation of private and personal thoughts and
objects which come at last to weigh too heavily. Perhaps I
am not quite right in being so exclusive, and caring so little
for other people's society : it began no doubt in a habit or
infirmity of what is called bashfulness, and though that
operates still, I do not think it is the whole cause and
reason of my character in this respect. If I were, on the
whole, like other people, I should no doubt res'cmble them in
this also, and I cannot help feeling that the real difference
there is between me and others in many respects, and which
I can mention without any fear of egotism, is partly the
reason of my caring little for the society of the generality of
people. My life always was, and is now more especially, a
laborious one, and I have always looked more to the future
than to the enjoyment of the present ; what that future, or
the end itself may be, God only knows, but I am convinced
that if only moderately good, it will fully justify me for
somewhat in appearance disregarding most other people, and
prove me not in the least selfish, as perhaps some might
think me. I give you these thoughts simply because they
are what are uppermost. While my father lived they did
not arise so distinctly, and were chiefly absorbed in a plain
feeling of duty to him. Now one's objects and views arc
more one's own, regulated only by general ideas of what is
right, or modified by the remaining love and interest among
ourselves. My father's death has with me, as with the rest
of you, never taken the form of regret ; it was no loss or
unhappincss to him, for he died with as much pleasure, of
the truest as well as of a more material kind, surrounding
him as almost ever happens on this earth ; it is with each
of us that the loss occurs, felt on my part in a manner that
I tried to express in my first letter. For yourself, dear
Lucy, it must be a satisfaction for you to consider, both how
plainly marked and unmistakable your part has been, and
how completely and lovingly you have always performed it
to its utmost extent, viz. that of attending and supporting

KT. 21. WORK AT THE MINT. 69

my father while he lived, and also of taking care of all the
rest of us more or less, as I may say. Now more than ever
it seems to me that you are necessary to us, not only in
directly bringing up Henny and Tommy, but in keeping the
whole of us together, in a manner that is sure to produce
better feelings in each, and, as far as I am concerned, to
prevent that feeling of loneliness and objectlessncss of life
that I have alluded to before, and which I so fear. 1 '

To his brother Herbert.

Monday ', iid September 1856.

"The mint goes on steadily, but without much work.
Our sovereigns, you will probably know, have obtained a
very good character in England ; I see no possible objec-
tion, therefore, to their sending us out some proper dies, and
making our coinage imperial, and therefore current in
Kngland and everywhere.

"Assaying goes on all right, and I am comfortable
enough in my private office and laboratory. I am generally
engaged more 01 less with attempted improvements or some
little experiments, but it is no easy thing to introduce sub-
stantial and practicable improvements in a thing like the
gold assay process, that so many have tried their hands at.

" Sydney was rather alarmed last week to hear of the
capture of an immense shark in the harbour. I went to see
it, and there is no mistake about the fact ; it is twelve or
thirteen feet long, and nine feet in circumference, and with an
immense mouth about eighteen inches across, so you may
imagine what a really alarming fact it must be for those who
are fond of bathing about the harbour. It is said to have
been long known to boatmen under the name of ' Big Ben,'
and I have myself seen sharks* fins appearing above water in
Darling Harbour.

" A short time since I went a walk on Sunday morning
on a bush road past Cook's River, and was surprised to meet
a large black snake, nearly five feet long, as deadly a sort as
the devil. I had no idea of attacking it with a short
walking-stick, and could not kill it with big stones before it
escaped into some scrub. Unpleasant sort of acquaintances
these sharks and snakes.

70 W. S TANLE Y JE VONS. /ET. 2 1 .

" I am kept pretty busily engaged at home now by my
meteorological observations. I have lately commenced
sending a weekly report to the Empire, and I send you two
papers containing my reports. Mr. Parkes has given them
a very good place in the paper, and printed them exceedingly
well, but this confounded Government service prevents me
either asking or receiving any money any other way, and 1
therefore do it more for fun. It takes about two hours a
week to calculate and make it out, but this is little more
than I should do for my own satisfaction. I am engaged
now too in copying out, correcting, and calculating my two
daily observations for the last twenty months, which I had
allowed to accumulate ; it is a work of some forty or fifty
thousand figures, independent of continual calculations,
drawing of means, and other work. I am beginning, how-
ever, to get some results out to repay me."

To his sister Henrietta.

ist October 1856.

<l . . . I have felt indeed for some weeks some degree
of a slight melancholy, of which I do not know the cause. I
do not think it arises from anything disagreeable, for I never
got on better with work of all sorts than I think I have
lately, but it seems to be a tendency to take everything in a
serious point of view. If there is any other cause, it is the
thought that I have only been two years in the colony, and
that three similar ones must probably be passed before I
could follow with satisfaction to myself or others my
strongest desires. Everything 1 do or think has reference
to my being again in England sooner or later, and for better
or worse, and this not only in order to see and be with
you and the rest again, but because I think it is the only
place where I could be what I should wish. You did not
overestimate the chances of a man in my position marrying
and staying here. An income of ^700, a light and not
uninteresting business, a pretty country and cheerful town, a
few not unpleasant acquaintances, plenty of employments,
scientific, musical, or otherwise, and finally a house of one's
own, and a home here is what few I flatter myself, would
resist and give up ; but if you ever thought seriously of such

*T. 21. EXCURSION A T CHRISTMAS. 71

a thing, all I can say is that you did not count rightly upon
me.^ The strongest inducement to such a life as that, sup-
posing such were to occur, as you may imagine, would be
insufficient to change my views, such as they are, though I
cannot help feeling that such a determination throws any
prospect of quiet and settled happiness a long way into the
future. My life has never yet been an easy though a happy
one; I have always worked and thought of the future
instead of enjoying the present ; the feeling too that it prob-
ably always will be so, is perhaps the reason of my present
tone of mind, joined as it is with a suspicion that life may
not always be so easy and successful as at the present and
past, and that to go again to London in search of new
employment and new ends is, in fact, voluntarily entering
again the battle of life after having once found a quiet and
secure shelter. It seems, however, natural and unavoidable,
and therefore must be so."

To his sister Lucy.

\st January 1857.

" I started about five o'clock on Christmas Eve by the
Parramatta Railway, and reaching Parramatta in about
three-quarters of an hour, took the coach for Windsor. This
was a very old omnibus, and as I was inside and it soon
became dark, I cannot describe the beauties, if any, of the
country through which we passed, I may mention, how-
ever, to give you people a delicious idea of it, that we passed
through the largest orangery of the colony, of many acres
extent. After travelling twenty miles in four hours we
found ourselves at the door of an inn in Windsor about 10.30
r.M. I never experienced, nor never will again, such a high
temperature on a Christmas Eve four fellows in a small
ftttic thick mosquito curtains evening of a very hot day
windows wide open, but no perceptible effect. However,
I arose on Christmas Day quite solid, and walked all morn-
ing about the cultivated plains and banks of the River
Hawkesbury near Windsor. The country is fine in an
agricultural sense, but not over picturesque. I sought for
a dinner later on in Windsor, and while eating it thought
how much amused you would have been to see me eating

72 W. STANLEY JEVONS. w. 21.

my Christmas turkey and passable plum pudding with a fat
old landlord and his growing-up family, including a rather
showy young lady, and two or three more travellers, at one
end of a long table in the deserted ball-room of the hotel.
Dinner done, however, I soon quitted Windsor with no
pleasant reminiscences, for as a rule I detest all Australian
towns. . . . Passing through ordinary woody country, I
reached Richmond towards evening. The prettiest of towns
in New South Wales, so they say, but with no pretension to
beauty but a few pretty cottages with exotic-looking gardens
and green creepers. In passing on a few miles farther I
crossed the River Hawkesbury by Richmond Point, and put
up at an inn on the opposite bank in a lonely situation.
The river is a broad deep fine stream, the Thames of New
South Wales, but bordered by very tall steep alluvial banks,
which the river is said to overflow in times of flood, occur-
ring every few years. It was bordered by gardens and
orchards, though rather too bare of trees, but the bushy hills
surrounding the plains on all sides, and especially the ranges
of bushy mountains in the distance, which I hoped to ex-
plore on the morrow, rendered the scene very beautiful when
aided by a true Australian evening, delicious cool airs, and
a calm clear sky, succeeding the dry winds and powerful
sun of the day. Tea of damper and remains of Christmas
goose ; large solitary bedroom. So ended my third Christmas
Day in Australia.

" Next morning I started walking through the mists
soon after six in the morning, and by eight o'clock entered
a most beautiful, open, and very hilly country. It was con-
siderably cultivated, and every half mile or so was a log
cottage, of which the inhabitants were very friendly, and
gave me all the directions and supplies of drinkables that
they could. It was not, however, till I found an old bush-
man that I could get any information of a track across the
mountains in the direction I wished to go. He directed me
to go back the way I had come a considerable distance, and
then cross the Grose river at Ben Carver's, and with the
magical name of Ben Carver I with infinite trouble sought
out my way at last and reached the Grose. Here I found
the bed of a mountain torrent which drains the Blue Moun-

*T. 21. A WALK' THROUGH THE BUSH. 73

tains, but its banks had the chief attractions, for I was
botanising, and I found here several remarkable flowering
shrubs, which I have seen no trace of elsewhere, and also
blackberries or brambles, and a single delicate and truly
modest violet, the only one exactly like those at home that
I have seen. There was also a small geranium, and the
common sarsaparilla plant As I had twelve miles before
me to the next town, I started again without much delay
and proceeded about five miles without much worth relating.
The country was not here mountainous, but only hilly,
woody land rising from the River Nepean, to which I after-
wards found I was close, but as I was approaching some
steep long ranges, I detected with my mcteorologic eye a fine
specimen of thunder-cloud rising up from behind them as
being peculiar ; low rumbling thunder soon confirmed my
worst fears, and I gave myself up for a drenching. How-
ever, I had seen at intervals cleared spaces and railings, and
I now came in sight of a well-established little farm and
cottage, where I even applied for shelter, and was well
received by an old woman. While the storm was brewing
and it was a rare one, with long forked flashes of light-
ning extending across the greater part of the sky, and
sudden stormy squalls of warm air, though it was worse to
the northward near Richmond the old woman made some
tea, and set out dinner for me, herself, and little boy, the
viands being as usual the remains of the Christmas goose and
pudding. 1 evidently shocked the religious feeling of the
old lady by drinking my tea, the usual accompaniment of
iin Australian bush dinner, before she had said grace, which
we hardly think of doing in New South Wales, though I
was probably more really thankful for that cup of tea than
for any other 1 ever drank.

" The dinner done, my prospect was not improved. The
storm, instead of passing over in a definite small body,
seemed extending everywhere. The whole sky was covered
by dark heavy masses of cloud, which seemed determined to
catch me wherever I went, and I looked forward with no
pleasure to the six miles yet to be walked. Soon losing
the path the old woman pointed out, I trusted to my senses
to reach the top of the nearest range, upon the point of

74 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 21.

which I fortunately discovered the track, and at the same
time gained a fine view of the plains and winding river,
which, although a second heavy shower came on, I was long-
ing for you to sketch. Then I set off as hard as circum-
stances would allow me to walk, following up the path, which
was the faintest track imaginable, even covered by bushes,
in pushing by which the rain -drops continually drenched
my legs and knees. But do you know that I have a secret
satisfaction in walking any number of miles through these
uninhabited, monotonous, but rugged, bushy, or thickly-
wooded mountains ? They are not picturesque, for the only
other things seen are other similar ranges separated by long
gullies, but they are wild and natural, and except a faint
path, and a tree cut down or barked here and there, there
arc no traces of man. The old large gum -trees too have
often a very picturesque appearance, or rather a desolate
wild look shattered by lightning, burned by the bush fires,
or when blown over, sometimes falling into each other's arms,
or with broken branches of large size supported in the most
fantastic ways.

" After a long weary walk the path became more dis-
tinct, then began to widen into a good road, and after
passing a few deserted huts, a tent or two, and such-likc
signs of life, I reached the broad main road from Penrith to
Hartley, close to Springwood Inn, but nearer to a small
eating-house at which I got some tea. On going away, the
old woman addressed to me the question : ' Is it jewellery,
or what is it?' which it struck me at last referred to my old
botanical collecting box. I enlightened her on that point,
but remained much disgusted, when I remembered similar
remarks of the innkeeper at Windsor, which I had not
understood at the time. T/ie assaycr of Her Majesty's
Australian Mint to be taken for a wandering dealer in false
jewellery ! I had indeed hoped that my appearance, though
in a now very dirty light suit of clothes and a cabbage-tree
hat, would have saved me from such a fate. I made, how-
ever, the rather complimentary reflection that tourists, especi-
ally pedestrians and scientific ones, are unknown objects in
Australia as yet.

"A few miles down the road brought me to the old

SET. 21. AN INCIDENT IN THE MORNING. 75

Pilgrim Inn, a very good house for such a place, just as
* the shades of evening/ etc., and as the rain was beginning
to come down again. A hot cobbler of brandy and a
comfortable early bed soon set me up again, although I
had been out more than twelve hours, and walked some-
where near thirty miles under such circumstances."

The account of this excursion is written out more fully
in the journal, and he there relates the following incident,
which occurred the next morning :

" 27 th December. Getting out about six o'clock, I could
have enjoyed sitting in the verandah for any length of time,
looking round on the woods and on the mist only just rising
out of the hollows. This is to me, a meteorologist, a dis-
tinct pleasure ; to others it might only suggest damp dis-
agreeable travelling. So probably thought the gold escort
which now drove up in the little mail coach from Penrith.
It consisted of four fine tall well-armed troopers, with their
sergeant, the seats being filled up by two passengers, a
lanky strange-looking Chinaman, and a little delicate and
not bad-looking girl.

" I knew myself what it was to start about 4 A.M. of a
cool, damp, misty morning, and ascend these wild mountain-
ous roads on a jolting and altogether most uncomfortable
open car, and the wearied, pale, half-sleepy appearance of
thib little girl as she timidly sat in her seat and watched the
troopers enjoying a cup of coffee in the inn, excited my
pity and moved me to the only gallant act I ever did,
which was to send her a cup by one of the waiting girls.
Her satisfaction and gratitude were evident, even as she
scalded her mouth by trying to swallow rapidly the hot but
reviving drink, and I felt in this as in many more things in
this country, how the natural courtesy, true civility, and
good nature which always seem to prevail amid nature, excel
the studied etiquette and the miscalled politeness of towns.
I allude, however, more particularly to the universal habit up
the country of speaking to each person you meet solitarily,
even if it be only to say good evening or good morning, and
of freely asking or giving all directions or information about
roads, distances, other travellers, or straying cattle or horses.
Once when I omitted to say good-morning on passing a

76 W. STANLEY JEVONS. .ET. 21.

remote cottage they bawled it out after me, and I am sure
that if I passed many weeks in travelling in this manner I
should become the most communicative of persons. . . .
Gained Pcnrith by the usual road, and dining at Perry's
Inn, took a place in the Parramatta coach afterwards, and
reached home about 7.30 P.M."

To his sister Henrietta.

Sunday ^th January 1857.

" Within three years, all being well, I will throw up all
that I have here, both with the hope of seeing you all again
and with the intention of following more freely my own
views, but not without the fear of meeting a far less easy
or perhaps successful life in England. . . .

" But I see no reason why I should not inform you and
the others at home of another step, and a rather long one
too, which I intend to take before reaching home. Within
a year I have been three trips about the colony of New
South Wales which to me are full of amusement and in-
struction, though to most others I believe they would be
unendurable ; but in these I am merely stretching my wings
for a much longer flight round the globe. How many miles
I shall go, or by what path, I have not in the least decided.
I mean, in short, after leaving here for good to travel at
discretion, and not to terminate my wanderings at home
until I have fulfilled the purposes I have in view, equally as
I am doing now in another way. Though in this I may
run some dangers, may spend some hundreds of pounds,
and spend something under another precious year (spend it,
too, away from home), you at least will approve of it.

u I am at present even more engaged than ever in
various ways ; my duties (self-imposed) of meteorological
reporter to the 'Empire Journal} I find quite onerous, and
I am now, I believe, the sole acting meteorologist in Sydney.
I have just lately been making up my meteorological ac-
counts for the last year, for you must know that I keep
quite a series of books which I have to attend to daily,
weekly, monthly, and yearly, and they take a large portion
of my time ; but I intend after a bit rather to drop than
increase my meteorological work, not, however, ceasing alto-

XT. 21. REFLECTIONS ON RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS. 77

gether. One's subjects may be changed from time to time,
provided it be done consistently and with a uniform ultimate
object. I have lately started again at botany, though I feel
it is almost one thing too much ; but I do it with almost a
greater pleasure than anything else, because it was my first
subject, and one which I remember my mother always favour-
ing. I have preserved a few plants out of our wood, as well
as some which I gathered up the country, and am re-estab-
lishing my old herbarium in better style.

"You speak much in your letter about Unitarianism,
and if I am to answer it and speak openly of such a subject,
I must confess that I am never at all troubled by such
religious differences as you refer to. My own views are
so liberal and simple that the whole vast mass of different
sects, including even the most of Unitarians, vanishes in the
distance, and appearing only as a small object upon my
religious horizon, draws a corresponding small share of
attention from me ; and though a curious, interesting, and
certainly very complicated construction when closely ex-
amined, it is not to me of any importance compared with
the other broad and vital questions which lie around. If I
may call myself a Unitarian it is for this one reason, that of
all sects I believe they alone are charitably disposed towards
others. ... If I gave any creed for my own belief, I should
give it from the Bible, and say that I have faith, hope, and
charity, but most of charity; and it is to me a horrible thing
to consider how completely the whole system of Christianity,
I may say, is opposed to this sentiment as well as to the
general tenor of Christ's teaching. My charity indeed goes
thus far, that I think it as absurd to say that any one will
be unhappy after this life as to say that two and two make
five. To define what you mean by God, and then to say
He created anybody to be damned, is a simple contradiction
in terms."

On 28th January 1857 he writes in his journal:
" I have been not a little disturbed lately by my reflec-
tions on religious subjects. This has been caused partly by
a little religious talk I have had here, very wide of my own
opinions certainly, but chiefly by an attempt I made to
explain the general character of my opinions to Henny,

78 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *T. 21.

when they appeared to me so cold and abstract compared
with her heartfelt realities. But how can I help it ? I was
brought up in perfect freedom of opinion, for though I can
remember my mother teaching me my prayers, I was then
very young, and what religion I have since been taught at
school or elsewhere only led me to inquire whether the
whole was true. Natural science was my chief study, and
1 may say that I have become so impressed with the general
character of natural laws of fact, and have become so accus-
tomed to habits of severe and exact thought, that I must
have a solid foundation for my religion or I shall have none.

" My father never so much as communicated his opinions
to me in any way, nor do I know them now ; whatever they
were, they were founded in the truest and tendcrcst humanity.

" Revealed religion I had long since dispensed with ; I
know not how my doubts about it first began. It appears
to me such a confession of imperfection in God's works to
suppose that it was necessary to break their order to reveal
Himself to us. God is seen, if anywhere, in the wonderful order
and simplicity of Nature, in the adaptation of means to ends,
and in the creation of man, to which everything refers, with
powers capable of indefinite improvement. To suppose all
this inadequate, to suppose Him leaving man confessedly
without means of enlightenment for ages, and then to sup-
pose Him only revealing Himself by breaking the order of
His own creation and speaking through the mouth of a man,
appears to me a most awkwardly-constructed belief.

" I see no evidence whatever of the inspiration of the
Bible. The humane and perfect philosophy of Christ is indeed
astonishing amid so much corruption, but one very probable
suggestion explains it all. Christ was, no doubt, a great
genius; and just as Newton was a genius of natural science,
Mozart of music, Bacon of general learning, Shakespeare of
humanity, etc., so Christ devoted his powers to morality, and
wonderfully pure his teachings no doubt were. I feel no
conviction of anything because it is in the Bible, and I ex-
amine matter and mind in order to found my conception of
God.

" I perfectly comprehend everything that may be deduced
from Nature as to design, order, unity of conception, etc., of

/BT. 21. REFLECTIONS ON RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS. 79

the universe, and I confess that both the theory of chances
and that of conditions of existence are perfectly inadequate as
explanations. The world is evidently but one vast organism
full of motion and intelligence ; it is not mere matter, for
the very order and form of it express intention and mind.
God is identified and inseparable from His works. But
again I confess I do not see that as far as man's condition
is concerned the world is perfectly adapted. Evil exists,
and I see no way of completely reconciling it with any
religious theory. A man falls from a cliff, a branch of a tree
falls on him, or perhaps a man advanced in civilisation falls
into a course of those refined evils which always accompany
it. How is creation perfect here, or how can any recom
pense hereafter remove this imperfection, however slight
which now exists ?

" I have been led to these remarks by reading two
books, Whewell's History of the Inductive Sciences and San-
tine's Story of Picciola. The first proceeds systematically and
profoundly through all the ideas of the mind, all the subjects
of Natural Science, and having sufficiently grounded all this
on the natural properties of man's reason, so that if man's
existence be a reality, his deductions are equally real, he at
last touches on the puzzling question of geology and Scrip-
ture. How disappointed I here was to observe his change
of tone ! Instead of what is what must be, what it is /// the
nature of man to believe, he here tells us what ought or
should be. We must believe Scripture till its plain and
evident interpretation is contradicted by demonstrated facts,
but one must not put these forward too rashly, and we
should endeavour to reconcile, etc. He is, no doubt,
obliged to prove to others that his book leads to no un-
orthodox conclusions, but to those who are already not
orthodox its conclusiveness and value just ceases where he
leaves the thread of his demonstration and attempts to
show this.

" In Santine's Picciola, read just by chance, I was sur-
prised to find an instance of a man, full of science and
knowledge, who, like me, felt that chance and evil exist in
the world. The story is very pretty and very excellent.
The demonstration of the order and adaptability of the

So W. STANLEY JEVONS. &i\ 21.

creation proceeds in a very nice and clear manner merely
from the observation of a single plant, and I thought myself
almost as surely saved from dark cheerless thoughts as
Charney himself, when, alas, one paragraph ended all my
hopes, and formed as bad a conclusion to Santine's prettily
managed talc as Whewell's concluding chapter did to his
great philosophical work. It is the following : * Do not
accuse God cither of the errors of man or the eruption of a
volcano. 1 [Why not?] ' He has imposed on matter eternal
laws ; and his work is accomplished without his being
anxious if a vessel sinks in the midst of a tempest or a
town disappears under an earthquake. What matter to him
a few existences more or less ! Thinks he then of death ?
No ! but to our soul he has left the care of regulating itself,
and what proves it is the independence of our passions. 1
have shown you animals obeying in all things the instinct
which directs them, having only blind impulses, possessing
only qualities inherent in their species ; man alone forms
his virtues and his vices ; he alone has free will ; for him
alone the earth is a world of trials. The tree of happiness
which we cultivate here below, with so many efforts, will
only flourish for us in heaven. Oh, do not think that God
can change the heart of the wicked, and will not ; that he
can leave the just in sorrow without reserving for him a
recompense. What could he then have willed in creating
us ? ' If Santinc had intended to write a sort of parody or
caricature of such demonstrations, he could not have written
otherwise. What matter a few existences more or less to
God ? But what matter they rather to the possessors ?
And we are told from a much more humane authority that
not a sparrow falls to the ground without God's heed.
Again, c do not think that God can turn the heart of the
wicked and will not.' Why doesn't he, then ? For there
are certainly many wicked people in the world, and they
cause much evil. If he does it finally, why does he delay ?
To explain it by free will and so on is mere prevarication,
for in granting that instrument of good or harm he grants it
with perfect knowledge, and is certainly to be accused with
all consequences, just as a man that would knowingly lend
a pistol to a murderer would be implicated in the crime."

AT. 21. REMOVAL TO DOUBLE BAY. Si

No, the paragraph is indeed lame if intended for a
proof, clever if a parody; and, at all events, it has done
more than neutralise the good effect of the rest of the book.

" But though I find not God in this way, I find goodness
in the human heart. I am susceptible of sympathy and
love ; I feel the dignity of man, the height he may attain,
the pure happiness he may enjoy if he seeks it from a
proper source; and those, if not standing in place of a
distinct conception of God, produce equivalent good effects
on my actions and intentions."

To his brother Herbert.

gth March 1857.

" I am very happy to be able to write by this mail from
our new house, for I have a very pleasant account to give
you of it. Our house having been furnished for a short time,
we bid good-bye last Monday to the dry monotonous country
of Petersham, and the frightfully dusty Parramatta Road,
and I am now completely settled in my new apartments.

"The situation here is most delightful. You must imagine
to yourself a small circular bay of blue waters, bounded on
either side by rocky ridges, either covered by the original
bush or ornamented by handsome houses or pretty Austral-
ian villas. The view out of the bay to the north extends
across the harbour to the jutting heads of the north shore,
which terminates in a perpendicular cliff, the Middle Head,
and beyond which we have just a distant view of the North
Harbour. On the south side of the bay is a circular white
sandy beach rising with a moderate inclination to a few feet
above high-water mark, whence a narrow alluvial plain or
flat of fertile sandy land extends into the country about a
mile and a half, between the steep and bushy sandstone
ridges which form the country here.

" Just on the edge of the beach and of this flat our house
is built ; on our left hand is a pretty little villa, in which the
old father of Mr. Daniel Cooper, the owner of the whole
neighbourhood, lives ; to the front, of course, is the view of
the bay and harbour ; and on every other side is as yet the
original bush, which is uncleared except within a few feet of
the house. It is here real picturesque bush rising about ten

G

82 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. *T. 21.

feet high with a large variety of the peculiar narrow-leaved
shrubs of N. S. W., and a thick undergrowth of fern and
grass trees. The house is a very comfortable, suitable, but
unassuming one, and it is, of course, doubly agreeable since
it is our own. Just outside my window is the thermometer
case a wooden erection of singular appearance, designed to
shelter the thermometer from the sun by sides formed of
three separate boards. The weather now is very close and
hot, and while T write the thermometer is at 88. .. Ex-
cept when other winds are blowing, a sea breeze sets in
nearly every day, and has been lately particularly fresh.
Most people at home do not know what a sea breeze is, I
expect, but they would soon understand it here. It sets in
a little before noon from the N.E., or nearly directly up the
bay, increases till about sunset, and drops off again about
9 P.M. We scarcely felt it at the Petersham house, where,
however, we had the more truly Australian climate, which
my observations here will not so well represent

" This place, too, is like a perpetual watering-place, for
nothing could be better adapted than this beach for bathing.
I have bathed the last four mornings between 6 and 7 A.M.,
and it is very delightful. Being within a few yards of the
water, one can almost turn into it out of bed, and twice I
have turned back again into bed after it, which is still more
delightful. The only drawback arc some weeds, which a
little spoil the clearness of the water. By the by I was
nearly forgetting the sharks, of which, undoubtedly, there are
many in the harbour, since their fins arc often seen above
water, and a large monster of fourteen feet length, and a ton
weight or so, was lately caught. But somehow or other no
accidents occur, though hundreds of people bathe even off the
most exposed rocks about the harbour. They keep, I sup-
pose, in the deep waters, and are never known to come into
a shallow bay like ours. Lucy, therefore, may be quite at
her ease whether as to sharks or any other dangers which
do not exist.

" The country about here is very different from the usual
Australian bush, consisting of low scrub, or thick bushy
shrubs instead of the eternal gum-tree woods which cover all
the rest of the country. The strip of land two or three

.FT. 21. ANCIENT RAISED SEA CLIFFS. 83

miles from the coast consists of nothing but long ranges of
hills covered by drifted sand with thin scrub growing on it,
and with multitudes of grass-trees which give a most
peculiar appearance to the vegetation. These are as in the
drawing, and are about six or eight feet in height, the flower
and stalk being not unlike an enormous bullrush, springing
from hard spiny grass. I anticipate many delightful walks
about the country, and I have, moreover, got a little research
in hand, concerning certain ancient raised sea cliffs, which I
have discovered round the harbour, as well as the alluvial
fiats which are connected with them. They struck me first
near Petersham, where I found parallel lines of rocks in the
middle of the bush, and proved them to be always at the
level of about forty feet above the sea. At the head of the
flat of Rushcutter's Bay 1 find them again very perpendicular,
and, as I think, at the same height. Yesterday, in a walk I
took with O'Conncl, T discovered unmistakable signs of a
second higher scries of cliffs, perhaps 120 or 150 feet above
the sea, of which a portion is to be seen distinctly at the
north shore on a projecting head. The question is a very
interesting one, being connected with the curious subject of
the formation of Australia, and I do not know that these
cliffs have ever been noticed before, being indeed seldom
very noticeable objects. It is a pleasant subject too, from
leading me long walks in the bush.

"In our walk yesterday we got to the highest point
about, called Bcllcvue Hill, a name for once appropriate, as
the view is, I have little hesitation in saying, the finest I ever
saw, and quite beats anything else I have seen here. The
circular white beach of Rose Bay lies almost at your feet,
surrounded by dark masses of bush ; the harbour, North
Harbour, Watson's Bay, all the Heads, a succession of
singular bold heads along the coast, the North Shore,
Sydney in a favourable point of view, forty miles of flat
bushy country, forming the county of Cumberland. The
Blue Mountains rising distinctly beyond, and to the south
the thin flat line of water representing Botany Bay, with
flat barren-looking shores and high hills or ridges on the
coast beyond, form a magnificent panorama ; and to crown
all, on the other side the blue waters of a real and the

8 4 JK STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 21.

largest ocean, the Pacific, give the additional feeling of
grandeur to the view.

<c There is one advantage of Double Bay I was almost
forgetting to mention : it is eminently aristocratic, in fact
quite the fashionable neighbourhood. Besides having the
father of the Honourable the Speaker of the Legislative Assem-
bly next door (and next door but one a fisherman's hut),
the great auctioneer, Mr. Mort, the next richest man in the
colony, has his house close to, and all the rest of the ' nobs '
have villas or diminutive palaces variously disposed along the
New S. H. Road. This road too, which leads us into town,
is about the most picturesque one I know, winding over the
ridges and crossing the flats of the bays, and giving one new
glimpses at every point of the harbour, quite a contrast to
the dusty Parramatta Road, crowded with wood carts, bullock
drays, and herds of wild cattle, and in character something
like a railway cutting.

" You will be perhaps rather surprised when I tell you 1
have a sort of feeling of unscttledness very often if not con-
tinually. I feel as if I should not care if the mint were
moved to Melbourne, or given up altogether, even though my
home here is so entirely comfortable, and my little study
and bedroom so perfectly satisfactory ; I feel in fact as if
I should like to take another short step across the world
before long, and without doubt I shall sooner or later."

To his sister Lucy.

DOUHLE BAY, SYDNLV,
7/// May 1857.

"You suspect me of being 'home -sick/ and I cannot
absolutely deny it. Yet I think you have not chosen your
term with exact propriety, for having been far away from
home now for three years, and having never experienced its
delights for more than a few months together for three yean>
even before that, I cannot call myself 'home-sick.' I can
indeed scarcely realise the happiness of living permanently
at home with a steady, busy employment, and yet surrounded
by those I trust and love. During such times, too, as I did
spend at home, I used to be without regular occupation, and
not always of a cheerful temper everything did not always

.ET. 21. LONELINESS OF HIS LIFE. 85

run smoothly. I am quite aware that ' distance lends en-
chantment/ etc., and that in the best-regulated home, even
such as yours, no one can live in continual unruffled satisfac-
tion and happiness. But when I consider how completely
solitary my life has always been in reality, I cannot help feeling
what a sacrifice it has been to live so much apart from those
who would naturally form the best friends for me. You
blame me for not interesting myself more in other people.
You touch here upon a very wide question, which is by no
means new to my thoughts. Though in London I was very
fond of Harry Roscoc, and liked also a few fellow-students ;
and though these and a few others, at divers places, may have
to some extent liked me, they have formed indeed but a
limited acquaintanceship, and 1 must confess that I disclosed
to none of them a very little depth below the ordinary sur-
face of my thoughts. Even with you and the rest at home,
and with my father even, I cannot help feeling I was very
reserved ; and, in short, I believe my own nature is still a
secret within my own breast, and that most of my behaviour
must be thought to arise from very trivial causes, or else
appear an enigma. . . . You yourself say that every one must
have some inmost thoughts and feelings entirely his own ;
and accordingly the greater part of my thoughts and feelings
as to what I really am, do and must probably ever, remain
my own, unless, indeed, as is most highly improbable, they
all come to be developed into the actions with which they
are concerned, and by which all may judge them.

" You will think all this mystification perhaps, and very
strange, yet it is said with the greatest seriousness, and has
been for many years a serious subject with me ; I have
always felt indeed the weight of my own continual thoughts,
and have sometimes almost wished to be somebody else for a
change. Have you ever had that peculiar feeling ? You say
that ' it is not good for man to be alone, 1 but with this I
cannot agree but in a very partial way. I cannot say of
course that my disposition for reserve and loneliness was
originally intentional on my part ; it probably originated in
bashfulness, which other people think, and which, no doubt,
is, a very silly thing. Yet I ascribe to this disposition almost
everything that I am, and believe that a certain amount of

86 W. STANLEY JEVONS. XT. 21.

reserve and solitude is quite necessary for the formation of
any firm and original character. This is in fact almost self-
evident, for if any one were brought up in continual inter-
course with the thoughts of a number of other people, it
follows almost necessarily that his thoughts will never rise
above the ordinary level of the others, which, I think, is
often practically exhibited in large families, especially of
girls, when living very harmoniously together. Solitude, no
doubt, produces one class of minds and characters, and
society another ; the latter may give quickness of thought
and some other showy qualities, but must tend to interrupt
longer and more valuable trains of thought, and gradually
destroy the habit of following them, while solitude promotes
reflection, self-dependence, and originality. These, I believe,
I possess to a greater or less extent, and I therefore, on
principle, do not altogether regret that my habits have been
as you know them ; still I do not intend to defend exclusive-
ness to the extent that T carry it. If you would like to be
informed as to the number and intimacy of my friends here,
I shall have no hesitation in telling you the actual state of
the case. Know, then, that I never go in fact, with one
slight exception, never have gone, to a party, and have at last
succeeded in impressing upon all friends the fact that it is no
use inviting me. . . . You see I am * unchanged ' as much
as you could possibly expect, but still I am more altered
perhaps than you might argue from what I have told you.
I keep away from people now, more from my own actual
intention than on account of bashfulness or anything of that
sort ; in fact I am very little afraid of the grandest people
now, and believe that, if it were my wish, I might soon
become accustomed to the largest amount of society. Yet
I find few or none with whom I care to be very intimate,
and I derive no pleasure from ordinary society. The reason
perhaps is that I am really so entirely and so continually
occupied with my own pursuits and thoughts that I cannot
bear to have them interrupted. That others may see this
is the case, as you do too perhaps, I have no doubt ; and I
daresay I am generally set down as of a selfish, exclusive
disposition. Here, again, is a point that I am well accus-
tomed to consider in my own mind, and I cannot say that

/ET. 21. AVOIDANCE OF SOCIETY. 87

it gives me much uneasiness. I do not in fact quite com-
prehend that to make oneself agreeable, to go out to parties,
picnics, or to give most of one's time to society, is unselfish.
To such agreeable people society is usually a pleasure, and
in making themselves agreeable they arc not always un-
selfish ; I am myself by no means insensible to the pleasures
even / might gain from society, and I fully believe my life
would be more agreeable and pleasurable, if not more really
happy, if I were as others. I cannot allow, in short, that I
devote myself to continual work as I do merely from inclina-
tion, and to subject myself to the liability of being considered
selfish, etc., when undeserved, is therefore, if anything, a
sacrifice on my part

" But lest I should really deserve to be called egotistical
and selfish in my very letters, I must cease talking merely
about myself."

To his sister Lucy.

DOUBLE BAY, SYDNEY,
i6thjune 1857.

" Another month is past and gone, and I find myself quietly
settling down in my little study about I o P.M. after spending
rather a lazy evening, to employ the remaining couple of hours
in a delightful duty. Life is chequered here as elsewhere.
One is sometimes cheerful and pleased and contented with
everything round you ; sometimes a little dull and lonely ;
sometimes confident and hopeful of oneself; at other times
less confident, if not disgusted and desponding. At present
T must say there is nothing at all to disappoint or make me
unhappy in the least, yet my hopes are so high that I can-
not help feeling that they must be in the end disappointed.
But in whatever mood I may be, there is one thing sure to
please and make me happy, and that is my sisters' letters.
... I am thought here as well as at home remarkable, if
not foolish, for avoiding people's company, or at all events
extending my friendship to a very limited circle. Do not be-
lieve that' I have really one whit the less love in me, though it
may seem rather thickly covered up. To prove this to you I
will tell you that I have lately arrived at the opinion that there
is no foundation for any religion but in the feelings of the
human heart. For some six or seven years past I have

88 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^r 21.

been chiefly engaged in learning science and taking the very
evident views of things, and the consequence has been to
show me greatness and wonderful order or design in nature,
but m feeling <x actual good ; on the contrary, we find evil
or pain prevailing everywhere almost equally with pleasure.
It is in the human mind (made as we know after the
image of God), but particularly in the feelings of love
and friendship that I can find any indications of positive
good. Evil is inseparable from nature^ and no writer has
ever explained satisfactorily why evil should exist at all. I
can no more understand why it is to be found in material
nature ; but I discover in man certain properties and feel-
ings which enable him in thought to triumph over evil, and
form a conception or rather an expectation of a state free
from it, and approaching, therefore, to perfection. How
different arc my opinions from those of many who call
themselves Christian, yet arc always talking of the original
sin of man or their essentially sinful nature I admit their
weakness and the unhappiness thereby caused, yet place my
faith in the fact I find to afford the possibility of perfection
or superiority to evil, i.c. the sympathetic nature of the mind.
It is perhaps well, at all events no harm, to talk thus
seriously to those we can so well trust and love as a sister ;
but this is no reason why 1 should make a letter into a
sermon or religious discussion, therefore to lighter and more
cheerful subjects ! . . ."

To his sister Henrietta.

\1tlt June 1857.

" You wish me to direct and lecture you what to read
and learn ; I wish I were with you so that I could do it, and
assist you over the difficulties of mathematics. The applica-
tion of algebra to geometry is, I can remember, very dis-
agreeable and difficult to understand. For my own part
I have never had the courage to open the many mathe-
matical books I brought with me ; but what do you think I
would do if I had opportunity ever again ? Attend college
and De Morgan's mathematical lectures! The utility of
mathematics is one of the most incomprehensible things
about it ; but though I was never bright or successful in his

AT. 21. UTILITY OF MATHEMATICS. 89

class, in spite of working hard, I feel the greatest benefit
from it. Mathematics are like the calisthenic exercises of the
mind, and make it vigorous and correct in form and action ;
but it depends of course on other circumstances how you
apply and use your mind as well as your body. To go
figuring about with your arms or legs is not the object of
calisthenics. I think, therefore, you cannot waste time or
trouble spent over mathematics the more the better, for the
present at all events. ... I do not mean you to enter on,
the study of meteorology, for it is a most troublesome, exten-
sive, and to most an uninteresting subject. I have, how-
ever, involved myself in it to an awful extent, and must go
on with it, I suppose, whilst I am here. It is a most com-
plicated subject, requiring a knowledge more or less ot
heat, light, chemistry, electricity, etc. ; and is, therefore, a
sort of difficult scientific exercise rather than a science itself.
But the subject I have been most of all concerned in for the
last six months is political economy. You will not know
what it means or is unless you have read about it ; but to
those who interest themselves in it, if, on the other hand, is
deeply interesting."

To his brother Tom.

i357.

... u It is often said that contentment is the chief essential
to a happy life ; I 'daresay this may be true in some respects,
but 1 am very sure that it is far from being a correct maxim of
life. A cat sitting and purring by the fireside seems to me
a representation of this kind of happy life, but with this ex-
ception, that the cat can really manage to be quite contented,
while if a man tries to be the same he will always encounter
a succession of petty little things always enough to disturb
his contentment. A man, therefore, should not aim at this
kind of contentment at all ; he should always look to some-
thing in the future ; and the higher he looks the better, pro-
vided it be not so high that the impossibility of his attaining
the point disgusts him. It is true the life of such a one
must be made up in some sort of discontent ; the few things
already done, the short distance already passed over, appears
disgusting ; the present rate of travelling does not seem to
promise anything more satisfactory, and when any position

90 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 21.

is at last attained it turns out to be only like a mountain-
top from which a higher mountain is each time visible.
Such a life of disappointment may seem hardly a very
desirable one, but I have a lurking suspicion that the sum
total of a person's enjoyment is generally equal to what we
should call in mathematics a * constant quantity.' The
small discontents of the one probably balance, from their
great number, the one large continuous discontent of the
other. . . .

" It may seem rather curious and liable to miscon-
struction what I am going to say, but I think it will harm
neither you nor myself. It is with respect to the quality
cleverness, which is generally thought so much of. At school
and college I used to think that I was rather deficient in
it ; though I got a fair share of prizes, etc., it was at the
expense of a vast deal of trouble ; and other people seemed
to do as much or more than I with half the trouble. Now,
however, 1 begin to think I am rather more clever than I
expected ; yet I can never think but that other people could
do just as much as I do if they only took the trouble. Be
convinced on your part that if you only take the trouble to
try you will find yourself as clever as almost any people you
may meet ; but mind you, whatever cleverness you have will
be a very useless or even injurious article unless it is well
worn, and at the same time worn in the right use. If
you only work hard now and then, you will never work
well, and will have reason to be discontented. Talents
are things which become rusty by being laid up, so that
when you have use of them again you are disgusted to find
them not ready to your hand, and arc very likely inclined to
put them by again for a little longer."

To his sister Lucy.

Sunday Evening^ 2$d August 1857.

" It is not long since the last mail left with letters from
me, and it is some weeks more before the mail will close.
But a letter need not always contain the latest intelligence,
and I know that anything I may feel inclined from time to
time to write seriously to you will be read with more or less
interest. I have always, indeed, much that I could say to

JKT. 21. WRECK OF THE "DUNBAR." gi

you, and this evening more than ever; and though my
reflections be upon a very painful subject, that is no reason,
so far as I can see, that they should be untold. . . . Not
to alarm you about myself personally, I will tell you at once
that an awful shipwreck occurred the other night within a
few miles of this, which, besides exciting a great sensation
all over Sydney, has more particularly affected the circle of
the mint from sympathy with one of the members. I have
often mentioned to you Mr. Hunt of the mint. I have
always been inclined strongly to like him. ... As to age, he
is a few months older than I am, but was appointed from the
Government School of Mines in London, just the same as I
was from the University College, London. Rather more than
a year ago he received the news of his father's death in Paris,
and his mother having been dead for some time, he had few
relations left except two sisters of the ages of eighteen and
twenty, who were then, I believe, in school at Bordeaux.
After remaining there a short time it was arranged that they
should come out to him here by the ship Dnnbar, and in
the shipping intelligence by the last mail their names were
duly inserted in the list of passengers. In Sydney, Hunt had
long expected them with pleasure. Very lately he had been
busy choosing a small house on the North Shore, furnishing
it, and even engaging servants, and was only waiting for the
telegraph to announce the arrival of the ship. He was con-
tinually coming into my room, which commands a good view
of the flagstaff, and when disappointed by the flags, always
discovering that the ship was in reality not quite due yet.
Last Thursday night a storm began, with heavy rain, black
clouds, and very strong gales from the east. The next
morning he was unusually watchful of the telegraph signals,
but who has not known hundreds of people uneasy in such
cases ? Towards the middle of the day the rumour, however,
crept rapidly through the mint that there was a large wreck
somewhere outside the Heads. This was doubtless unpleasant
intelligence, but no one saw any reason to believe it was the
Ditnbar, and the shipping list, when appealed to, contained a
number of ships much more likely to arrive than the Dunbar.
" That afternoon I was detained unusually late by assays,
and had no time to go out to the South Head, where close

92 W. STANLEY JEVONS. I-T. 21.

beneath the lighthouse the wreck was said to have occurred.
But at daybreak the next morning (yesterday) I got up and
started with O'Conncl for the Heads. After a five-mile
walk through mud and rain we reached the lighthouse, and
soon made our way to a low part of the cliffs, where a small
number of persons, some from Sydney, by cabs and horses,
the rest from the neighbourhood, were already collected
The place is called the Gap, being a partial break in the
great line of cliffs opposite the part of the harbour called
Watson's Bay, which, indeed, is produced by the same break.
Here the cliffs fell to the height of less than TOO feet, and
beneath there was a slight recess where a flat shelf of rocks,
just a little above the sea level, ran out to a short distance.
On looking down with the rest nothing was at first sight
apparent but the huge waves of the Pacific Ocean, regularly
rolling in, and each time entirely covering the lower rocks
with a boiling sea of pure white foam, or now and then
striking the projecting shelf, with a loud bursting noise, and
throwing out a dense misty spray almost as high as the cliffs
upon which we stood. But soon there was evidence of the
wreck : small fragments of wood mingled with the sea-weed ,
portions of spars, or pieces of large timber, already quite
rounded off by grinding on the rocks ; bits of clothing,
some apparently of silk, also long pieces of sheeting or bed-
ding torn into shreds, and other clothing apparently tied up
in bundles, were now and then seen. All these things were
carried up on the top of one wave, lodged on the shelf of
rock and exposed to view for a few moments till the succeed-
ing wave enveloped them again in foam, and thus invisibly
removed them. But as you will anticipate, there was now
and then mingled with them objects of yet more fearful
appearances. . . . But to leave descriptions perhaps of need-
less horror, we then walked along the cliff a few hundred yards
to where the hull, or main part at least, of the vessel was
yet supposed to lie, marked only by one or two fragments
of spars yet attached by the rigging, or by loose rope ends
now and then appearing at the surface. The ship appears
to have run full on to the cliff almost below the lighthouse,
some time during Thursday night, and to have gone to pieces
and sunk almost immediately, unknown to any one on land,

ALT. 21. WRECK OF THE "DUNBAR? 93

and possibly, we may hope, almost without the consciousness
of any on board. The fragments of it had drifted with the
wind and waves into the mouth of the harbour, and there
gave the first indication of the wreck to a coasting steamer
entering the following morning. A few articles such as I
have described were retained in the Gap by an eddy, and
would there be out of reach till the waves subsided. You
will now comprehend the utter destruction of the ship and
all on board, and the mystery which for a whole day sur-
rounded its very name. The papers of the morning in
question announced, however, that a mail bag marked No.
2 Dnnbar had been found, with other evidence which left no
doubt about it, and then followed the mournful list, in which
the Misses Hunt of course appeared as passengers. The
sensation in Sydney this day was really extraordinary, and
arises partly from the fact that almost every person in the
town has passed a voyage at sea, and entered the very
Heads which this ship has been the first, as far as they
know, to strike. . . . The excitement was curiously in-
creased when a second edition of the papers announced the
suspicion that one man, if not more, was yet alive in the
crevices of the great cliffs, a thing which all thought so per-
fectly impossible that few, I expect, had ever troubled them-
selves to look carefully. An hour or two later a further
edition announced that by ropes the man had been hoisted
200 feet up the cliffs, such as I have before drawn and
described to you, and was alive and well. More I cannot
tell you till the account of this man is published to-morrow ;
but I have told enough for you to imagine the effect upon
our feelings here. A slight anxiety was, once out of a
hundred times, converted into a horrible certainty. Hunt's
sisters must have perished in the most frightful of circum-
stances the night before. ... It is impossible to conceive
the full intensity of the disappointment and sorrow.

" 6t/i September. Hunt stayed away from the mint until
last Monday, having been busy in searching all the time for
some relic or trace of his sisters. . . . When I just saw him
on Monday his look struck me very painfully, and he seemed
very much altered. You can easily conceive that I feel the
more for him as I have two sisters, who, although I have

94 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ,KT. 22.

brothers also, and many other relations, arc quite as much
to me as his sisters could have been to him ; and the thought
has not suggested itself to me now for the first time, that
there are less terrible and unfrequent events that can separate
people for ever than the shipwreck just described. There is
no reason to fail in enjoying life because it may be taken
away, or to avoid friendships because they may be broken ;
on the contrary, in my creed love is the most tangible form
of immortality, and we can scarcely imagine its being in any
way affected by death."

To his sister Henrietta.

?t/i September 1857.

u . . . With respect to English composition, I can both
understand your dread of such a formidable undertaking,
and at the same time offer you some encouragement. But
a year or two ago, since my living here, 1 can remember
both my wish and despair of ever being able to write easily.
But now I have become such a confirmed scribbler that I am
half ashamed and sorry for my new acquisition. During
yesterday (Sunday) and parts of the two previous evenings,
would you believe that I wrote two long meteorological
reports, one article on meteorology for the Empire, and
great part of another for the same on railways, besides doing
a deal of tedious and long meteorological work ? As you
observe, Parkes puts my letters often in large type, once
reprinted an article, and has lately increased the type of all
my reports, and an editor should be a good judge of what
will take. But otherwise I should feel less assured about
the quality than the quantity of productions that flow from
my old silver penholder (which by the by is nearly worn
out)."

To his Sisters.

\*]th November 1857.

" I have just received this evening two letters, one from
each of you, besides a very pleasing little one from Tommy.
I will not say that they are the most interesting or import-
ant letters I have ever had, or that I do not remember more
interesting ones from you both, but there is something in
them and something in my own state of feelings, which has

VET. 22. HIS INMOST THOUGHTS. 95

filled me with most serious and overwhelming thoughts. I
have a second nature within me hidden to the world, yet
directing all my behaviour towards the world. Towards
you this second nature tends strongly to disclose itself, to
throw off every covering of reserve or false modesty. My
letters lately have all exhibited this tendency ; I have
always felt that a word, a single word, would explain so
much to you, and would relieve me of a great load of loneli-
ness, which I have for a long time borne. I cannot, I
really believe, exaggerate to you the intensity of the feelings
of my second nature. They are a reality ; I rise up with
them before me, and go to bed with them still upon my
mind, and never take any ordinary enjoyment but as a
relaxation from this pursuit. Indeed, I really believe that
if I were about to die, which I always look upon as a pos-
sible contingency within the years to which I look forward,
I should not much care except that myself would die before
ever it had appeared, unknown, unthought of, and without
benefit, except to the peace of my own thoughts. But now
it occurs to me strongly as it has before occurred partially,
that there is no reason why I should be unknown to you.
If I am over confident, foolish, or vain, it will not make me
worse to confess it to you. The truth and sincerity of what I
say will be tried in the saying, and in the perfect loneliness
of my second nature, for it never knew a friend or the
shadow of an acquaintance ; I begin to consider it quite a
privilege to have two sisters, whom I dare to consider such
friends.

" But I must come to the point and tell you, while I yet
have courage, what are these inmost thoughts. 1 remember
them as long ago as my first living in London or even
before. They have grown ever since, and every day become
developed in more fulness and distinctness ; I consulted them
when I came out here, although I was then greatly in-
fluenced by my father's wishes, and I have consulted them
in the determination that I have come to, to leave Sydney
within a moderate time, to be numbered in months rather
than years. My whole second nature consists of one wish,
or one intention, viz. to be a powerful good in the world.
To be good y to live with good intentions towards others, is

96 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 22.

open to all. To be unselfish, as they term it, to be a
pleasant companion, or an agreeable fellow in the ordinary
range of society, to marry a wife and make her comfortable,
and so on, are all different ways of being good. But they
seem to me to be very circumscribed and rather indulgent
ways of doing it. To be powerfully good, that is to be good,
not towards one, or a dozen, or a hundred, but towards a
nation or the world, is what now absorbs me. But this
assumes the possession of the poivcr. To be as powerfully
good as I could wish does not fall to the lot of one in a
million ; how slight indeed is the chance that my powers fall
within the same narrow chance !

" My thoughts on this point shall be equally open to
you, for I see no harm in speaking of oneself sincerely to
those who will likewise listen to it sincerely. I used not to
consider myself clever, in fact, I am almost sure I was not
formerly above the average. As many boys as not could
understand a thing as sharply as myself, but owing partly
to my dislike of society, 1 have always given my attention
so entirely to learning that I begin almost to hope that the
result is appearing. You will easily understand that it is
highly important for me to determine what my mind is, since
it is the most important of the elements of the power I mean,
and I really believe my conclusions are pretty impartial. I
have scarcely a spark of imagination and no spark of wit.
I have but a poor memory, and consequently can retain only
a small portion of learning at any one time, which great
numbers of other persons possess. But I am not so much a
storehouse of goods as I am a machine for making those
goods. Give me a few facts or materials, and 1 can work
them up into a smoothly -arranged and finished fabric of
theory, or can turn them out in a shape which is something
new. My mind is of the most regular structure, and I have
such a strong disposition to classify things as is sometimes
almost painful. I also think that if in anything I have a
chance of acquiring the power, it is that I have some
originality, and can strike out new things. This consists
not so much in quickness of forming new thoughts or
opinions, but in seizing upon one or two of them and
developing them into something symmetrical. It is like a

MT. 22. DESCRIPTION OF HIS STUDY. 97

kaleidoscope ; just put a bent pin in, or any little bit of
rubbish, and a perfectly new and symmetrical pattern will
be produced. I should not like myself to estimate the com-
parative worth of different kinds of mind, but after forming
the conclusions stated above, the following passage from one
of Sir J. Herschel's essays was not unpleasing : ' As a con-
quering, contriving, adorning, and imaginative being, the
vestiges left by man arc innumerable and imperishable, but
as a reflective and reasoning one, how few do we find which
will bear examination and justify his claim!* The field for
reflection and reasoning, then, is not filled, there is yet an
infinite extent of new country to explore and bring to use.

" I know it is said that knowledge is power, and I think
the faculty of producing or discovering knowledge must be
power of a higher degree, but I am quite aware that in the
sense in which I desire power other qualities may be de-
sirable, if not necessary. One of these is personal power, the
employment of manners, language, persuasion, to accomplish
an end, and of these I am quite sure I possess nil. I do
not blame myself much for their absence ; it is owing to a
great extent to my animal constitution, but I acknowledge
that I have done, and am doing, nothing to make the animal
bend to the mental constitution. There is here, doubtless, a
great deficiency."

To his sister Lucy.

nth January 1858.

" To come to my own affairs, life here is very quiet, not one
evening in the month do I spend anywhere but in my own
little study, to which I am becoming really attached. Fancy
a little French- windowed room close to the 4 sad sea waves/
A square centre table, covered by a neat walnut-marked oil-
cloth, from which an inkstand with a sort of little dock full
of pens, pencils, paper-knives (most of them mementos), a
couple of large observation books, a pile of two or three
books in process of reading, and a miscellaneous collection of
papers in process of writing, arc never absent. Close at my
back and right side is a neat and well-made escritoire and
side -table, whose five drawers are filled by collections of
almost everything that I ever scribbled (one drawer being
indeed a secret and almost sacred repository by means of a

H

98 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *T. 22.

Hobbes' lock), while the top of the table is loaded by a
travelling-desk, a large atlas, a portfolio of your drawings
and other precious things, as well as other books, etc., of less
immediate use ; at one side of the room is a large glazed
bookcase crammed with my more valuable books (the two
lowest rows particularly please me), the surplus finding a
place either on a home-made series of cedar shelves fixed to
another part of the wall, or hiding in various drawers or
cupboards ; the large chiffonier cupboard below the book-
case is now partly appropriated to photographic apparatus,
while the mahogany camera, fixed on its three-legged stand,
serves to fill, in a very knowing way, an adjoining nook
which was always before distressing to me. Barometers or
other instruments are either suspended or recline in the other
corners and nooks of the room. Now, too, it is quite a
picture gallery, and indeed you need not come here to sec
the pictures, for they arc all your own presents, or sent
through you. There arc two or three scenes near West
Kirby, Wales, etc., two or three which look like the Thames,
one beautifully painted scene with bush and trees which you
say you copied in Italy, but which pleases me amazingly ;
and lastly, but most particularly of all, a photograph of
Pisa, and a wonderful photograph of Uncle Dick [Dr.
Roscoe, his uncle]. My room is completed by the har-
monium and a small neat music-stand filled with music.
I have lately added a superb and most convenient music-
holder of my own design and manufacture. But you must
not think that, however much my life here is in most respects
to my liking, I have any thoughts of prolonging my stay
here beyond the shortest decent limits. I feel as if I could
give up everything that I now enjoy, and enter in London, a
life of labour, trouble and small gains, if it would be more
likely in other ways to bring me nearer my desired end. I have
explained to you before what I seek, and in seeking it one
must not be too nice about ordinary common sense, prudence
and so forth. I cannot stay here much longer, or my best
years will be gone ; I shall have suffered in mind from the
want of other minds to communicate with, and in body I
shall be unfitted to live again in a cold climate. I wish, too,
to see a little of the world before I again settle in civilised

AT. 22. LAST YEAR AT THE MINT. 99

old England, where there are no holidays ; indeed, I con-
template travelling for at least a year in some quarter of the
globe, and if I only stop a year longer at the mint I shall
be about twenty-five years old before I can fairly start again
in London. If I said, therefore, that I had determined to
make this my last year at the mint I should not be far
wrong. It is a serious step to take, I will allow, but none
except yourself, or Hcnny and myself, can understand it or
judge it ; but whenever I am occupied in planning and pro-
jecting, one thing always occurs to me now, and that is the
Dunbar. It is perfectly right to lay out one's life before
one, to invest a large capital in it, as it were, even with the
hope of very distant and uncertain returns ; this indeed is the
only way of using life with true economy and effect. But
always remember that you cannot effect an insurance upon
such capital ; it is life itself, and life and every hope and every
return, except the inner return of a peaceful mind, may any
day suffer a sudden shipwreck. I have just begun to read
Jane Eyre for the first time ; I am only half through it,
and will not yet express any opinion on it, but one passage
struck me so much that I must copy it out for you, chap vi.
p. 55: 'I hold another creed, which no one ever taught me,
and which I seldom mention, but in which I delight, and to
which I cling, for it extends hope to all, it makes eternity a
rest a mighty home, not a terror and abyss. Besides, with
this creed 1 can so clearly distinguish between the criminal and
his crime ; I can so sincerely forgive the first, while I abhor
the last ; with this creed revenge never worries my heart, de-
gradation never too deeply disgusts me, injustice never crushes
me too low, I live in calm, looking to the end/ I never
before saw my creed written out, but here it is. This is
what Helen Burns says, the schoolgirl who soon dies of
consumption, but I suppose it is the creed of Charlotte
Bronte, who wrote it, and, if so, it is enough to give me an
interest in her. 1 recommend this to you. ..."

To Ids sister Henrietta.

28/// February 1858.

" You say that I seemed from my last letters not so much
occupied with music. This can scarcely have been the case,

ioo W. STANLEY JEVONS. &\\ 22.

for music is always to me the same, a condition of my
existence, a part of me. I believe I could live a life of
music. If our physical nature did not interfere I can almost
conceive it possible that a man might play music adinfinitum
and still never tire. Have you ever felt, when much pleased
and interested by several different things in the same day,
as if you would like to have a separate existence for each,
something in the way that in vingt ct un you can divide a pair
of similar cards and play two or more separate hands ? Now
I think that nothing less than a lifetime would quite satisfy
my musical thirst, while I find with concern that a single
hour per day out of the twenty-four considerably interferes
with other affairs equally or more important. Music, then,
ought to be a rare but still legitimate and occasional delight.
I greatly envy you with your music master, and lessons, and
new pieces, and concerts, and other grand opportunities.
Here, I come to a stand, surprised and pleased, if 1 hear a
(supposed) young lady strumming in a second-floor room in
a Sydney street. . . .

" The Philharmonic concerts, with their questionably-per-
formed overtures and symphonies, have now ceased, because
the concert-room has, in the most Gothic manner, been con-
verted into an auction-room. Of musical as well as dramatic
'stars/ the Sydney sky from hori/on to zenith has been
quite clear for at least six months. You can understand
then, the dull and miserable thing that it is to ramble
through the beauties of all the chief oratorios, etc., and yet
be beyond the reach of all those grand performances I hear
of in London and Liverpool. If one of the Exeter Hall
oratorios (at 35.) took place here, and the price were raised
to 10, I feel pretty nearly sure 1 should go. About two
weeks ago I fell upon Beethoven's Mount of Olives and Pastoral
Symphony, and instantly buying them at the price demanded,
have since played scarcely anything else. Many pieces in the
first I have mastered, I really think, better than anything
before, most of the latter is beyond my power altogether, and
I can only here and there catch an air. Of the Mount of Olives
I can only say that it contains some things of the beauty and
sublimity of which I had before formed no conception. It
is like gaining a new insight into a thing. My two favourite

^ET. 22. MUSIC. 101

passages I copy out ; they are the simplest parts of the whole,
but surpassingly beautiful and striking. Beethoven's music
seems to me characterised by ' being full of soul,' every note
seems to be a thought, or at least a part of an expression,
while the whole seems to be an inspiration rather than an
exertion of mere musical knowledge, art, or talent. Of all
other composers Weber seems to me most nearly to re-
semble him in this ; Haydn, Mendelssohn, Spohr follow next
in this respect. Mozart and Handel, though perhaps greater
than any, on the whole, are distinguished, especially the
latter, by the preponderance of the musical art, pure or com-
bined with the dramatic.

i( These thoughts and criticisms I give quite freely,
although I know I have no foundation or opportunity of
judging, and I wish you would do the same of what you
play. . . .

" I am glad you find political economy tolerable. The
Wealth of Nations is perhaps one of the driest on the sub-
ject. You will perceive that economy, scientifically speaking,
is a very contracted science ; it is in fact a sort of vague
mathematics which calculates the causes and effects of
man's industry, and shows how it may best be applied.
There are a multitude of allied branches of knowledge con-
nected with man's condition ; the relation of these to
political economy is analogous to the connection of mechanics,
astronomy, optics, sound, heat, and every other branch more
or less of physical science, with pure mathematics. I have
an idea, which I do not object to mention to you, that my
insight into the foundations and nature of the knowledge of
man is deeper than that of most men or writers. In fact, I
think that it is my mission to apply myself to such subjects,
and it is my intention to do so. You are desirous of
engaging in the practically useful; you may feel assured
that to extend and perfect the abstract or the detailed and
practical knowledge of man and society is perhaps the most
useful and necessary work in which any one can now engage.
There arc plenty of people engaged with physical science,
and practical science and arts may be left to look after them-
selves, but thoroughly to understand the principles of society
appears to me now the most cogent business. The Associ-

102 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ACT. 22.

ation for the Advancement of Social Science is a great step
certainly, but it seems to me as yet scarcely founded on a
sufficiently wide basis ; I do not think also that it should
be confined so much to details and practical suggestions."

To his sitter Henrietta.

i8/7* April 1858.

" Thus 3 have I spent a whole Sunday evening from tea-
time till nearly I A.M. Mrs. G. and other visitors have been
here to-night, but I have been so buried in my subject that
I could not tolerate their talk, and so scarcely saw them
during ten minutes at tea and ten at supper. I often
wonder whether my sisters will tolerate my abstractions when
I live with them again (if ever), will they remonstrate and
bother, or will they sit up and help and advise me in my
work ? Sometimes lately when I have got into a subject \ I
have worked up to 4 A.M. in the morning. As to this even-
ing's work, I hope it will give you a fraction of the pleasure
and interest it has given me. To be interested is to be
happy, and I believe 1 am one of the happiest people alive,
because there is scarcely a thing I could lay my hands on
but I could spend an evening with it if need be. To pre-
vent one thing from interfering with another is my only
difficulty/ 1

To his sister Henrietta.

qthjune 1858.

"... I think there arc no characters one loves so much
as great musical composers. Mozart, Beethoven, and Men-
delssohn seem to be the intimate friends and benefactors of
all who hear their music : what a privilege thus to delight
millions of people for ages to come. Those three poor
Germans will be known when Victoria is forgotten, and London
perhaps will be distinguished as the place where the Messiah
was first performed. But it is an interesting question with me
whether musical writings will have the everlasting character
of poetry, or whether it will become antique and superseded.
David's psalms, Homer's Iliad, Shakespeare's plays, and
Milton's Paradise Lost, will be read as long as there are
readers. Will the Requiem, the Messiah, the Engcdi, and
1 In writing a long criticism of Mozart's Requiem and Beethoven's Engcdi.

MT. 22. REASONS FOR LEAVING SYDNEY. 103

Elijah or St. Paul be played, and perhaps rearranged for
instruments of improved construction ? Very probably it is
so, and the last century scarcely yet terminated is a grand
musical epoch that may never recur with such original
beauty and grandeur."

To his sister Lucy.

qthjuly 1858.

" My monthly despatches will this time be comprised
within a small space, for the mail has not arrived, and I have
consequently no letters to answer. Life here is as quiet as
usual. There is nothing in the least striking to tell you of.
Tt often occurs to me, is it well to live thus undisturbed?
Will the future be better than the present to one who makes
no present sacrifices ? Granting that a given position is
good, may it not be wisely relinquished if a happier one
mdy be attained, even after much trouble ? What man of
sense that had a hundred acres of land would dig a single
acre, and sowing it with potatoes, rest contented that he is
not likely to starve, and owes no man anything? Will he
not pinch himself and go through years of toil that his
whole estate may be rendered a productive farm? It is
just so with me. I have plenty of potatoes to live on, and
might lie down in sunshine if I wanted nothing else. But
may I not fairly believe that I have other capabilities, that
my soil will beai other and better products if properly
tilled ? and am I to neglect this for the sake of the trouble ?
You already know so well what are my intentions that I
need answer none of my own questions, but you will under-
stand that self-proposed arguments, such as the above, are
now and then necessary when transitory misgivings arise.
It requires no little courage to do as I propose, and I am
not naturally by any means courageous. To abandon a
good income of potatoes will be thought madness by all
those potato-growing friends who have no idea that corn,
milk, and fruit might be raised off the same ground with a
little extra trouble. ... I do not know whether I have before
explained why I desire at once to leave Sydney. It is
because I believe my education is but now continuing, and
that by staying here it is checked, and irretrievably deferred.

104 W 7 - STANLEY yEVONS. XT. 22.

I have gained many advantages by my residence at the Anti-
podes. If I could again be left to decide, quite unbiassed by
the opinion of my father and others, whether I would accept
the assayership, it is perhaps more likely than not that I
should do so. But I feel sure that a few additional years'
savings (surplus of potato crops) are far outbalanced by the
irremediable injury to future fruits of greater value. I have
done something here, but a change of life from easy to hard
and busy, from Sydney to London, a better knowledge of
the world both physical and human, the mixture with en-
lightened men and great objects, the abandonment of a
pleasant but scarcely profitable seclusion from all society,
and thus a diligent use of the advantages of London, are
what I seek. Yet I fear these things will not increase my
potato crop ! . . . I am at present very busily occupied with
meteorology. I left off my regular observations at the end
of last month, and am now working out all the results and
arranging all information I have concerning the climate of
Australia, so as to publish it if I like. 1 shall then have
pretty nearly finished with meteorology. I don't think more
than a month more will be necessary for this. T have then
plenty to do with assaying, photography, botany, and pre-
parations for my travels, to occupy five months more, so that
I expect the time will pass very quickly. . . . Tn working up
the climate of Australia I have read a great many books of
voyages and expeditions, and take quite a romantic view of
wild primeval forests and cannibal blacks. Robinson
Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, and Mastcnnan Ready
I used to think amusing but childish fiction, yet the true in-
cidents which happen in Australia or the 'Islands' (by
which we here denote Polynesia), arc quite as singular and
interesting, minus a little of the couleur de rose. England
must be a very prosy conventional place, where there is no
square yard that ' the foot of white man has not crossed,'
and where the aboriginals were exterminated some 2000
years ago."

To his sister Lucy.

Hth October 1858.

" I have already posted one letter to you by this mail,
but the letters of two mails from England having happily

JET. 23. JilS INTENDED RESIGNATION. 105

been delivered to-day, I have much more to say, and
also an opportunity of sending it by a steamer which
leaves here to-morrow on purpose to catch the mail at
Melbourne. I have only received two letters, one from

Herbert and one from , the last a serious business

letter. ... As you may believe, it is no light matter for me
in my place to receive such a letter, and I feel at the
moment as if I had more upon my shoulders than ever
before, even than in that dreadful week which passed a sentence
of transportation upon me. It is one of those things which
strike you with the chill of money, and which sums up all
that is desirable, good, and necessary, in fact life itself, into
a total income of s. d. Show that you can provide this
cold metallic coin, and virtue, worth, enlightenment may be
followed as ornaments and accomplishments. Pleasure is
measured simply as the expenditure of so much money, and
he who lives at 1000 per annum is in the world's eye five
times as happy as he who spends but 200. Is a man thus
posted up in his cash-book ? Is everything thus c closed with
golden bars, and opened but with golden keys?' . . . Hut
1 am very glad, while about to take a step which I can never
retrace, that the most chilling view of things should be pre-
sented to me. Nothing could have come more in the nick
of time than this letter, for only a day or two since I was
hesitating whether to wait for the mail before giving notice
of my intended resignation. Now I scarcely waver in my
resolution, but I act with the greatest reluctance and heavi-
ness of spirits. ... 1 may find out rny mistake some day,
perhaps I may drawl away a wretched existence sometime,
but I declare that in my present state of mind I am ready
to throw myself into the battle of life for mortal combat, and
to strip myself of everything for the purpose of paying debts
of affection while I can, and then of providing as far at-
possible for a successful issue. I verily believe I do not, and
will not, spare myself, but it must be a cause of increasing
regret if I inflict anything upon others. ... As to the
college I do not now decide, but I am sure that anothci
year's regular hard study, especially at my increased age a
will be invaluable, and its loss would be regretted to the end
of my life. I am often now much vexed at my want oi

106 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 23.

knowledge which I should in another year obtain, and have
already been impeded by it. It has occurred to me that in
returning to England I may seem to disregard the opinions
and wishes of my father, who certainly influenced me to come
here, but I do not think it is so. Could he have foreseen
things as they arc, I believe he would not have sent me here
he could not have been aware, as I was both reserved and
but little conscious of it myself, of my entire devotion to
serious views and studies, and he had also a somewhat
exaggerated idea of my prospects here. They have been
better than could reasonably have been expected, but my
father seemed in his letters slightly disappointed. It is not
true, also, that he wished me to stay here. On the contrary,
he distinctly said that he could not bear to let me go if, after
some years, he did not hope to sec me again. And now that
he is gone, is the bond which connects me with home entirely
dissolved ? and arc the circumstances entirely changed which
in his opinion rendered a return judicious ? But 1 am quite
certain that if at the time 1 had stated my wish for further
study and a different start in life, he would have immediately
agreed. Am I wrong, then, in carrying out such views at
present, or is it much worse to refuse a good salary after four
or five years 1 benefit from it, than from the first ? . . . 1 feel
the cold weight of the decision I am making as I never felt
it before, although it was always a serious subject."

To his sister Lucy.

SYDNEY, 8/// November 1858.

"... The weather has been too changeable here of late
to admit of successful excursions, but I am still stiff in my
limbs from the last, which was an out and out one. Mr.
Hunt of the mint agreed to go photographing with me, and
accordingly we started about 2 P.M. last Saturday in com-
pany with Mr. MacCutcheon (mint clerk and my successor)
for Middle Harbour, intending to camp it out all night and
photograph in the calm clear air of early morning. Hunt's
boat is a beautiful light skiff or wager boat named the Terror \
and accounted the third or fourth best boat in the harbour.
Still, with Hunt's good management it is very safe, and it soon
carried us, with a very large amount of luggage, round Middle

*T. 23. A PHOTOGRAPHING EXCURSION. 107

Head. Here our photographic zeal was so incited by the
bold water-worn cliffs that we decided on landing my lighter
apparatus, and taking them off, as the phrase is. The sky
being very cloudy, and the cliffs looking away from the sun,
this was not easily done, nor, after spending an hour and a
half over four trials, did we get at all a perfect photograph.
When Hunt and I had again packed up we were surprised
to sec the boat drifting away with no one apparently in her ;
MacCutcheon, who had engaged to keep her afloat away from
the swell on the rocks, having lain down in the bottom of
the boat and gone to dreamland. Shouting was of no avail,
and after some twenty minutes we were much relieved to see
an arm appear above the gunwale, and then a fellow looking
about as if he did not know where he was. We now pro-
ceeded through the panoramic scenery of Middle Harbour,
passing a succession of small coves with white sandy beaches,
rocky headlands, picturesquely covered with trees, evergreen
shrubs, and staghorn ferns, and better than all, little shady
dells, where a gentle stream trickles down among moss
and lichen-covered stones, between which grew luxuriantly
the most beautiful shrubs, creepers, ferns, and orchids, again
over-arched by noble old gum-trees. The photographer can-
not leave these alluring little scenes without a pang of dis-
appointment, and yet if he attempt them he will find that
he cannot convey to the plate an impress of one-tenth part
of their beauty. As we were now bent on taking the
Willoughby Falls, we went at once up Waterfall Bay, at
the head of which the falls are. Before we got there the
sun was set, and the place was examined more with an eye to
the comfortable lodgings it could afford than to its picturesque-
ness. At the falls there was plenty of water, but no sleep-
ing-place. One overhanging rock near at hand, which would
have done nicely, was already engaged by some occupant, of
whom blankets, tin pots, candles, firewood, and matches were
too plain a sign. As he was probably a black man, or, still
worse, a drunken white man, and would probably arrive
home some time in the night, we cleared away in the boat
to the other side of the narrow bay, where we at last selected
a small flat space of land upon a point, and just above the
sea water. Fresh water we had brought with us from the

io8 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 23.

falls, so we at once set to work in that co-operative busy
manner which only those who are intensely and personally
interested in the result employ, to erect the tent before
dark, and cook the meal, for which we had so good an
appetite. In a very short time we had a large sail
forming a one-sided tent sloping towards a rock; atone
side of this was our fire, lighted against an ancient log of
wood blackened in some bush fire, or perhaps by a previous
camping party. Water was soon boiled, and tea made,
mutton chops were soon fried on forked sticks, and a quite
elaborate meal was laid beneath the hut on the ground,
well covered with oilskins and blankets. It was now dark,
but candles and a lantern were forthcoming, which swung
suspended from the tent pole and illumined our camp. Thus
within our tent was civilised comfort, but stretching out your
head, you looked around on a beautiful and perfectly natural
scene of placid clear blue waters; on rocky shores sculptured
by nature, and variously decked with shells and bright-
coloured sca-wccds ; on high, bold, rocky slopes, forming a
succession of picturesque headlands, and including in every
angle small rustic dells, the interior beauties of which were
present to the mind, but not the eye ; and on the sky above.
All was now wrapped in darkness, so that sea and land and
sky were nearly indistinguishable, but the impressions of
beauty all seem to me present to the mind, even when thus
veiled over ; sounds, too, which are unnoticed but in the dead
of night, are then strangely suggestive of pleasant images,
the gush of water at the waterfall, the roar of the great Pacific
waves upon the coast not far distant, now diminishing, but
again bursting out as the large seventh wave recurs, the
rustic of the tree -tops, exposed to the motion of the upper
air, the wash of the rippled water near at hand, the flickering
crackle of the camp fire re-echoed from a neighbouring rock,
and the various cries of animals, not wanting here, but less har-
monious than elsewhere, all these suggest through one sense,
the beauty or power which another sense usually informs us
of by day. I confess to sleeping with difficulty on the
ground ; I am not naturally sleepy, and a little excitement
of my thoughts drives sleep away more than the want of
a mattress, to which the sharp intolerable buzz of a persecut-

SET. 23. A PHOTOGRAPHING EXCURSION. 109

ing crowd of mosquitoes, every now and then attacking you
with their acutely-poisoned little daggers, strongly contributes.
At last I could stand the tent no longer, but rising and
making up the fire, now half out, and wrapping myself in my
shawl (a bequest from you), I ascended to the top of the
overhanging rock, and on that hard, but aerial bed, I watched
the stars until I slept. Daylight was not unwelcome, but it
came half obscured in doubtful-looking clouds. We exerted
ourselves early, however, commencing with a refreshing
bathe in the deep clear water into which the boat
with a single push floated. Then leaving MacCutcheon to
prepare breakfast, Hunt and I proceeded to the waterfall,
dragging up our apparatus by main force. By half-past six
we took the first plate, but rain at the moment began to
fall. After breakfast, however, at which we each consumed
four eggs, the weather cleared up in some degree, and we
made repeated trials on the same subject, until satisfied that
a more satisfactory result could not be obtained. Hunt has
since printed and mounted one of his plates, producing a
really beautiful picture, and certainly the best he has taken.
My plate is smaller, and has a slight defect, but otherwise
ought to turn out even better. Our excursion was now in
fact ended, for the day was hot, and the wind from the
north-west, and the clouds wild and threatening, indicating
unmistakably a ' southerly burster/ or squall, during the
day, which would prevent us rounding Middle Head, unless
we did it quickly. With little delay, therefore, we rowed
home to Double Bay, reaching there by 1.30 P.M. Hunt and
MacCutcheon then went homewards in his boat to the north
shore. Before quite reaching it, however, the thunderstorm
burst with a tremendous squall from the south, tremendous
torrents of rain, and large hailstones ; they were instantly
drenched, but otherwise all right ; I congratulated myself
on the prudence which had brought us home just in time.
The afternoon was fine, but a second white or cloudless
squall followed in the evening : this storm was one of the
most violent I have ever seen here, only lasting about
lialf-an-hour ; the rain which fell was, I think, an inch in
depth, or nearly one-twentieth part of what falls in England
during a whole year/ 1

no IV. STANLEY JEVONS. xn. 23.

To his sister Lucy.

gth December 1858.

" Another month is gone, and in a very few weeks I
shall no longer belong to Sydney. The change is one of
some magnitude, but seems to steal upon one very quietly.
Perhaps it is in consequence of my slightly-increased years
that I feel very cool under all circumstances. ... It would
now be one of the greatest disappointments possible to me,
if circumstances prevented my immediate return home ; but
this has nearly happened.

" I will tell you that I might have a fair prospect of an
income from 1000 to ^2000 a year in Melbourne. Mr.

H , a chemist, whom I knew here, has lately moved

there, and in a few months established a gold-melting and
assaying business which already pays nearly ^2000. He
much wants a partner, however, and proposed to Mr. Miller
to join him. Miller got two weeks' leave of absence, and
went to Melbourne to see how the truth stands. He
returned yesterday very well satisfied with everything,
but I do not think he will finally decide on leaving a fixed

salary. H is equally willing to take me, but told

Miller that it must be for a permanency. This was my
salvation. ... I had almost made up my mind, that I could
not refuse such a chance of making money if 1 could hold
it for say two or three years. Hut a permanency, or even

the nine years' partnership, which H would require, is

altogether out of tlie question. I would almost as soon hang
myself at once, jas the surest way of procuring a permanent
settlement. ... I have thrown over the Melbourne idea
almost entirely, and with no small relief to my spirits. It
would indeed have been difficult to reconcile myself to a
sudden change of plans which would defer for several years
everything which of my oivu inclination I desire. I have no
love of money, no love of an easy life, and no love of an
ordinary consequential position, all which I might easily
attain in these colonies. What I do, concerns myself alone,
unless it is positively injurious to others. . , ." Now 1 have
no fear that any of you will ever reproach me with this, but,
to be on the safe side, I would freely engage that so far as

JET. 23. OFFER OF PARTNERSHIP. 1 1 1

my present or future possessions go, any necessary or reason-
able assistance shall be yours, in short everything that I
have should be yours, rather than that I should act selfishly.
But I cannot believe that any of you would ever wish me to
sacrifice everything that I hold dear after my love for your-
selves. It is rather a grave business to refuse an almost
certain fortune, such as I should doubtless obtain either here
or especially in Melbourne, but so it must be, and upon my
own shoulders will be the consequences. Life has run
smoothly with me as yet, but I am quite aware that it may
not always be so, and I hope that you also look upon it in
this light. . . ."

CHAPTER IV.

1859.

As will be been from the previous letters, Mr. Jevons
made good use of his time during his residence at Sydney.
He began the study of political economy with much
interest, and he also read one or two books on logic.
At meteorology especially he worked hard, and on 24th
August 1856 he commenced sending weekly meteorological
reports to the Empire newspaper, which he continued without
intermission up to the end of June 1858. For about a year
he was the only acting meteorologist in Sydney, and his
observations were subsequently made use of by the Govern-
ment in compiling an account of the meteorology of New
South Wales. He frequently contributed to the Empire
letters or articles on various subjects, and was several
times gratified to find his articles reprinted in the sum-
mary for England. In 1857 he sent home a paper on
the " Cirrous Form of Cloud," which appeared in the London
and Edinburgh Philosophical Magazine. In the same year
he commenced monthly meteorological reports in the Sydney
Magazine of Science and Art, and also wrote several papers
for the magazine. He published in Waugh's Australian
Almanac for 1859, "Some Data concerning the Climate of
Australia and New Zealand," a paper over fifty pages in
length, which is best described by his closing words :
" My object has been to present in an available form such
accurate numerical data as are attainable, and secondly, to
group together general information as to the winds, rains,
rivers, floods, the geographical features of the country, and
the meteorological circumstances of this part of the globe,

^T.2 3 . VISITS THE GOLD DIGGINGS AT BRAID WOOD. 113

so as to show what remarkable problems have to be solved,
and what interesting connections of cause and effect may
ultimately be traced and proved."

He had made use of his occasional holidays to take
excursions from Sydney, and his journal contains full accounts
of trips to the Illawarra district and the Hunter River.
In January 1859, after he had resigned his post at the
mint, he visited the diggings at Braidwood, and then re-
turning to Sydney, made final preparations for his departure.
He determined to go by land to Melbourne, and then to sail to
Callao, the port of Lima ; afterwards he would cross the Isthmus
of Panama and make his way to the United States, and especi-
ally to Minnesota, where he expected to meet his elder brother,
Herbert, who had lately gone to settle there, in the hope that
the country life would suit his health better than England.

To his sister Henrietta.

SYDNEY, N. S. W., $oth January 1859.

41 Yesterday I returned from my trip to the Braidwood
diggings, and for a few days I enjoy the comfort of a quasi-
home. You might perhaps be interested by an account of
what I have done and seen in this primitive country, but I
prefer, in the first place at all events, writing some sort of
answer to an interesting and pleasing letter from you which
met me here. I did, some time since, write you a very
serious and rather uncommon letter, and you may depend
upon it that what I said 1 also meant to say. But I am
glad to find that it was not misunderstood by you, and that
in fact you agree with me as far as could be expected con-
cerning the comparative values of an agreeable and a useful
life. It could never be supposed that in the course of a
rather gay stirring life, such as you have been lately spend-
ing, there would always be opportunity for serious work or
even reflection ; these things are not always right nor neces-
sary. ... I can perceive that your own views of the proper
uses of life coincide satisfactorily with my own, and we
enjoy a common understanding upon that basis, which is a
considerable privilege. But in conducting yourself upon
that basis of conduct, you have not, I think, sufficient
patience and confidence, which leads to a certain degree of

I

ii 4 W- STANLEY JEVONS. ET. 23.

wavering and inconstancy, and the consequent dissatisfaction
of your own heart ' the battling/ as you term it, ' of your
two natures within you/ Do you not perceive that a girl
of eighteen years, or even a man of twenty-two or twenty-
three years, can really do little or nothing in the world ? It
is only an extraordinary precocity of intellect, very rare and
scarcely to be desired, which can enable them to do it. It
is quite sufficient if, after a life of forty or seventy years, a
person can look back and say that he has done something,
not so much as he would have liked to do, but perhaps
nearly as much as his innate nature and circumstances
enabled him to do. ... How unreasonable, at your age or
mine, is all impatience to have any absolute result, to see a
stroke of the work struck, or a nail driven home ! Sufficient
that you are considering its magnitude and importance ;
that you are looking about and seeing what results others
achieve ; that you fix your attention on the greatest works
hitherto achieved, and wonder how they were done ; that
you steadily and patiently exercise every smallest member
of your mind and body, uncertain upon which muscles or
upon which faculties the strain will fall ; or that you collect
and learn to handle skilfully the tools which you feel sure
will be of vital use. Be in no hurry to start upon the actual
work, almost draw back from it, that your preparations may
become all the more complete. Take it coolly and con-
fidently, and leave the result, as I have said, far in the
future. ... I think you do not duly appreciate the com-
parative importance of preparation and performance ; or per-
haps, as I may illustrate it, of capital and labour. You
desire to begin and hammer away at once, instead of spend-
ing years in acquiring strength and skill, and then striking a
few blows of immensely greater effect than your unskilled
ones, however numerous, could be. We enter here into one
of those deeply -laid and simple propositions of economy
which I hope some day to work out in a symmetrical anc
extensive manner, hitherto unattemptcd even by Mill 01
Adam Smith. It comprehends the whole question o
education and the employment of capital and industry, anc
will define the proper relation of preparation and performance
I will illustrate this by a simple instance.

*T. 23. PREPARATION AND PERFORMANCE. 115

Cl Suppose a man in early years to be so struck with the
value of railways as to determine to devote his life to their
construction, and suppose him to live for sixty years. Sup-
pose him to have moderate money -means at his disposal.
Should he buy a spade and a barrow, and set to work at
once digging away at a railway cutting ? Or would he do
better to abandon for some years all care about rails, sleepers,
embankments, and locomotives, and learn nothing but mathe-
matics, mechanics, natural philosophy, reading, writing, and
even French and poetry? In the first case he would remain
all his life a common *navuic;' in the second case, favourable
talents and circumstances, and what is more important, a
peculiar, well-directed industry, would make him a Stephen-
son. Now as regards the real extension of railways, a
Stephenson is as valuable as perhaps a hundred thousand
navvies, for it is he that has led the whole theory and practice
of railway making, in which so many hundred thousand persons
are engaged in various parts of the world. This single man
is probably more industrious than most, but does not labour
much above the average, yet see what education, reflection,
and determination can accomplish. I need not refer to other
names, such as Watt and Adam Smith, to show how one man
can, even in a mere mechanical sense, render himself worth
millions of men, and it requires only a little more refined
consideration to perceive that eminent men, in every branch
of knowledge and practical life, arc really as valuable as
Watt, Stephenson, or Adam Smith, although they do not
directly produce material wealth. Soyer is worth a
hundred thousand cooks, as Newton is worth a hundred
thousand ordinary mathematicians and astronomers, because
by due education, reflection, and industry he leads them all
into new methods, and raises their pursuit to a new level.

" You will perhaps perceive the bearing of this on your
own case ; if you really wish to be useful, why not desire to
be as useful as a hundred thousand other people, and lay
yourself out accordingly ? A woman's field of action, and her
available means are considerably less than those of a man, but
she has no reason to complain and remain idle so long as the
field is really so little occupied and still so wide, and while all
her disadvantages are fully recognised and allowed for. Often,

ii6 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MI. 23.

indeed, these very disadvantages, when properly encountered,
become quite the reverse, as with Ida Pfciffer, Florence
Nightingale, and many others. I am using names in illus-
tration of what I advance, which will perhaps dismay you. Of
course I do not in the least expect that you should follow in
their footsteps, but that in your own chosen and natural way
you should endeavour to be as confident, courageous, and
patient as they. You applied yourself for a time, you say, to
teaching at schools. This is a very good thing, but if you
devote much time to it, aim at being as useful as a hundred
thousand other teachers, by so studying the theory and
practice of education that you may be an original leader in
that line. But the selection of your pursuit is a duty of
your own, and if you feel no present inclination one way
or another, be satisfied to reflect upon and learn what will
in any case be useful.

" For myself, as I have before stated, I have long felt the
same desire for a useful life, but while I was at school and
college it remained comparatively latent. I gave my atten-
tion chiefly to physical science, feeling much interest in it,
and being sure that it could not prove useless. There is
indeed almost an infinite field for work in the various
branches of physical science, but within the last few years I
have become convinced that more is really to be done in the
scientific investigation of man.

" There arc multitudes of writers of all degrees of emi-
nence and cleverness who treat of every imaginable subject
connected with man. Take for instance the number of
papers contributed to the Social Science Association. But
does it not strike you that just as in physical science there
are general and profound principles deducible from a great
number of apparent phenomena, so in treating of man or
society there must also be general principles and laws which
underlie all the present discussions and partial arguments ?
Is it not worth years of labour to dive into these inmost and
obscurest principles, and after obtaining some good clue, to
follow it out with all the intense pleasure of mental success into
a multitude of useful conclusions ? Man is said to possess
free will, but however this be, he is at least a phenomenon in
which effect is always connected with cause. All the inves-

.ST. 23. MAN A CREATURE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT. 117

tigations of social science must proceed on the assumption
that there are causes to make people good and bad, happy
and miserable, rich and poor, as well as strong and feeble.
It follows that each individual man must be a creature of
cause and effect. This has indeed been argued by Quetelct,
but requires yet to be more completely proved. But the
causes which operate in each man, letting alone a collec-
tion of men, are so very complex that their effects supply
innumerable facts for many branches of knowledge. But
why do these remain disconnected while the causes must
have more or less connection ? Men possess animal powers
and functions, they have logical minds, they have a series of
emotions, and they are placed in contact with definite but
extremely variable external circumstances. A perfect con-
sideration of all these data, in fact of all the causes in opera-
tion, must result in a determination of all effects ; for instance
in the case of a single person it must explain every trait of
his character, every action of his life, every word he has
spoken, every thought he has conceived. Of course such is
the infinite complexity of causes and of effects that we can-
not treat them in detail. A few of the main features of
man and society afford plenty of occupation. To attempt
to define the foundations of our knowledge of man is surely
a work worth a lifetime, and one not excelled in usefulness
or interest by any other.

" Why, then, should anything beyond my necessary moral
obligations debar me from it ? While I should never consent
to sacrifice others, why should I care to sacrifice my own
present case and amusement? Why should I care for
money, for fine possessions, for present name and position,
or even for the real pleasures of scientific study, while there
is such an important and interesting work evident to me ?
Others will not, for years, know or appreciate my real purposes,
but it is not to be expected that they should. I do not pro-
fess to say what you should do with the long years before
you ; it is rather open advice to say choose what is useful
and good, and therefore likely to be happy. . . . Painting,
music, and literature are indeed excellent pursuits for ladies,
but they may even yet employ themselves with equal delight
and propriety in branches of more serious learning, which are

ii8 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 23.

not at all beyond their reach. To each individual the choice
belongs, and so to yourself.

" Excuse me if my letter is extremely heavy and serious.
It is suggested by your own, and while I cannot omit what
I have said, I have not time to write much more on lighter
subjects. A long time since I wrote about a small essay I
was going to publish ; perhaps you are surprised it did not
appear, so I must briefly explain that the London publishers,
Simpkin and Marshall, said it would not pay its cost for
printing, and referred the matter back to Mr. Waugh, the
Sydney publisher. I did not care to go on with it at the
expense of perhaps 20 or 30 (the estimate of the total
cost of 1000 copies being %7\ but I did not see the least
ground for discouragement, as it is not at all usual for origi-
nal essays, by unknown writers, on dry uninviting subjects, to
pay any profit. I am even glad now that it was not pub-
lished, as in years to come I can make use of the same con-
clusions, free from a great many faults of style and mistakes,
which I expect exist at present in the essay."

To his cousin Henry Roscoc.

January 1859.

<4 . . . I feel an utter distaste for money-making, but on
the contrary ever become more devoted to my favourite
subjects of study. Perhaps you think I am too varied and
desultory in my employments, which is partly true, but you
know I am yet in a transition state. I told you, long since,
that I intended exchanging the physical for the moral and
logical sciences, in which my forte will really be found to
lie. I like and respect most of the physical sciences well
enough, but they never really had my affections. I should
be glad, indeed, to follow out my subject of the clouds and
the movements of the atmosphere, because I feel sure I
could place it in a new position altogether ; perhaps I may
spare time for this in England, but I shall make it a
secondary thing. I have almost determined to spend a
year at college before looking out for any employment in
England. It might be worth while to take my B.A. (If 1
had had this degree before coming to this colony I should
vastly have improved my position in, as well as outside, the

JET. 23- DESIRES TO BE A GOOD MATHEMATICIAN. 119

mint.) I wish especially to become a good mathematician,
without which nothing, I am convinced, can be thoroughly
done. Most of my theories proceed upon a kind of mathe-
matical basis, but I exceedingly regret being unable to
follow them out beyond general arguments. I daresay it
is the general opinion of my friends in England that I am
inexcusably imprudent in resigning 630 per annum. . . .
But, I ask, is everything to be swamped with gold ? Because
I have a surety of an easy well-paid post here, am I to sacri-
fice everything that I really desire, and that will, I think,
prove a really useful way of spending life?"

To his sister Lucy.

DOUBLE BAY, February 1859.

" ... It almost seems now as if my return to England
were a reality very soon to happen, and it does not seem at
all out of place to consider what must be done when it is
accomplished. To build castles or even very moderate-sized
houses in the air is absurd, but this is not the case with us.

44 You suggest very reasonably that it will be necessary
for me to do something to earn a living in England, and
that I ought not to be without settled plans. It is a fact
which I do not mind confessing to yourself, that I wait very
much * for something to turn up/ but I am pretty sure I can
find some way of supporting myself, and perhaps others, which
will not interfere with my own settled pursuits. ... A pre-
liminary, however, upon which I have almost decided is
that of taking my RA., not so much for the value of the
title as for the sake of a little more study. . . .

" Herbert's letter from Wayzata is cheerful, and so far
satisfactory. ... I shall certainly try to reach his abode
and sec him. Travelling in the United States is, I believe,
cheap, easy, and rapid, so that if I ever get into the country
it will not be difficult. . . . Vessels to the west coast of
America are now very scarce here. I shall have to take
any that offers, whether it be Callao, Valparaiso, or San
Francisco, but I understand there is such good steam com-
munication along the coast that it docs not much matter.
I shall cross at Panama (where a letter might perhaps reach
me), and enter the U. S. by one way or the other. I have

120 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 23.

no fancy for New Orleans and the yellow fever, but I should
like to ascend the great Mississippi, the head of the naviga-
tion of which is, I believe, St. Paul's, of which Herbert
speaks.

11 1 will now tell you that I have only just returned from
a rough, hard-working, but fine excursion to the southern
diggings. With the exception of the passage by the steamer,
I walked all the way there and back, and to many places in
the neighbourhood. I lived in a tent with Charles Bolton,
Maurice O'Connell, and their mate, Frank Fuller, and saw
and felt all the peculiarities of life in the diggings. My
principal employment was photographing with my stereo-
scopic camera and tent, and my success exceeded all pre-
vious efforts, which, however, is not saying very much. I
have about twenty pictures, many of which are almost pro-
fessionally perfect, exhibiting not only general sccneiy, but
all the principal operations of gold-digging and washing and
incidents of tent life. The diggers were highly amused at
being taken, and only required a hint to stand in any
desirable attitude, so that my pictures seem almost alive
with real diggers. I even got an aboriginal black with two
black gins or wives, who sat still in the sun while I made
four or five attempts at their portraits before I succeeded.
. . . When out in the field I am quite pestered with people
wishing to buy views, and if I carried printing materials with
me I might easily travel scot free as an itinerant photo-
grapher. It is one disagreeable thing in this country that
a tourist is always mistaken for some sort of a tramp,
because they are utterly unaccustomed to the tourist system,
so highly developed at Snowdon, the Lakes, Mont Blanc,
etc. However, it is pleasant to travel in places really
primitive and unappreciated. I walked to the Valley of
Araluen, a long narrow valley so entirely surrounded by
steep mountain ranges that wheeled carriages of all sorts
can neither get in nor out. Provisions are taken down the
mountains on sledges. The place is occupied by none but
gold-diggers and their dependent trades. A drawback to
travelling there is that decent accommodation cannot be had.
I had to beg and pray the only respectable landlady there
before she would give me a bed in a loft. The valley,

&T. 23. AUSTRALIAN SCENERY. 121

however, was highly picturesque, and the foliage of the
trees along the sides of the creeks was delightful, at all
events to an Australian eye. Here were fine large Casuarina
trees, called swamp oaks, with a dark green foliage resembling
the pine or fir of England, only more graceful. The shady
natural groups of these trees were beautiful among the variety
of fine old gum-trees to which we arc here so much accus-
tomed. The comprehensive view of the valley from the top
of the mountains, with the distant wild ranges which hedge
it in on all sides, was surpassingly beautiful. I made a
desperate attempt to photograph it, with just a particle of
success, but distant mountains as well as clouds are practi-
cally beyond the power of the photographer. The country
surrounding the diggings of Janbecumberre, where I lived,
was unlike other Australian country, being an unvaried wide
and slightly undulating plain or tableland, entirely covered
with fine green grass and shaded by fine scattered trees.
It exactly resembled, in short, an unlimited English park.
There were plenty of birds, including crows or ravens, mag-
pies, many white cockatoos, and I also saw two magnificent
black and scarlet cockatoos. Of course one apprehended
the drawbacks of snakes and herds of wild cattle, the latter
especially alarming to the timid, but being in fact very timid
themselves."

To his sister Lucy.

BEECH WORTH, OVENS DIGGINGS, VICTORIA,
Sunday Evening, i^th March 1859.

" It is a pleasure to be able in the midst of my travels to
spend a quiet hour in writing what you will soon read, and
you will be glad to hear that I am as yet safe, well, and
pleased with the strange and various scenes of life and
nature which I meet.

" I had set my heart on performing the overland journey
to Melbourne, although knowing it to be exceedingly
laborious, expensive, in most respects uninviting, and not
altogether unsurroundcd by dangers. As steam communi-
cation with Melbourne is so convenient and rapid, it is an
unknown thing to go overland, except when there is necessary
business on the road. I wished to gain a fair idea of what
the interior of Australia is, although it be somewhat repul-

122 W. STANLEY JEVONS. A.\\ 23.

sive, and I had the further advantage of seeing two consider-
able gold diggings viz., the quartz reef at Adelong, and the
celebrated Ovens District. A journey of 600 miles overland
is but a slight affair in a first-class railway carriage, but on
a small mail cart, dragged by force of numerous horses
over the uneven tracks and among the bush of Australia, it
is really no matter of joke. The mail carts travel day and
night at the rate of from 4 to 6 or 7 miles an hour, and
during the whole twenty-four hours, awake or half asleep,
you must hold on hard, lest an unexpected jerk should set
you flying.

" I do not mind admitting that I have scarcely met with
a scene of beauty the whole distance. An eye accustomed,
as mine now is, to the unvaried greenish brown or black
of the distant bushy country, to the common shape of the
mountain ranges, and to the foliage and other component
parts of the foreground, is not again excited by similar
scenes, although hundreds of miles away. The difference,
too, of the coast and interior country is all against the latter
in an artistic view. The varied scrub, forest, and flowers
of Sydney, and the magnificent tropical vegetation of Illa-
warra and the coast ranges, are exchanged for a thin
scattering of gum-trees and a partial covering of dry and
straggling grass. The landscape is often like that of an
ill-kept English park, but devoid of its variety, its interesting
associations, the beauty of the tints and the noble roundness
of English forest trees. The interior country of Australia
may be classed into several kinds, over which you pass
uneasily in dreary succession. The mountains are chiefly in
the form of long ranges, with steep stony sides, but always
covered with more or less gum-trees. In one place the
trees upon some hills were so thinly scattered as to look
perfectly ridiculous, indeed, like those in a Chinese painting.
Again, at the foot of the ranges, generally occurs a large
extent of undulating slopes, over which you travel roughly,
with the sight of nothing but trees, grass and banks of
sterile earth or coarse clay. Thirdly, there are alluvial lands,
or flats, as they arc called, of rather more productive soil, but
still a dull expanse, over which you are glad to pass at full
gallop, swallowing, as you cannot help, your fair share of the

JET. 23. OVERLAND ROUTE TO MELBOURNE. 123

dusty cloud which envelops the coach. The only places
which are devoid of trees in Australia are what they call
plains ; these arc level lands or gentle hills perfectly and
naturally free from trees, and bearing only a carpet of grass,
which is generally so dry and burnt by the sun as to appear
yellow like hay. The Goulburn plains extend some 20
or 30 miles, and this yellow expanse, bordered by dark
brown bushy ranges, has a very remarkable appearance.
On one end of these plains the town of Goulburn is laid
out, not unprettily, as seen from a distance, but when inside
it about noon the unshaded glare of the sunshine, and the
abundance of white dust, arc nearly insupportable. The
town of Yass, again, is built on somewhat similar plains, but
of less extent ; here too is a river of decent pretensions,
fringed with graceful trees ; around are several remarkable
mountains, while in the extreme distance is seen the gigantic
and rugged range of the Australian Alps, the highest in
Australia, but still not exceeding about 7500 feet, or half
the height of Mount Blanc. The remarkable interior rivers,
Murrumbidgce and Murray, great rivers as they are here
called, have a very serpentine course between flat 'lands
liable to inundation, but covered by clumps of trees are very
picturesque.

<k The uneasiness and danger of the mountain roads of
N. S. W. arc now past, however, and I am in Victoria,
and in the midst of one of those remarkable gold districts
which are a new wonder of the world. Such a comfortless,
unsightly but interesting place could not be found elsewhere.
The greater part of this morning I passed in the Chinese
camps here. They are collections of many hundred tents
arranged close together in the form of rectangular streets.
In the construction of these tents, canvas, split wood, old
packing-cases, old tin, old clothes, old sacking, etc., are
indiscriminately employed for the simple purpose of keeping
out the sun and wind. You may imagine, then, how squalid
and unsightly are a few hundred such tents, inhabited by
swarms of the little ugly Mongolians, in their loose blue clothes,
and often with their extraordinary basket hats. Often also
you see them carrying water or transporting their earthly
possessions in their own peculiar manner over their shoulders.

124 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 23.

In the centre streets of the camps are all manner of canvas
shops, and a number of temples. They let me freely walk
all round and examine the latter, which were the only places
of worship I had entered for a long time. The god himself
was shin or chin, as they emphatically told me in answer to
every question, and this god seemed to exist somewhere
among an extraordinary collection of gimcracks, of pieces of
drapery covered with Chinese characters, and probably close
in the neighbourhood of a lamp which was burning. I also
saw the old Chinese man prepare tea for this god : it was
uncommonly weak, and offered in three teacups and three or
four old eggcups. It was accompanied also by the burning
of small sticks of incense and the beating of a drum and
gong. In the shops I bought for you a Chinese fan, which
fans very well, although it is decidedly ugly. For Henny I
got a Chinese book, and Tommy may have the change in
Chinese money. I greatly amused a little Chinaman who
met me when seriously studying the volume, which I assured
him I understood. The last 30 miles were travelled in
company with a little Chinaman who was brought up in
Glasgow and well educated ; he dresses in the full style of a
gentleman, and has the official title of interpreter and pro-
tector of Chinese for this district ; still, he is all affability
and condescension.

" I should mention that in travelling the most solitary,
flat, and tiresome part of the road, a distance of 120 miles,
we came, among the dry grass and gum-trees, to a station
called Kycamba, where vines and fruit-trees grew luxuriantly.
The proprietor, a funny old man named Smith, wanting a
favour of the mail driver, took him, as well as myself and
fellow-passenger, down into his vaults, where he stores his
own made wines, and treated us to three or four kinds.
They were light sweetish wines, but after a dry hot journey
inexpressibly delicious and refreshingly cool. I drank two
tumblcrsful, and yet preserved my right senses, and thought
Kyeamba a true oasis in the Australian desert, where nothing
better than water was to be found. For the present, how-
ever, good-bye, for I have booked my place for Melbourne,
and start to-morrow at 5 A.M., consequently I must go to
bed early."

AT. 23. MELBOURNE. 125

EMERALD HILL, MELBOURNE,
i6th March 1859.

" Since finishing the above account, the succession of
dreary stages of monotonous objects and of tiresome delays
and disappointments, has been exchanged for everything
pleasing and convenient, and the rest of my letter will per-
haps be a chapter of good luck. In travelling from the
Ovens to Melbourne, a distance of 166 miles, we had curious
but comfortable coaches drawn by four horses. The pas-
sengers were respectable and not disagreeable, and as com-
panion I had a gold assayer, who chanced to be travelling
from the Adclong gold-fields, where he had been with much
the same object as myself, and whom I find to be very re-
spectable. As we got towards Melbourne the roads im-
proved, and the fresh coaches to which we changed were
even more commodious. . . . At distances of 10 or 20
miles we came to pleasant little towns with romantic-sound-
ing names, such as Avenal, Violet Town, Seymour, Glen
Rowan, Donnybrook, or peculiar native names, as Tarra-
wingce, Wangaratta. The country, however, was even more
monotonous than anything I had passed before, in fact, one
continued flat and lightly -wooded plain, intersected by
several considerable river streams, and numerous devious
creeks. Having left Bccchworth at 5 A.M., we met with
evident signs of the proximity of Melbourne at daybreak
the next morning, and at eight o'clock found ourselves,
covered as we were with a frightful accumulation of dust, in
the busy streets of this great town As yet I am charmed
with Melbourne. It is totally unlike Sydney, and artificially
as much greater as it is by the nature of its site worse than
it. Built upon an expanse of land as nearly flat as can well
be, nothing picturesque can be expected, but the fine straight
regular streets, filled with handsome buildings and stored
with every luxury, arc the next best thing. But what chiefly
charmed me was that on the very morning of my arrival 1
saw an announcement, by the Melbourne Philharmonic
Society, of the oratorio Israel for the evening. I instantly
bought a ticket. I have often longed for an oratorio, but
did not expect such a thing on this side of the world ;
moreover, with one exception, the Mount of Oliver there is

126 W. STANLEY JRVONS. AT. 23.

no piece of music I more wished to hear than Israel. You
will perhaps be surprised to learn that such a great and
difficult mass of double choruses was very well performed
here. The solo singers, indeed, were wretched, and the
instruments were few and played with want of taste ; but
there was a good organ, and, what is more, the two choruses,
making together some 120 or 130 people, sang with at
least as much force and feeling as a similar number would
in Exeter Hall. I found almost everything realised that I
had expected of the Israel.

" But I must spend what time I have in telling you of
my progress here. Arriving at 8 A.M. from a journey of
twenty-four hours, I had, before going to bed, not only heard
an oratorio, but done the chief part of my business. I visited
Mr. Hodgson, an assaycr here, and a pleasant little gentle-
man of my acquaintance in Sydney. Mr. H. took me round
and showed me all the banks and assaying establishments ;
and when 1 asked his advice about means of living here, his
chief assistant, a pleasant obliging man, said he had some
rooms vacant in his cottage. ... I am well pleased with
my lodgings, and I daresay I could stay with comfort longer
than I at all intend to do. I shall be able to arrange my pho-
tographic things here with convenience, but there is a com-
plete want of subject, for the view before the windows is a
flat plain half covered with water, and a few short trees in
the distance, said to be the Botanical Gardens.

" I may perhaps compare Melbourne to Birkenhead. On
entering it from the land side there are precisely the same
wide well-formed streets, fine buildings, almost too large for
their purposes, and preparations for all manner of parks and
improvements. Then, on the other side, there is the same
abundance of shipping, a forest of masts such as one sees at
Liverpool, and there are railway trains with passengers and
goods busily running in and out of town. Emerald Hill,
where I am, is a quiet suburb I \ mile from Melbourne, but
not far from Sandridge, i.c. Hobson's Bay, the port. It is
called a hill, but 1 have hardly been able to detect any ele-
vation above the general level of the plain.

11 1 shall have much more to see in Melbourne, and to
select a ship in which to leave Australia, then I shall spend at

*T. 23- GOLD DIGGERS. 127

least two weeks in visiting the great gold fields of Bendigo,
Ballarat, etc., which can be reached by coach in six hours.
I shall not sail, then, probably under four weeks. More
particulars I cannot give. As of course I no longer hear
from you, I have not much to remark about home affairs,
but it is needless to say how continually I have you and an
English home in my thoughts."

To his sister Lucy.

EMERALD HILL, gt/i April 1859.

"... I am glad to say that my Australian travels are
now achieved, and that I have safely returned from a rapid
but satisfactory circuit of the Victorian diggings. They are
almost entirely devoid of any picturcsqueness, but such cele-
brated places as Ballarat and Bendigo are surrounded with
extreme interest in both a scientific and social aspect. You
can form no idea as to what strange scenes of life you meet.
Thousands of very sturdy independent diggers raising daily
from a wilderness of clay and gravel the much-sought gold,
and rapidly adopting fixed habits, manners, and appearance.
The digger dresses better than an English labourer, and
generally in dark-coloured woollen clothes, discovering slight
traces of the earth in which he works. He wears a straw or
wide-awake hat, beneath which is a face rather stern and dark,
and gravely bearded. You may always expect from him a
rough, and rather familiar, but spontaneous civility, simply
because from his independence of you, and little care for
your superior position, he can easily afford it. Thousands
of such men live in tents either with their families or with
their ' mates, 1 that is, partners. In the latter case it is often
amusing to see a big man going a round of marketing and
carrying home chops, steaks, loaves, or perhaps a bundle of
carrots. Again, there arc the swarms of Chinese always
pursuing a quiet kind of industry, and just alloying their
own fixed habits with a tinge of the civilisation around them.

" But the diggers only form a part of the population of
the diggings, for gold that is raised must be spent, and whole
townsful of greedy dealers collect together, offering the digger
every kind of article which can draw from him his gold, but
often giving in return, it must be said, the best products of

128 W. STANLEY JEVONS. or. 23.

other labour. ... I stayed six days at Ballarat, of which I
will only further say, that it was a very singular town wit
a first-rate hotel, where I lodged comfortably, but rather
cheaply, I took some photographs, but no very good ones.
There was an unlimited number of subjects in the peculiar
style of life there existing, but I soon found it too laborious,
time-consuming, and annoying a work, and despatched my
apparatus back to Melbourne. Then I went by coach through
Cresswick's Creek and Clunes (both alluvial or quartz reef
diggings), to what is called the 'New Rush Back Creek/
Here some 30,000 diggers had literally rushed together in
the space of a month or six weeks in consequence of rich
new discoveries of gold just made. To describe the appear-
ance of the mushroom town of canvas thus suddenly created
among the ancient (and we may poetically imagine) terror-
stricken gum-trees, would be impossible in a moderate-sized
letter. There were full two miles of regular canvas streets,
densely set with every kind of shop. There were five banks,
of which one had offices in a draper's shop, while others, for
instance the Great Oriental Bank, had small wooden or iron
houses, of two or four rooms. There were photographers,
doctors, dentists, lawyers, apothecaries, bankers, watchmakers,
laundresses, libraries, in addition to every common kind of
trade. I have an advertising newspaper published in the
place within the few first weeks of its existence. You will
perhaps not be pleased if I say too much of the grog shops,
billiard-rooms, concert halls, and other questionable places
of amusement, which perfectly abounded.

" But I had no fancy to remain in the place, which even
old stagers declared to be the most disagreeable hole on
earth. Accordingly I went on to Maryborough, another old
diggings, then, next day to Tarrengower, which is on a small
mountain. Here I was excellently received by a gentleman
I met on my overland journey, and he showed me the quartz
mines, etc., into which we descended by perpendicular ladders,
much to the benefit of my nerves.

" After two days at Tarrengower, on to Castlemainc, a
very pretty, clean, and model little town, which, with Forest
Creek where the diggings arc, forms a fine panoramic picture.
Next day, again, to the celebrated Bcndigo, and after another

m\ 23. MELBOURNE OBSERVATORY. 129

night home to Melbourne. Travelling here as elsewhere
is full of amusing, but not at the time always agreeable,
incidents, which will afford substance for much pleasant
reminiscence.

"Victoria is in the parts I have seen utterly unpicturesque,
and little different from a wide poorly-wooded plain. I even
now regret the deep dark gullies, the bold rocks, and the lux-
uriance of bush which New South Wales can certainly boast.

" I may now state that on again reaching Melbourne I
found a ship was almost immediately to sail for Callao,
where my chosen route lay. On examining the ship I found
her a sound, large, new one from Glasgow, rather dirty, but
roomy, and as safe as any land. Accordingly I at once
paid the passage money (30), and have hurriedly provided
myself with ship's bedding and a table, chair, etc., for berth.
She was to have sailed to-day, but I am glad to find it will
be Tuesday or Wednesday before she goes, and I have thus
some time to spare for letter writing. This afternoon I
called at the Melbourne Observatory upon the director, Pro-
fessor Ncumayer, a rather new-comer. I was introduced
to a little spare German, who received me with a tremend-
ous bow, to which I was obliged to respond with interest.
. . . With the greatest enthusiasm he at once commenced a
complete round of his observatory, showing and discussing
with me every instrument, meteorological, magnetic, and
astronomical, of which at least the two former kinds, he had
d numerous and very varied collection, all in active use
throughout the twenty -four hours. Then he showed me
many of the numerical results, explaining the methods of
reducing them, and carefully taking my direction and name
that he might post me his published reports, and even pro-
mising immediately to set his assistants to work to copy out
a few barometer readings which I required, and had made the
ostensible purpose of my visit. . . . How delightful it is to
meet this enthusiasm for true and highly useful things, when
one passes whole years together among those who are en-
thusiastic and greedy only about gold. One would be
willingly snubbed each day of the year by the rich and
addleheaded, if only received so well as this by the truly
best of their race.

K

130 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 23.

"... I have lately formed an idea of collecting specimens
of newspapers from all parts of the world, only a single copy,
or at the most two, of each, being admitted ; I think that
when I have got a good many they will be exceedingly inter-
esting and useful, as presenting a peculiar insight to public
and private matters of all people. A great part of the collec-
tion may be made without expense by getting old copies
thrown away. I have already got nearly thirty Australian
ones, of which some are curious, especially the Back Creek
Advertiser, published at the New Rush. In America I shall
meet with a multitude of papers the date does not much
matter, but should not perhaps be older than 1850, unless
for papers which have ceased before that date."

To his sister Lncy.

SHIP "CHRYSOLITE, 7 '

Latitude 10.' 37' South; Longitude 83-33" West.

600 Miles S \V. of LIMA, S. AMERICX,

29/// May 1859.

" . . . I commence my letter anew, because my previous
attempt was in such a solemn heavy style that I could not
get far on with it, and even if I could have completed a few
sheets in the same style, I should have dreaded their effect
upon your general health and spirits. I believe I am blessed
with what may be exactly described as a well-regulated
mind, in which grave and gay arc not incompatible ; whose
whole attention may for a time be given to any one subject
or reflection without becoming so preoccupied that other
things are inadmissible. . . .

" But you will wonder, perhaps, that I am in a ship and
>ay nothing about the voyage. How I wish you could be
ticre with me for a few hours, that you might go with me
ind look over the stern rail into the exquisite deep blue of
the ocean water a colour which seems to me in itself in the
highest degree sublime, since it is the indication of perfect
purity, of unfathomable depth and of almost infinite quantity
of water. And then you would never be tired of looking
round the visible horizon, although it is but a straight line
every day, with an apparent dome-like sky above, and a
plain-like expanse of heaving dark water below. By looking

*T. 23. ON BOARD THE "CHRYSOLITE" 131

on the map for Port Phillip and Lima, or Callao (the port),
in South America, you will see that the voyage between
them lies across the greatest and most uninterrupted space
of ocean which this globe possesses, and we passed certainly
not far from the point where you are in the utmost possible
degree remote from solid land. Add to this, that it is a
part seldom traversed by any ships, and almost deserted by
all living animals, and you would imagine the voyage to be
gloomy and overpoweringly monotonous. But to me at least
it has not seemed so.

u Fortunately, as there was abundant room in the cabin,
I obtained a berth all to myself, and I took care to
furnish it with two little cheap tables in addition to other
necessaries. With the aid of my closely -packed port-
manteau, box, and bags, I find myself surrounded with
books, instruments, and every little thing that I can want.
The only unpleasantness is that I cannot do half what I
wished and intended books must remain unread, many
things unwritten, and many experiments and observations
untried. I have, however, got a good deal done of my
journal or accounts of my tour in Australia, having written
since I came on board, almost 170 large and closely-lincc
pages, illustrated with innumerable sketches or other figurei
of the most rough execution. I have as yet, too, dcfcrrec
the general description of the diggings and of the modes o
extracting gold, which might make another I oo pages. Bu*
1 can assure you I will never require yourself or any om
else to read it, nor do I my.sclf venture to read what I have
once written. Perhaps it may amuse me if ever I am ai
old man, and look back to the strange early days in Aus
tralia, when I was living in tents, sleeping in the air, cxplor
ing unknown and romantic mountain scenery, or jolting 01
the royal mail through bushy deserts at most dark and un
earthly hours. Already I begin to regret Australia, an<
when I am holding yarns with the captain about it, I feel
slight tendency of water to the eyes, and an inclination to giv
most partial and ' rose-coloured ' descriptions.

" We are a very small, if not a very affectionate, part
in the cabin here. The captain and I are perhaps the bes
friends aboard. The Chrysolite is from the Clyde, and he

132 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AST. 23.

consequently Scotch. I keep the Board of Trade meteoro-
logical log for him, and discuss or try various nautical
observations. ... I spend most of my day either writing in
my berth or reading. To-morrow, however, I must begin to
arrange and repack my boxes, as in three days we may pos-
sibly be in Callao. Winds, however, as I am fully convinced,
are most contrary and capricious phenomena, and in spite of
the many fine philosophers who write grandiloquently (in a
quiet parlour with their feet on an English fender) about
universal and inscrutable laws, proving the benevolence and
wisdom, etc., the winds which we have had might certainly
be said to drive a coach and four through the most solemn
and important laws and decrees of meteorologists. We
repaired to high southern latitudes that we might benefit by
the constant westerly winds which always blow thcrc> but
presently met a strong stormy cast gale blowing right
ahead of us, and delaying the voyage twelve or fourteen days.
Now we are in the trade winds, which ought to be steady
delightful breezes, but we find them to consist of heavy
shifting squalls."

" 2nd June, 20 miles south of Callao. This is one of those
most cheerful days which occur in the lives of but few people,
and then only at rare intervals the first day in sight of a
new continent after a long sea voyage. All day we have
been lying becalmed 20 or 30 miles from the shore of Peru,
and almost in sight of our port ; but although this delay is
provoking, it is not unpleasant to me. The coast is almost
unequalled for boldness and grandeur, but is unfortunately
bhrouded for the most part in dense beds of cloud. The
sky is gloomily clouded, and all around the atmosphere
seems in a thick and hazy state. Yet below the layer of
clouds peaked rocks or lofty precipices arc seen rising from
the water's edge, and above these are a confused multitude
of mountain slopes, which seem to melt away into each other
with that exquisite delicacy of outline and of tint which form
the charm of distant mountain scenery. It was for a long
time left to our imagination to trace the shapes and heights
of the higher peaks, until for a short time we gained sight
of an immense mass of mountains or tableland, probably that
of Pasco, towering above the clouds, but scarcely distinguish-

,ET. 23. FIRST SIGHT OF THE ANDES. 133

able from them. The elevation of the loftiest summits, seen
from here, does not exceed perhaps 1 2,000 feet, while Mont
Blanc is nearly 16,000 feet in height. But then the Andes
arc a range of extreme length, and of immense proportion
in every part. They are also situated close to the coast, so
that the impression of loftiness must be all the stronger.

" But we have had other novelties to-day to break the
monotony of our monotonous voyage, for a whale was
reported. I had never previously been so fortunate as to
see the greatest of animals, and considered my chance quite
gone ; but here he was blowing away, that is, spouting out
water just as the story-books describe him. We have also
seen during the morning numbers of pelicans, great birds
with large bills a foot or two in length, who coolly sit in the
sea-water looking out for fish. For the last few days we
have also seen numerous looby birds, who live on solitary
rocks and islands, and also occupy themselves in fishing.
Perhaps you have heard of Cape pigeons, who bear the
sailor company in many a solitary voyage, but you can
scarcely imagine what beautiful little birds they are, with
white breasts, black heads and wings, most prettily diversi-
fied with black and white feathers ; their shape is the plump
yet elegant one of the pigeon or dove, and they can sit and
swim in the water, which they do especially on a calm day,
and they then look even prettier than when circling about,
with their wings outspread and motionless, in the air. From
ten to a hundred usually follow a ship day and night."

MARINE HOTEL, CALLAO,
9/// June.

" I have now been a week in Peru, and am already anxious
to leave it not that there is any want of interesting objects,
but because everything and everybody is strange and unplcas-
ing. Perhaps you have never before heard of Lima, the capital
city of Peru, which is an old Spanish colony celebrated for its
silver mines ; yet it is a most remarkable place, and I have
seen more novel sights in the last week than in any equal
period of my travels. For instance, you will perhaps be
shocked to hear that last Sunday afternoon I witnessed a
true Spanish bull-fight in its full barbarity. Imagine a large

134 W- STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 23.

rudely-constructed circus, open to the air of this delightful
climate, where rain or storm is positively unknown except
as a prodigy. It is overlooked by a bare lofty rock the
Sierra di San Cristobel, which bears a cross upon its summit
. . . Two or three thousand of the Peruvian people are
collected on its benches, while the richer and the fairer in
complexion chiefly fill the highest range of galleries or
the low series of sheltered boxes which enables them to
be close to the wounded bull as he rushes round the circus
and near him when he dies. The people are of all varieties,
from Englishman or Yankee to negroes of unusual black-
ness and ugliness, but the dull dark faces of the native
Indians are perhaps the most common."

STEAMSHIP "MEDWAY,"
" I must leave my description of a bull-fight for another
time. . . . You must excuse this fragmentary, clumsy letter,
but I find my faculty of writing almost deserts me amid the
exciting or interesting scenes which I should wish to de-
scribe. ... In my letter to Henny (of the 2ist June) I
have answered her small epistle, so happily received at
Panama, and have given some account of progress since
leaving Callao. ..." Curiously enough, I find in my desk
some old English postage stamps which I have had since
(on this day five years) I left home ; now they serve to bear
this letter which tells you how near I am to England."

To his sister Henrietta.

ASPINWALL HOTEL, PANAMA,
list June 1859.

" Some writer has said that a traveller's life is full of
intense pleasures and intense disgust. This day seemed likely
at first to be one chiefly of vexation and trouble, although
indeed this strange little town excited in me no little interest.
But when, in company with two fellow-passengers, I happened
to pass a vacant-looking old building which serves as a post
office, it occurred to me to enter, more with a view of finding
something to do than because I had a faint recollection of once
telling you to address a letter to me here. A board was
pointed out in reply to my inquiry, covered over with slips

*T. 23. POST OFFICE AT PANAMA. 135

of paper, variously aged and dilapidated, all written over
with names in a nearly illegible and careless handwriting.
All hope of success in my search vanished as I glanced over
a few of these lists with their strange mixture of Spanish
and English names Jos<, Pedro, Pablo, Antonio, Isidore,
alongside of William, Henry, Thomas, John. But just escap-
ing the edge of a mischievous tear, what do I see? my
own name legibly, unmistakably written down, nay even
correctly spelt to the last letter this latter being an occur-
rence almost unprecedented during my lengthened experieiice
among strangers. It was with a rare delight indeed that I
received your little letter. ... I hope to be at home in about
three months, when it will indeed be pleasant to have a
week's quiet life with my sisters, and it will then be time to
discuss every plan ; much there will be to discuss in so short
a few days, for if I join the university again it will be
necessary to settle to my study rather quickly.

" My more immediate business now is to request you to
write as quickly as possible, and give me intelligence of
Herbert, whom I wish to visit before I return to England.
Tell me if he is in the same place as according to the last
account (Wayzata). The journey will be a rather long one
of a few thousand miles, but will be easily performed with
the aid of American facilities."

STEAMSHIP " MEDWAY," CARRIBEAN SEA,

" Being unable to obtain a steamer from Panama to the
United States without waiting nearly a week at the hot fever-
breeding Isthmus, I determined to come on in this steamer,
and with my previous fellow-travellers, as far as the Island ol
St. Thomas, West Indies, which, being a great port, will afford
me a choice of routes to the States. We are within a day's
sailing of St. Thomas, where, of course, I shall post this letter
onwards. It will be tantalising to think that I am within
fifteen or sixteen days of England, and see others proceed
onward to that happy land, yet not to join them myself.
But of course I must not be impatient and break off from
my intended travels. At St. Thomas I shall either take a
sailing ship direct to New York, or shall take the Havanna

136 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 23.

steamer which touches at six or seven of the intermediate
West Indian ports. I am now rather overrunning my time,
and shall not leave sufficient for the wonders of the States.

" You will perhaps like to hear a little about the places
I have lately seen. Callao, where I first landed on the
American continent, is a seaport of some consequence, six
miles inland of which is the celebrated city of Lima (pro-
nounced Leema), the capital of Peru. I lived in a curious
French hotel in the town of Callao for nine days, going up
to Lima, when I desired, by means of the railway, which now
connects them. The buildings there are quite unlike any-
thing I had elsewhere seen, being built partly of sun-dried
bricks, partly of laths and clay, for the climate is so dry and
rainless^ and the occasional earthquakes so severe, that this
mode of construction is the most suitable. The houses are
usually of one storey, and enclosed, according to the Spanish
fashion, with an outer wall or range of buildings through
which a gateway leads into the patio or courtyard. The
most extraordinary love of ornament and of bright colours
is shown by the people here, for they not only paint all
the walls and houses of pink, sky-blue, light yellow, or other
brilliant and pretty tints, but they also leave no vacant space
without a fresco painting of some curious allegorical design,
or of some landscape real or fanciful. The courtyards often
contain fountains and small groves of potted plants and
trees, so that the Lima houses, although very different from
what the more substantial and reserved taste of the English
would prefer, are often extremely elegant, and well adapted
to the circumstances of the city. But the churches (of which
there arc sixty-seven) and the large old monasteries attached
to many of them are the great points of interest in the place
The Roman Catholic religion, imported from Spain here,
gained vast power, wealth, and extension among a popula-
tion formed to a great extent of native Indians, low in the
scale of intelligence, and of negroes who arc worse. As a
consequence the religion became debased into something
which I can only regard as a bad form of idolatry. The
churches arc remarkable in an architectural point of view
for an extreme and absurd abundance of ornament and
colours, but the altars inside, before which the people

/ET. 23. DESCRIPTION OF LIMA. 137

worship, are what excite and disgust one most. They
consist of large complicated erections, gilded and pro-
fusely covered with carving in every part. Often they arc
loaded with large quantities of pure silver, in the form of
candlesticks and of ornaments of senseless and indescribable
form. When silver was not to be had the commonest tinsel
was substituted. The eyes are indeed attracted and dazzled
by this tawdry and barbarous pile of decorations, but they
rest with disgust upon the images which arc placed in the
niches and peep out from every side ; the Virgin Mary with
a gilded crown and a dress of bright yellow silk, embroidered
with a mass of gold or tinsel lace ; Christ himself represented
by a barbarous wooden figure nearly naked, and showing
wounds and streams of blood ; and the Apostles clothed in
robes of velvet, with the usual profuse and tawdry decora-
tions. Such are the objects before which crowds of women,
white, brown, or black in complexion, and even men, may be
seen kneeling and praying at all hours of the day, while
other women are murmuring their confessions to old priests
who sit easily in the confessional boxes. But it would be
impossible to give you a complete idea of the curious
general aspect of these old Roman Catholic edifices, the
gloomy vaulted naves, the ghastly images, the old and rude
pictures, which startle you at every step, the antiquated
organs, the great screens of double iron bars which separate
off the chapel in which the nuns or monks attend the
service. In the monasteries, again, you may roam through
courtyard after courtyard, along gloomy long passages, and
up great staircases, passing, every now and then, a small
chapel enclosed by a lattice door, within which a solitary
lamp burns before the tarnished old altar and its images, in
evidence that it is not quite neglected. All these strange
edifices, built of vast masses of sun-dried bricks, and tried by
many an earthquake, have the evidences of decay, and one
is almost glad to see that the tarnished altar-piece is not
rcgildcd, and the fallen image often not replaced. Where might
one sec idolatry if not in Lima ? Who would be a Christian
if this is Christianity? But I must tell you more about
these things when I see you.

" Leaving Callao by the Pacific Steam Navigation Com-

138 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m\ 23.

pany's steamer, we passed up the coast, stopping at three
ports, and on the tenth day we landed in Panama. This is
a curious old Spanish town of small size, but beautifully
situated. Its inhabitants are chiefly negro, with a mixture
of Indian blood ; but the splendid churches and religious
erections of the former Spanish colonists have now nearly
passed away, for their ruins, overgrown with bushes, now
encumber the town, and of a total number of seven or eight,
only the cathedral and one or two more can be used for worship.
I remained here two days in a good French hotel, then at
9 A.M. of the next day I started on the celebrated Panama
railway, and in passing the Isthmus saw for the first time a
tropical country of which every square yard is covered, nay,
piled up, with a bright green luxuriance of vegetation in a
multiplicity of elegant forms

" It took four hours to travel the distance of 47^ miles
across the land (the cost for fare and luggage being 43 dollars,
or nearly $ : 1 2s.), and we then went straight on board the
Mcdway steamer, as Aspinwall, the railway station and port
on this side, is a miserably hot and unhealthy place Since
leaving there we have touched in at Carthagena, a Spanish
seaport town of considerable beauty and interest, but we did
not go ashore. Here a number of native Indians came off
in their canoes and sold to the passengers many monkeys,
parrots, marmosets, as well as shells, sponges, fruits, and other
natural productions of this tropical place. The Medway is
a steamer of considerable size, but old and extremely un-
comfortable. The weather is intolerably hot and close in
these tropical seas, as the thermometer never falls below 80,
so that travelling here is far from being a pure delight, and
I now look forward to a quiet sooty room in London as very
happiness itself.

" It has rendered my journeys much more pleasant of
late that I have been very fortunate in my travelling com-
panions. From Melbourne I have been with old Dr
Fergusson, an inspector-general in the English army, a very
high rank, as he occasionally tells us. He is sometimes a
great bore, being deaf and infirm, but he is a most plucky
and excellent old man, so that I am glad to help and cheer
him occasionally. He even went up a church steeple with

>ET. 23. LANDS AT ST. THOMAS. 139

me in Lima. Then at Callao we took on board several very
intelligent and agreeable English gentlemen who have been
a long time in Peru, and whose conversation is interesting
and rational to an unusual extent. Lastly, there is Dr.
Karl Scherzer, the chief scientific traveller belonging to the
Novara Austrian frigate, which has recently made a voyage
round the world, and was for five weeks in Port Jackson.
The doctor is an author and traveller of considerable German
reputation, has spent twenty years in visiting nearly every
part of the world, knows almost every man of eminence,
speaks six languages, has the rank of lieut.- colon el in
the Austrian army, yet he is totally unassuming, and when
not engaged in writing, spends the whole day in the most
delightful conversation. Of course I am the best friends
with him, and, cither on scientific or political subjects, have
much discussion at every spare hour of the day. Here every
hour of the day is to spare. . . .

" 1 can well remember how on this day five years ago I
parted from you and Lucy, and also from my father. I
have very often thought of the day with a feeling that was
not far different from downright pain. Soon it might be
buried and forgotten were it not that it was my father's last
farewell. . . . But in about three months we will hope for
a day as joyful as that was full of pain."

HOTEL DE COMMERCE, ST. THOMAS,
3O/// June,

14 1 am again on land in a pretty seaside town with a
very high temperature. But I must first think of posting
my letters, then of breakfast."

Soon after his arrival in England Mr. Jevons wrote a
long account of his journey to his friend Mr. Miller of
Sydney. In it he speaks of St. Thomas as " a pretty little
tropical island, with a curious little Danish town spread
around the shore of the harbour, surrounded by steep green
hills rising almost from the water's edge." He continues :

"The only vessel direct for the States was a small
Yankee bark. I preferred to take a Spanish steamer which
in two days was to leave for Cuba. Ten days (I think)
were spent in this most delightful voyage, the weather,

IV. STANLEY JEVONS. LI. 23.

glorious yet fiercely hot both day and night, being now
delightful when every suitable comfort was afforded us ; the
day spent on the well-shaded deck reading or watching the
beautiful green islands as they came in sight or faded in the
distance, sleeping at night upon a bed that was nothing but
open cane work and a single sheet, enjoying fully the
Spanish style of living viz., breakfast at ten with numberless
dishes of meat and fish, flavoured highly with garlic, and
succeeded by a fine dessert, nothing to drink but an abun-
dance of claret, a similar meal for dinner at 4 p.M , iced
lemonade at noon, and coffee at night. You may well believe,
then, that this was a charming voyage. There were numbers
of Spanish on board, who are, outwardly, polite agreeable
people. My only English companion was Mr. Stewart, a
Demerara sugar planter, who accompanied me to Baltimore
in the States. . . . We stayed for some hours at the Spanish
town and island of Porto Rico, again for some hours at a
port in St. Domingo. Thence we steamed for the port of
St. Jago de Cuba, in the town of which I spent a clay ; we
also touched at two less important places on the north coast
of Cuba, and at last entered the striking and much-praised
harbour of Havanna.

" I shall never forget my visit to this port and town ; my
determination to take everything with as perfect coolness as
the tropical weather would allow, that the yellow fever might
have a poor chance ; the great beauty of some Spanish
young ladies who came on board, to meet their friends, in
their walking dress, a kind of simple and elegant ball
costume ; the tremendous perspiration and confusion into
which I suddenly fell when the Spanish custom-house
officer refused for a long time to admit my photographic
apparatus into the country ; the dispersion of my luggage
by the time that the obnoxious articles were passed ; my
anguish next day on discovering that I had altogether for-
gotten and lost my Australian journals, several valuable
books, etc., which, for use on board ship, I had made into
a^ separate parcel ; the strange discomfort of the Hotel
Ferdinand, which had floors of marble, doors of iron bars,
and no real windows ; the terrible still heat which pervaded
everything ; the gay appearance of the streets, the houses

AT. 23. AT HA VANNA. 141

with doors and bow windows open to the street, except as
iron bars can close them ; the ladies sitting publicly within,
on rows of rocking chairs in large bare stony chambers ; the
innumerable cigar shops ; the numbers of porters, soldiers on
guard, or others, who in each corner were seated at small
benches, making thousands of the celebrated Havanna cigars
and paper cigarettes ; the delicious ice creams which we had
at the Cafe Dominica ; the coolness with which the ladies
called at the cafe, in their volautcs, to take ices ; the extra-
ordinary and absurd form of the Spanish carriage or volante,
a kind of huge wheelbarrow with one horse, immense long
slender shafts, high wheels, and a negro slave as postillion ;
the unfortunate breakdown which Mr. Stewart and I had
when we attempted to ride in one ; the impassibility of the
narrow streets when all the fashionable ladies of the city
rode out in the afternoon in full dress ; the astounding dis-
covery that they did their shopping at nine o'clock at night ;
my interesting walk over the town early next morning into
the churches also, and the cathedral in which Columbus is
buried ; the general sensation of yellow fever and uncer-
tainty of life in new-comers ; our satisfaction in securing a
passage during the day on board a small American screw
steamer ; our enviable position on board her during the
night, to leeward of a fever bury ing -ground, near a fever
hospital, where some fires burning outside must have been
consuming the clothes of those recently dead ; the details of
how many had died on the surrounding ships.

u At daylight of the third day we steamed out of the
narrow entrance of the harbour, and passed the formidable
morro or castle which guards it from American filibusters
and others. The little screw steamer, loaded with pine-
apples and bananas, made rapid northing^ greatly assisted by
the Gulf Stream. After five or six days at sea we steamed
up the long Chesapeake Bay, and landing safely at Balti-
more I felt some exultation in at last entering the great
United States."

To his brother Herbert.

FRANKLIN HOTEL, PHILADELPHIA,
*$thjttty 1859.

" Having heard nothing to the contrary, I assume that

142 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 23.

you have settled down upon the forty acres of land which
you were intending to purchase, and I write to inform you
that I have not only arrived safely in the Great Union, but
am also intending to visit you in the far West a journey,
indeed, which will be very pleasant to me on more than one
account. I cannot undertake to give you any written
account of the countries I have lately seen, for when ' on the
move' I am never in a mood for writing. . . . The great
heat, the unhealthiness, and the expense of living in
Havanna, caused me to leave it by the first opportunity,
which happened to be a small screw steamer leaving next
day for Baltimore ; and after again passing five days at sea, I
found myself at last in a Yankee city.

"My arrival there was about a week since, for after
spending several days in examining the monumental city I
* took the cars ' for Washington, scrambled over the Capitol,
the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian Institute,
Lafayette Square with Mr. Sickle's residence, walked along
the avenues, and then seeing nothing more of the least
interest in the American capital, abruptly took the cars
back and came on here. To-morrow morning I am again
about to move to New York.

" As far as I can now tell, I shall wait about a week in
New York (at the Metropolitan Hotel), until I receive a
letter from home in answer to mine from St. Thomas. If
I then hear that you arc still in Minnesota, I shall take a
route by Pittsburg, thence by steamer to Cincinnati and
Louisville and St. Louis, and up to St. Paul's, which may
occupy nine or ten days, as I intend to stop one day in each of
the considerable towns. You need scarcely expect me, then,
under three weeks from the present time. Of course I am
deprived at present of any news from home, and unless I had
luckily received a short note from Henny at the old Panama
post office by a lucky chance, I should be six months behind
date. At present I am three months behind. By such a lengthy
travelling I have become more than ever accustomed to live in-
dependently, so that it seems quite natural ; and even to meet a
relation will seem most strange yet pleasant. The return to
England, which has ever been my highest desire, is now scarcely
more than two months off, and I can hardly realise it.

23. AT NEW YORK.

" In the list of passengers by the last English steamer
from New York I saw the name of F. Jevons. At first I
was afraid it might be a mistake for your name, but found
the name repeated in other papers. It is curious that I
should so nearly have encountered Fred Jevons ; but perhaps
we should not have known each other. Indeed, I do not
feel sure that we two shall very easily recognise one
another.

" I will give you my thoughts on American affairs when
I have more matured them, and can converse with you. My
Australian life has quite prepared me for that in the far
West, and a clean floor and a blanket will quite serve me for
a bed.

" I have throughout enjoyed the most surprisingly good
health, having been often styled by fellow -passengers the
'picture of good health.' A month in the very hottest
tropical climates did not affect me, and I escaped the yellow
fever of the West Indian ports. I have almost lost two
days of my stay in Philadelphia by a little illness from which
I am to-day recovered.

"The extreme convenience of the American hotels
renders travelling here easy and very tolerable, so that I am
almost becoming lazy. Opposite the bedroom where I now
write, at 10.30 P.M., is a free concert saloon, whence, every
evening, I can hear some really good vocal and concerted
music, which is rather a treat.

<% Consider this to be the mere epitome of the letter
which I should like to write."

To his sister Lucy.

ST. NICHOLAS HOTEL, NEW YORK,
\st August 1859.

" I have now been nearly a week in this great but not
very amusing city. ... I shall start this evening for Pitts-
burg on the Ohio River, which is the first step of my journey
to Minnesota. It will be a splendid excursion, I have no
doubt ; but you may be sure I am beginning to be quite
weary of travelling, and shall be delighted when I can give
up all further thoughts of hotels, railways, steamboats, and
that most terrible of bores, baggage. You can have no idea

144 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 23.

what a splendid hotel I have been living in here. It is
perhaps the largest in the United States, which is saying a
great deal. My bedroom, in which I am now writing, is
No. 453 ; it is rather small, but fitted in a very superior
way. . . . Everything is at your service without question
for the simple charge of $2.50, or about ten shillings per
day : this is the uniform charge in nearly all hotels. What-
ever I may say of the Yankees in other matters, certainly
they are supreme in the management of their hotels.

"The great towns which I have as yet visited arc
mere collections of great warehouses, shops, wharves and
handsome dwelling-houses in fact merchants' offices and
merchants' houses. The alpha and omega of the whole is
trade. The same is to a great extent the case with Liver-
pool y OU know how devoid it is of things of higher interest
well, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore are far
worse."

In the letter to his friend Mr. Miller previously quoted
Mr. Jcvons says :

" I reached Pittsburg by rail, finding it an intolerable
smoky manufacturing town ; then to the large town of
Cincinnati (the queen of the West), also by rail. I now
embarked on one of the Ohio river steamers, a thing which
in no way can be said to resemble any steamer seen in
English waters. . . . We made a slow tedious passage down
the Ohio, stopping to land and receive passengers and cargo
every five or ten miles ; sometimes I was able to land and
walk about a little ; then we reached the great Mississippi
river, and made a still slower progress up its rapid turbid
stream to St. Louis. This town is large and important now,
but will soon be the western capital of the States ; I left it
the same afternoon in a better steamer, and the scenery of
the upper Mississippi becoming more nearly beautiful, I was
better pleased. I had spent almost two weeks in this mono-
tonous river life before I reached St. Paul, the chief town of
Minnesota ; but the same evening I succeeded in discovering
my brother's settlement, twenty-two miles away, and slept at
night in his log hut."

23. riSITS HIS BROTHER. 145

7V? his sister Lucy.

WAYZATA, near MINNEAPOLIS,
MINNESOTA, U.S.,

1 7 th August 1859.

14 You will be glad to learn by this letter that I have
reached Herbert's location the farthest point of my wander-
ings safely, and have found him in very good health. It
cannot be said that a log hut affords anything approaching
luxurious comfort ; but you must be aware that when you
are hungry even potatoes and Indian corn bread arc a com-
fort to the stomach, and when you are well tired it is delight-
ful to rest upon any sort of a bed. People in this far West
country live much more poorly than I should have expected,
for as there arc no butchers and no animals to butcher, fresh
meat ib almost unknown. On the whole, I am much pleased
with Minnesota ; and Minnetonka, which being translated from
the Indian language means ' great water/ is a charming but
by no means great lake. The numerous woody headlands,
the bays, and a solitary island, have a very pretty appearance,
and remind me somewhat of my excursions on the Parra-
matta river. Thus, just opposite to Wayzata is a sort of
little peninsula running out and ending in a curious knoll.
On the summit of this used formerly to stand an ancient
stone which the Indian aborigines worshipped the stone,
indeed, has recently been removed to a museum, but the
place is yet known as ' Spirit's Knob.' The fine woods here,
with their bright green and abundant foliage, are very beauti-
ful to my eyes, so long wearied by the stiff and monotonous
brown gum-trees of Australia. The bushy dells through
which the pathways lead you, and the very swamps with
their thick green grass and rushes, are also beautiful in their
way . . . Herbert has a fine piece of land, consisting of a
sort of flat-topped hill surrounded by a small swamp, which
is valuable for affording good logs and grass. At the same
time the elevation of his future hut will be such as to render
it very healthy. He has done very little towards clearing
his own land as yet, but we are now living in a log erection
belonging to, but deserted by, another man."

One day whilst staying with his brother, Mr. Jevons

L

146 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. *r. 24.

went out alone to fish in a small boat on the little lake. In
his eagerness to haul in a large fish he unfortunately over-
turned the boat, and had to swim to shore a task of some
little difficulty, owing to the large water-lilies which covered
the surface of the water, and through which he could hardly
make his way. After a pleasant visit of ten days, he started
westward to Chicago, which he described as "a large,
important, but horribly dull place." Thence he went to
Detroit, and through Canada to Niagara, of which he writes :
" There was nothing to disappoint me in the great falls, the
grandeur and interest of which cannot be exaggerated ; I
stayed a day and a half there, and had scarcely time to see
them fairly."

He continued his journey to Toronto, and then by way
of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence he reached Montreal,
where he walked into the Great Victoria Tubular Bridge,
which was then almost completed. From Montreal he pro-
ceeded to New York, and found that he was just in time to
take a passage by the Cunard steamer which sailed from
Boston the next morning. On landing in Liverpool he went
to the house of his uncle, Mr. Timothy Jevons.

To his sister Lucy.

GROVE PARK, LIVERPOOL,
iWt September 1859.

" I awoke this morning in what appeared to me a new
world, until upon consideration I found it to be the old and
very dear one. Since daylight this morning I have been
most pleasantly engaged in reviving recollections at every
turn, and by every question and answer. Park Hill Road,
indeed, looked dreary and forsaken beyond measure, and it
is needless to seek our home where it used to be ; but in
Grove Park I have had as kind a welcome as I could possibly
have looked for, and there are many things about it that
remind me of home. Tommy is so much grown and changed
in voice that I might not have known him, but I am gradually
discovering that he is the same, except that he is as much a
man now as a boy then. So much am I pleased with what
I meet here, that I know not what it will be like to meet
two sisters, or how I shall contain myself.

*r. 24. IN ENGLAND AGAIN. 147

" Unless you hear to the contrary, Tom and I shall leave
Liverpool by one of the earlier trains on Wednesday, but I
have not had time to consult Brads/taw.

* It is needless to say more to-day, and what a pleasure
it is to drop the old silver pen that has written you so
many letters, and reflect that its use in that respect is gone."

CHAPTER V.

1859-1863.

AFTER spending about ten days with his sisters at Streatley
on the Thames, Mr. Jcvons accompanied them to London,
and they settled in lodgings at 8 Portcus Road, Paddington,
which continued to be his home until his removal to Man-
chester in 1863. At the commencement of the winter
session he began to attend University College. His younger
brother, for the completion of whose education he had ad-
vanced funds before he left Australia, was also a student
there. From this date his brother Herbert, now the absent
member of the family, was his chief correspondent, and to
him he writes on the isth October:

" I have only been at the college two days as yet, and
feel rather strange. I have entered senior Greek and Latin,
higher and lower senior mathematics, and senior German, in
company throughout with Tom. This is rather a difficult
enterprise on my part, since I was in none of these classes
before except lower senior mathematics, while it is seven
years since I was in Latin or Greek. DC Morgan has
started right away in differential calculus. I think it would
be impossible for me to keep up if I had not Tom's assist-
ance, he having attended senior Greek and Latin last year.
, . . London is certainly a stirring place, but the atmosphere
is appalling to one accustomed to the clear skies of Australia."

During the autumn Mr. Jevons wrote a paper entitled
" Remarks on the Australian Gold Fields," which was read
at the November meeting of the Manchester Literary and
Philosophical Society, and was published in their volume of
memoirs for the session 1859-60.

24. WINTER IN LONDON. 149

To his brother Herbert.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, PADDINGTON,
December 1859.

" A week since we had a rather sharp frost. Tom and
myself had two good days* skating on the Serpentine and
Kensington Garden pond. After six years' interval I was
rather unsteady at first, but the second day skated, I think,
as well as ever. Otherwise I cannot say that I find the
slightest pleasure in going outside of the front door, and in
consequence sit at home during these days (the Christmas
holidays) in pretty constant work at mathematics, political
economy, and such -like light occupations. ... I should
uncommonly like to see a North American winter. I often
feel seriously * riled ' at the thick atmosphere, mud, and
gloomy streets of London, when I go over in memory the
beautiful bright countries, or clean neat towns, I have lately
seen, and a very good and sensible novel (Gcoffry Hamliii)
which I read exactly descriptive of Australian bush life
made me think very regretfully of the skies, waters, and
woods of that land. My only resource is to turn my back
to the window and plunge into De Morgan's differential
calculus."

To his brother Herbert.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, PADDJNGTON, LONDON, W.,
11 th January 1860.

" Time slips by with me most rapidly, and things some-
times appear not a little dreary, although we have in our
lodgings all the comforts of a home. I should feel very
different, perhaps, if I were paying my expenses, and yet I
am not inclined to cut off from my future prospects by giving
up the chance of study. I have no definite plan of earning
money, but after my B.A. will try what can be done in the
way of writing or teaching, so as to keep myself while
working for my M.A., which I have a great desire to take in
the political economy and mental philosophy branch, as these
are entirely the subjects I should follow in any case. Harry
Roscoe, whom I saw in London at Christmas, is rather indig-
nant that I am no longer a chemist, and wants to know how I
shall get my bread, which perhaps is quite a pertinent question.

ISO W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 24..

" I find the classes at college a little dull the charm is
rubbed off a few things ; but then one learns more and more
to adore De Morgan as an unfathomable fund of mathe-
matics. We were delighted the other day when, in the
higher senior, he at last appeared conscious that a demon-
stration about differential equations, which extended through
the lecture, was difficult ; he promised, indeed, to repeat it.
But then one is disappointed to find that the hardest thing
he gives in any of his classes is still to him a trifle, and that
the bounds of mathematical knowledge are yet out of sight.
I am working against such great odds in mathematics, Latin,
and Greek, that I have at present no time to give for mental
philosophy, in which my chief strength lies. Yet I spend
much time in political economy, as there is a small scholar-
ship of ^30 a year for three years to be competed for at the
end of this year.

" I have yet to mention the subject which is uppermost
in men's minds here viz., the rifle movement, concerning
which the Queen, in her Parliament speech, expressed her
gratification and pride. Indeed, Englishmen are now giving
an unlooked-for proof that they arc at least as good a race
as ever, and an actual army of 100,000 volunteers has been
enrolled in the last few months, which I expect will be nearly
doubled during this year. It is done in such a very sensible
and bonfifide manner, that I do not doubt the volunteers will
be a permanent and most important institution, rendering
invasion or alarm absurd, giving additional strength to all
good government, and in some years to come, perhaps,
rendering a reduction of the regular army possible. ... I
have myself joined the Queen's Own Rifles, a corps in the
Westminster Brigade, chiefly because Frank and Fred Roscoe
were already in it. It is also rather a good corps, being the
Queen's, and numbering already about 300 men, which will
be increased to 500 or 600. The Westminster Brigade will
be one of the chief, comprehending several other corps, and
perhaps 1500 men. I have as yet been only twice to drill,
which is carried on at night or on Saturday afternoon in
Westminster Hall. And that grand old hall presents a very
stirring, not to say warlike and alarming scene, when several
hundred gentlemen, in a number of squads or companies, are

XT. 24. " THEOR Y OF POLITICAL ECONOMY" 1 5 1

going through their exercises, from the first awkward marching
and facing to the finished practice with the Enfield rifle and
a bright sword bayonet. For the present nearly all of the
Queen's drill in plain clothes, and it is not necessary to
appear in uniform until the summer, when I daresay there
will be a grand field-day in Hyde Park."

The following letter contains the first allusion to the
" Theory of Political Economy," a brief account of which
Mr. Jevons sent to the meeting of the British Association
in 1862, and which he further developed and published in
1871 under the title of A Theory of Political Economy.

To his brother Herbert.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, PADDINGTON,
i&tjunc 1860.

" . . During the last session I have worked a good
deal at political economy ; in the last few months I have
fortunately struck out what I have no doubt is the true
Theory of Economy ^ so thorough-going and consistent, that I
cannot now read other books on the subject without indig-
nation. While the theory is entirely mathematical in prin-
ciple, I show, at the same time, how the data of calculation
are so complicated as to be for the present hopeless. Never-
theless, I obtain from the mathematical principles all the
chief laws at which political economists have previously
arrived, only arranged in a series of definitions, axioms,
and theories almost as rigorous and connected as if they
were so many geometrical problems. One of the most
important axioms is, that as the quantity of any commodity,
for instance, plain food, which a man has to consume, in-
creases, so the utility or benefit derived from the last portion
used decreases in degree. The decrease of enjoyment between
the beginning and end of a meal may be taken as an example.
And I assume that on an average, the ratio of utility is
some continuous mathematical function of the quantity of
commodity. This law of utility has, in fact, always been
assumed by political economists under the more complex
form and name of the Law of Supply and Demand. But
once fairly stated in its simple form, it opens up the whole
of the subject. Most of the conclusions arc, of course, the

152 W. STANLEY JEVONS. xi. 24.

old ones stated in a consistent form ; but my definition of
capital and law of the interest of capital are, as far as I
have seen, quite new. I have no idea of letting these things
lie by till somebody else has the advantage of them, and
shall therefore try to publish them next spring.

" I am extremely interested in metaphysics ; almost
too much, in fact, so that I have had some doubts whether
twenty-one months' continuous work at them for the M.A.
would not be rather too much. The ultimate question of
philosophy, that between idealism and materialism, is neces-
sarily an insoluble one, but one also on which we cannot
avoid speculating with interest. Nor can I say that I feel
bottom ; I am somewhat as I was among the water-lilies
and rushes out of my depth in a small Minnesota lake
when the fishes proved a too interesting sport for my
prudence.

" I find volunteering an excellent antidote to metaphysics ;
marching to a good band in full regimental order is really a
most inspiring thing, and when we form a battalion square,
bristling with bayonets, the effect is most warlike. I gene-
rally go on Saturday afternoons in uniform for parade and
battalion drill ; also once a week before breakfast fur skir-
mishing exercise in Hyde Park ; on the latter occasion I
have some eight or ten miles' walking before breakfast, with
the addition of a rifle to carry, and often a good deal of
double marching (running). For four hours every day of
the week, morning and evening, some or other of our corps
arc at drill, so that it is only a wonder that we do not make
more rapid progress. We muster from fifty to a hundred
in the mornings, and from four hundred to six hundred on
Saturdays."

To his brother Herbert.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, PADDINGTON,
itfh July 1860.

" On returning home with Tom from a walk of three
days in North Wales, I am glad to find a letter from you
arrived in the meantime, which I answer at once, as it
appears to me a long time since I last wrote. . . .

" In the loss of most of the corn you planted, you experi-
ence some of the troubles of farming. It is doubtless not

,-ET. 24. UNCERTAINTY OF PROSPECTS. 153

a cheering prospect to remain for many years in Minnesota,
and I am somewhat sorry that you did not choose, when you
were making a change, an English colony, whether town or
country, where the society would, in the long run, have proved
more suitable. ... It is, I think, not practicable for you to
farm in England, as you would have to compete with experi-
enced farmers, and to struggle against high rents in a manner
almost unknown in America ; in short, you would require an
agricultural education, and considerable capital, and might
even then be ruined by a bad season or by an unfor-
tunate choice. As to whether you would again undertake
a town life and a clerk's work depends entirely on your own
feelings ; but you should not forget, after the hard but
invigorating work of a settler's life, how dispiriting a town
life may be to those who are not strongly enough excited
by the love of gain, or some other love, and who have been
once led to take wider views of the world than what arc
restricted within brick walls. For myself, if I were not
affected by what I may almost call an unfortunate love of
study, and of particular pursuits, I should not long be in
London, but would prefer labouring in some fine open wild
country ; and unless I can really succeed in what I have in
hand, I shall never cease to regret that I ever left Australia.
If 1 undertake the M.A., as I intend, there will be nothing
but study before me for two whole years, and then there is
no better prospect than before of earning a living. I feel
really so much better suited to a literary life than any other
that I shall lay myself out for it, perhaps beginning with
much work and small pay in the newspaper line.

" As regards your coming to London, we should all, I
am sure, be glad to be reunited as far as possible, and if you
could obtain a suitable place, and make up your mind to the
murky streets, super-civilised manners, and contracted notions
of Londoners nothing could be better. But you must be
aware that we have no real home in London only lodgings.
From our limited incomes, and the uncertainties in which we
are all placed, it is not possible to take a permanent house,
and we are lucky in having found lodgings comfortable, and
on reasonable terms, and kept by a family who are apparently
anxious for us to remain !

154 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 24.

"... Now, however,. I must attack in earnest the cata-
logue of work for the B.A. in October viz., Latin, Greek,
mathematics, Roman history, Greek history, English his-
tory, French, animal physiology, logic, natural philosophy,
moral philosophy, all of which require looking up seriously,
and many to be learnt from the beginning. In the college
examinations I only went in for the mental philosophy and
political economy. In the first the result came out, equal
prizes and certificates Theodore Waterhouse, W. S. Jevons.
This is, on the whole, a satisfactory result since T. Water-
house is certainly the first student of the college during
the session, and has carried all other prizes before him. I
had hopes of beating him, but am satisfied, considering that
he attended better to the lectures than myself, to be
equal.

" In political economy I had a sad reverse, such indeed
as I never had before, for in spite of having studied the
subject independently and originally, and having read some
dozens of the best works in it, almost neglecting other
classes for the purpose, I was placed third or fourth when I
felt confident of the first prize. This I can only attribute to
a difference of opinion, which is perfectly allowable, having
prejudiced the professor against my answers. However, I
shall fully avenge myself when I bring out my Theory of
Economy, and re-establish the science on a sensible basis. . . .
I do not wonder at your objection to further changes, since
I feel the same myself a certain restlessness seems likely to
be the ruin of our family. We are all of us rolling stones, and
gather no moss. I half suspect that I shall sometime be again
an emigrant, in which case I shall certainly make for the
beautiful scenery and the English-like colony of New
Zealand, but I will first have a fair try of a good many
years here."

Previous to his brief walking tour in North Wales, Mr.
Jevons had spent a pleasant fortnight at Englefield Green
with his sisters, but this was all the holiday from work
which he allowed himself during the long vacation. In
October he took his B.A. degree, and resumed his attendance
at University College, but without the companionship of his
brother, who, having also taken his B.A. degree, had left

A/T. 25. AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE. 155

College and removed to Liverpool to enter Messrs. Rath-
bone's office. On the 28th November Mr. Jevons wrote
from Porteus Road to his brother Herbert :

" I am now attending college again regularly. My
classes are De Morgan's higher senior mathematics, Potter's
senior mathematical natural philosophy, Maiden's extra
Greek class, and Mr. Martineau's mental philosophy class in
the Manchester New College, which is close at hand in
University Hall. I am, of course, better up to De Morgan's
brain-rackings this session, and shall devote much time to
mathematics, yet, from having no natural talent for figures
or quick memory, have no hope of becoming a practical
mathematician. Besides, it is somewhat late in the day at
twenty -six to learn mathematics, with which you will
succeed from the first or never. The extra Greek class is
a very pleasant one, being a lecture once a week for the
elder students out of the regular course. We are now read-
ing a Greek tragedy, and are soon to do some of Aristotle,
which is what I chiefly desire. I have not much knowledge
of Greek, but am gaining by degrees a proper admiration
for Greeks, who, as philosophers, poets, generals, and so
forth, certainly exceeded anything which individuals of all
later time are likely to produce.

" . . . Metaphysics is a rather too interesting study,
and I am not inclined to pursue it so much as those, such
as political economy and moral philosophy, which are
equally in the clouds at present, but might become useful.

" I expect every success from my theory of political
economy, which seems to develop itself with that facility
which is a proof of its soundness. It assumes the form of
a complicated mathematical problem, from which all the
common laws with due limitations flow. Independently,
however, of the mathematical form, it has led me to a new
view of the action of capital, which affords a determining
principle for interest, profits of trade, wages ; and I now
perceive how the want of knowledge of this determining
principle throws the more complicated discussions of econo-
mists into confusion. The common law is that demand and
supply of labour and capital determine the division between
wages and profits. But I shall show that the whole capital

156 W. STANLEY JEVONS. XT. 25.

employed can only be paid for at the same rate as the last
portion added ; hence it is the increase of produce or advan-
tage, which this last addition gives, that determines the
interest of the whole.

" I shall try to spare more time for this theory before
long, and get it into form without much delay."

To his sister Lucy and his brother Tom he wrote on the
9th December 1860 :

" You will hear with pleasure, if not with surprise, that
the Ricardo Scholarship is actually within my reach,
although it will not be formally given me and published
until the College Council meet again next January. The
examination was for six hours last Tuesday, and proved a
rather hard fight. The amount of lucre, you know, is
60, but the first 20 is not payable till February."

The Christmas of 1860 Mr. Jevons spent at his uncle's
home in Liverpool. The weather was intensely cold, and he
had the pleasure of a few days' good skating a recreation
of which he was always very fond. On his return to Lon-
don, in addition to his college work, he found time for
writing, and between January and August he prepared the
following articles for the Chemical Dictionary, edited by H.
Watts: "Balance," "Barometer," "Cloud," "Gold," "Assay,"
"Hydrometer," "Hygrometer," "Thermometer," "Volumen-
ometer." They were all published in the course of the work.
To the July number of the National Review he contributed an
article, "Light and Sunlight." In September he attended the
meetings of the British Association at Manchester, and wrote
a series of seven articles for the Manchester Examiner, giving
an account of the work of the sections. He also contributed
a paper to the Mathematical and Physical Section, " On the
Deficiency of Rain in an Elevated Raingauge as caused by
Wind" this was afterwards printed in the Philosophical
Magazine for December. But this was not all his work.
In October 1860 he first began to form diagrams to exhibit
some statistics he had collected in his reading in the British
Museum Library, and this led to the idea of a Statistical
Atlas, of which he gives the following account :

AT. 25. PROPOSED STA TISTICAL A TLAS. 157

To his brother Herbert.

^th April 1 86 1.

" I am very busy at present with an apparently dry and
laborious piece of work, namely, compiling quantities of
statistics concerning Great Britain, which arc to be exhibited
in the form of curves, and, if possible, published as a Statis-
tical Atlas. The work will, I think, be very interesting and
important when done, but the labour of rummaging the
chaos of Parliamentary Papers, and then copying and cal-
culating great columns of figures, is rather depressing to the
spirits. I have been the last five days at the Museum upon
it, but next week I shall have college work again to interfere
with it. Almost the whole of the statistics go back to 1780
or 1800, a large part extend to 1700 or 1720, and some
for instance, the price of corn as far back as 1 400. The
quantity of statistics which I shall exhibit in about thirty
plates will, I think, rather astonish people. For instance,
there will be the population births, deaths, marriages,
emigration, etc., as far as known ; the revenue from various
sources, the expenditure, the Government loans, the National
Debt at different periods, property in saving banks, fire
offices, etc. ; the operations of the clearing houses, Bank of
England returns since 1770, circulation since 1700, weekly
returns of Bank of England since 1843, the price of the
funcli* since 1723; imports, exports to different countries,
supplies of cotton, corn, wool, and every principal article ;
produce and prices of the metals, provisions, materials, etc. ;
the condition as to pauperism, the rate of wages, strikes
(perhaps), etc. ; the naval and military force of the country,
the number of Acts of Parliament, the number of patents,
as a whole, and in various branches since 1623 ; the
criminal condition of the country ; literature, etc.

" The chief interest of the work will be in the light
thrown upon the commercial storms of 1793, 1815, 1826,
1839, 1847, 1857, etc., the causes of which will be rendered
more or less apparent. I find that the number of Acts of
Parliament, the number of patents, and the number of bricks
manufactured, are the best indications of an approaching
panic, which arises generally from a large investment of
labour in works not immediately profitable, as machinery,

158 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^7.25.

canals, railways, etc. It is truly curious how well the curve of
bricks produced shows this, bricks and mortar being the most
enduring form of product. Most of the statistics, of course,
are generally known, but have never been so fully combined
or exhibited graphically. The statistics of patents, and some
concerning literature, will be quite new. The mode of ex-
hibiting numbers by curves and lines has, of course, been
practised more or less any time on this side the Deluge.
At the end of last century, indeed, I find that a book of
Charts of Trade was published, exactly resembling mine in
principle ; but in statistics the method, never much used,
has fallen almost entirely into disuse. It ought, I consider,
to be almost as much used as maps are used in geography.
I have only properly undertaken the work since Christmas,
and have now got nearly as much statistics as I require or
can obtain, but a large part of the more wearying work
remains."

Early in July Mr. Jevons again paid a short visit to
North Wales. He wrote an account to his brother Tom of
the interest with which he climbed one of the Eifel moun-
tains near Clynnog, and found at the summit " remarkable
British remains, consisting of a great rampart of loose stones
surrounding the top of the hill, with cairns and abundant
circular remains of loose stones, as if they were from old
sheep -pens, but evidently having been dwelling-places."
Two days after he "tried to go up Cader Idris, but went
somewhat wrong, and clouds and rain coming on, had a
long wet walk through bogs for nothing enough to damp
any one's ardour." On his way back to London he stopped
at Stourbridge ; he was at that time much interested in
endeavouring to trace out his ancestors, and as his great-
great-grandfather Job Jevon was buried at Old Swinford,
in the neighbourhood of Stourbridge, he examined the
churchyard, but failed to find his tomb. That the name
Jevons was of Welsh origin he felt sure, and in October,
when he was occupied in writing an essay on Celtic Litera-
ture in competition for a prize offered at University College,
he wrote to his brother Tom : " In the course of the work
I was lucky enough to turn up a final confirmation of the
theory Jevan and Jevons. In an old vocabulary of the

*r. 25. VOLUNTEERING. 159

extinct Cornish Celtic language by Edward Llwyd, printed
1707, I found 'Jevan, John. Hence some families of the
name of Evans, retaining the old orthography, write Jevans."'
On his return to London he began to read, especially with
a view to his M.A. degree.

To his brother Tom.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, z^djuly 1861.

"... I have begun to read Hansel's Aldrich's Artis
Logics Rudimentd) of which Aldrich makes 50 pages and
Mansel 250, and the 250 arc full of nothing but a jargon
of five different languages, about the most useless and con-
fusing historical points. I fear Sir W. Hamilton has thrown
us back into scholasticism, judging from himself and his
bright pupils. Nothing can be more devoid of interest or
profit than this sort of learning. It only tends entirely to
becloud us, as it did Sir W. H. to a great extent. Never-
theless I read the books as a good exercise in the five
languages. I am also reading a little of Leibnitz, but it is
great stuff; his pre-established harmony is about the best,
and his Monad Philosophy is just what you might expect.
I have looked into Kant's Critique (trans.), and shall read
part of it some time. It is teeming with demonstrations,
which are no demonstrations to me."

To his brotlicr Tom.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, $d December 1861.

"... Volunteering still prospers here. . . . Last Satur-
day our prizes were distributed in Westminster Hall with
considerable ceremony. ... In our Company we had only
the three regulation prizes of three Enfield rifles, given
according to the results of the class firing at 650 and 700
yards. Now it happened that Frank, another sergeant, and
myself, made equal scores of five out of ten shots at 650 and
700 hence our order was determined by the scores at 450-
600 yards which made Frank first and myself last I, how-
ever, received a London Armoury Company's Enfield rifle as
the third prize, which is so far satisfactory. ... I am beginning
to get fairly into my M.A. work. Only lately the additional
subjects for the M.A. were published, and are as follows :

160 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *ST. 26.

"'On the Nature and Principles of Social Order and
Social Progress, or of Civilisation/ and in the history of
philosophy, 'Greek Speculation the Theaetetus and Gor-
gias of Plato, and the Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle.' Is
not this a pretty prospect ? Just fancy learning the whole
of Greek Speculation in addition to reading Buckle and
buckling Plato and Aristotle. The ethics alone is no slight
job, especially as Maiden told us there were many parts he
could not translate.

" Then there is the whole of mental and moral philo-
sophy logic, political economy, etc. I am now partly
engaged reading old fellows 1 works more or less, such as
Berkeley, Hobbcs, Leibnitz, Descartes, Spinoza, Bacon, etc.
I am by degrees getting into the habit of reading the
scholastic Latin, which will be a great convenience. I have
also tried a little of Kant's German, which is not quite so
hard as one would expect.

" My statistical matters proceed slowly, and the mere
drawing of diagrams takes up an incredible deal of time.' 1

On the 8th December 1861 he wrote in his journal :
" It is now more than two years since my return to London,
and I have been during this time almost incessantly working
at philosophical subjects. In leaving Australia I had scarcely
hoped to have more than a single year free in this manner,
and I now seem to have heights of general learning before
me which then seemed unapproachable. The M.A. degree,
for instance, was then quite beyond hope.

" Within these two years my tastes have much widened,
so that I may almost say I despise no kind of knowledge.
Formerly I was unable to appreciate the value of classical
and antiquarian learning, or the worth of poetry and general
literature. It is only by degrees, for instance, that Shake-
speare becomes quite congenial to me. At the same time
the return from the newness of a colony to the venerable
antiquity of this old country has given me almost an
exaggerated taste for the antique. Thus nothing is more
pleasant to me than to make some fresh slight discovery
concerning our ancestors, worthless people though they seem
to have generally been.

" The subjects which had pressed themselves upon me

^ET. 26. STATISTICAL DIAGRAMS. 161

as my proper sphere of employment, viz. political economy
and the social sciences, seem opening before me by degrees
in a manner exceeding my first hopes. But it is of course
always true that we can have no idea of what is to be found
out and not yet known. I cannot avoid also paying some
attention to philosophy proper, in addition to what is required
for my degree, and I begin to understand things which were
utterly beyond me some years ago. For a year, perhaps, I
have entertained hopes of performing a general analysis of
human knowledge, in which the fallacies of words would be
as far as possible avoided, and philosophy would be shown to
consist solely in pointing out the likeness of things.

"About October 1860, having then recently commenced
reading at the Museum library, and met some statistics, I
began to form some diagrams to exhibit them, the first, I
think, showing Mr. Newmarch's Bill Circulation Research.
I hit upon a mode of dividing a sheet of paper into one-tenth
inch and then pricking off curves through it when in Sydney,
and the square was ready at hand.

" After doing two or three diagrams the results appeared
so interesting that I contemplated forming a series for my
own information. Then it occurred to me that publication
might be possible, and 1 finally undertook to form a statistical
atlas of say thirty plates, exhibiting all the chief materials of
historical statistics. For the last year this atlas has been my
chief employment, and I fear to look back upon the labour
1 have spent in searching all likely books for series of
statistics, then copying, calculating, arranging, and drawing
the diagrams.

" Towards the end of last October I had some twenty-
eight diagrams more or less finished in the first copy, and
thought it time to arrange for publication. I first wrote to
Taylor and Walton, describing my work and wishes, and
soon had a talk with Mr. Walton, a very respectable old
gentleman, who was quite disinclined to undertake the
publication, but took interest in it, and gave useful advice.
He told me to apply to Longmans, to whom I accordingly
wrote; receiving a note back from Mr. W. Longmans, I
was in much hopes visiting Paternoster Row (I never see
Paternoster Row without remembering when I once men-
is!

162 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ,F,T. 26.

tioned to my father that I had been through it on my first
coming to London, and he expressed his regret in a letter
or conversation, I forget which, that I seemed so little im-
pressed with the memory of the great men who had trod
that narrow lane with so various hopes and desires). He
likewise took a pleasing interest in them, but was equally
clear about having nothing further to do with them. He,
however, recommended several map publishers, who would
most suitably undertake the work, and also gave me an
introduction to Mr. Newmarch. My spirits naturally were
now zero, but fell still lower on visiting Mr. Newmarch
at the insurance office, who looked at my diagrams without
interest, and almost without a word, so that I soon left him.
I took dinner and a glass of ale to restore my spirits, and
then through crowded Cheapside, Fleet Street, and Strand,
made my way to Charing Cross to Mr. Stanford, the map
publisher there a dry, sensible man of business, apparently
with a liking for maps, so that he seemed pleased with the
diagrams. Whether for this reason or not, he was not dis-
inclined to undertake some risk in publishing them, but
talked much of the opinions he would have to obtain upon
them, and the toadying of the statistical magnates which
would have to be done. To this I was so averse that before
long I saw the work must be done at my own risk, and I
accordingly asked him to give some rough estimate."

Early in January 1862 Mr. Jevons' eldest sister was
married to John Hutton, Esq., of Jteaumaris ; but his
younger sister still continued to reside with him in London.
In August 1 86 1 Mr. Herbert Jevons had returned from
Minnesota; and, during the winter, 1861-62, he also made
his home in Porteus Road.

To his brother Tom.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE,
28/7* April 1862.

" It is true I have not troubled you with many letters
lately ; but, one way or another, we hear all that is essential
of each other. The M.A. work gets on pretty well, but I
do not like so much of historical philosophy as the whole of
Greek Speculation. I have finished reading the Nicom-

I.T. 26. VOLUNTEER REVIEW AT BRIGHTON. 163

achean ethics, and the Thcatetus and Gorgias straight
through, and find Aristotle and Plato becoming pretty easy
reading, especially the former. I am much inclined to think,
however, that Plato is not only a more interesting writer
than Aristotle, but that he had the way to the truth more
clearly before him ; putting aside, of course, all the absurd
fancies and ontological speculations. Perhaps, however, the
better parts to which I allude arc truly Socratic. The
TJicatctits is very admirable, and I am willing to have it set.

" . . . I have been rather vexed that more attention
has not been paid to the Brighton Review. It was by far
the most important and successful of volunteer undertakings.
In fact I quite wonder at the punctuality and good manage-
ment displayed by volunteers and regulars.

"I got up at 3.30, got two stunning cups of coffee and
an egg, and then rushed off to headquarters, reaching there
a little before 4 A.M. Many were there already, and by
5.30 we were fully assembled and had reached the station.
Jn a few minutes we were in the train ; the Scotch
had a little the start of us, but, otherwise, we were the
earliest from Victoria Station, got to Brighton shortly
after 6 A.M., and marched right away out of the station,
through a part of the town and up to a cricket ground sur-
rounded with walls, where we were kept for two hours in ex-
cellent discipline, and fed upon nauseous coffee and bread and
butter. Then, formed into two battalions of eight companies
each, total about i ooo strong at least. Marched in splendid
order straight to the Pavilion at Brighton ; all the other
corps were collected at other points of the town. After
waiting about three-quarters of an hour for other corps to
pass, we joined in the second division of the army, and
marched along the parade in sub-divisions ; and, on reaching
the Downs, in fours to the point for forming line of con-
tiguous battalions. Battle began about 3.15 P.M., but we
were posted in reserve behind two haystacks, and saw very
little of the first and best attack. As far as we could see,
the whole scene was splendid, and quite unlike anything
else ; but, if you do not know the ground, it is not easy to
conceive the appearance.

"Between 5 and 6 P.M. we advanced from our cover,

164 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 26.

formed with the rest of the second division a tremendous
long line, and, after much fire from skirmishers, pursued the
enemy up to top of hill, and drove them off into the sea be-
yond. The last double up the hill did for a few of our fellows,
and the doctors looked after them, but it was no easy work,
the distance being considerable and all out from 4 A.M.
We were very thirsty and hungry, but our colonels marched
us right away back through the town and put us into the
railway train. Fellows were greatly astonished when they
found all chances of beer gone, but fell upon their haver-
sacks ; and, having become convivial, made a good meal on
the journey home. Reached London at 10.45. I was
not a bit tired, and it did me a deal of good."

In June Mr. Jevons passed his examination for the
degree of Master of Arts at the University of London in the
third branch, which included logic and moral philosophy,
political philosophy, history of philosophy, and political
economy ; he received the gold medal which is given to
the best candidate in each branch, if, in the opinion of the
examiners, his answers arc of sufficient merit to deserve it.

To the London Quarterly Review he contributed in April
an article on the " Spectrum " ; and in the Philosophical
Magazine for July he published a notice of Kirchkoff's
researches on the " Spectrum.' 1

In the summer of 1862 Mr. Herbert Jevons decided,
partly on account of his health, to go to Australia, with a
view of settling there ; the following letter was addressed to
him at Liverpool, shortly before he sailed.

To his brother Herbert.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, $djnly 1862.

"Whatever you do, don't do it in a hurry, and all off
hand. Whether you go to Melbourne or not, there can be
no need to go by the very next ship. Henny and I shall of
course come down to Liverpool to see you off, and we
cannot come without some week or two of notice.

" I have been much occupied of late in bringing out the
diagrams, which were finished just at the time of the ex-
amination. As yet I am quite unaware of the number sold,
if any and am very far from sanguine about the result.

*:T. 26. PUBLICATION OF DIAGRAMS. 165

The total cost will be some 30 or 35, so that one cannot
lose very much.

" The distribution of prizes took place on Tuesday, and
I was mentioned in the report with reference to the M.A.
I was disappointed, however, with regard to a prize of $
for an essay on Celtic literature. There were three com-
petitors each of them deserving of a prize, as Masson the
judge said but a man now at Cambridge, and a B.A.,
carried it off, from having a considerable knowledge of Celtic ;
in which, of course, my acquaintance is as near zero as can
well be imagined. The sympathies of the audience rather
collapsed when a Cambridge man was announced successful.
It is certainly not right that men who have all the rich
prizes of Cambridge and Oxford, should come back and
steal our small rewards, when it is impossible for us to
approach the other universities unless by beginning from the
beginning again.

" On Saturday our regiment was inspected in Regent's
Park. There was a good attendance of some 800 or 900
men in all and all the manoeuvres went off, for the most
part, in a very satisfactory manner. There are no signs
of decay about the Queen's. In firing my classes I have
had the misfortune to miss one of them owing to using
a new rifle, with the sighting of which I was not acquainted.
This loses me the marksman's badge next year. I
am now, however, just taking the duties and badge of a
sergeant."

Owing to the great expense of publishing his proposed
Statistical Atlas, Mr. Jevons had decided, in the first place,
to bring out two diagrams ; one showing all the weekly
accounts of the Bank of England since 1 844, with the cir-
culation and the bank minimum rate of discount ; the other
showing the price of the English funds, the price of wheat,
the number of bankruptcies, and the rate of discount monthly
since 1731. In a letter, dated 3d September 1862, Mr.
Jevons thus describes the purpose of them.

" The diagrams, which you arc so good as to intend
noticing in the Economist^ accompany this.

" They are designed, not so much to allow of reference
to particular numbers, which can be better had from printed

166 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *:T. 27.

tables of figures, as to exhibit to the eye the general results
of large masses of figures which it is hopeless to attack in
any other way than by graphical representation.

" My diagrams not only show the minutest details given
in the tables, but also supersede the taking of averages, since
the eye or mind of itself notices the general course of a set
of numbers.

" It is only by representing large masses of statistics in
this manner that any sure foundation can be laid for
political economical arguments. Most statistical arguments
depend upon a few figures picked out at random.

" In the latter part of the funds diagram, it is very
obvious that a rise in the price of corn is followed by a rise
in the rate of interest, and by increased bankruptcy. This
is remarked in one of the notes at the foot, where I also
speak of corn as forming part of the capital of the country.
It perhaps sounds rather odd, as we are accustomed to
think of capital as so much money, but the expression is
theoretically correct.

"The bank diagram, when properly studied, throws
light on many questions, especially that of the circulation of
Bank of England notes, which is seen to be comparatively
little variable, but ahvays rises slowly for two or even three
years after a large accumulation of bullion has taken plaa\
as in 1852 and 1858. The same seems now to be taking
place even in a greater degree, the present circulation being
nearly ; 1, 500,000 over that of this time last year, so the
Times says.

" It is all nonsense to ascribe a rise in prices to bank
notes being increased in numbers. It is a superabundance
of gold that raises prices and perhaps quickens business, and
the increased circulation of notes is the result^ so clearly
shown on the diagram.

" I send these few lines because the purpose of the diagrams
is not stated upon the face of them."

To his brother Herbert.

BEAUMARIS,
Sunday \ \*jth August 1862.

41 As it is so few days since you started, it is of course

-*T. 27. ADVICE TO HIS BROTHER. 167

unlikely I should have much to tell you of here. We were
sorry to find from the Mercury that the Champion did
not get clear away on the first try, but was driven back
with loss of an anchor and cable. On hearing this Tom
and I went down and ascertained the position of the
Champion ; but Baincs and Co., to more than one in-
quiry, told us there was no steamer going to it, and no
means of communication. We intended, indeed, to go off
and see you by sailing boat. On getting down to the
stage, however, the wind seemed to be blowing so fresh,
and the ship lay so far from New Brighton, that we thought
it more prudent to give up the plan.

" Your letter, sent back by the tug-boat, gave us much
pleasure, as it seemed to show you would have a cheerful
voyage in spite of some discomforts. By the time you get
this you will feel disposed to forget the voyage, and set to
the disagreeable work of finding employment in a large city
like Melbourne. . . .

" Our family enjoy some blessings, but also lie under cer-
tain curses one of which is a certain stupid simplicity of
character which continually mars their undertakings. A
little wiliness, and a rather thicker skin, would make us
succeed far better in this world ; and I really cannot believe
that success in this world is always to be sacrificed. We
have between us so much good-nature and inflexible honesty,
that it sometimes seems as if we can none of us ever be of
the least use to friend or foe.

" There is nothing more necessary than to remember that
everybody you meet is more or less imperfect and apt to do
wrong. Take this as a matter of course, and make the best
of it. You will have hard enough work to keep yourself
always right.

" I write down a few such reflections, which have often
occurred to me before, because it is now most necessary that
you should take some active steps to secure good success in
a new continent. A still greater fault, and one more pecu-
liar to yourself among our family, is a want of deliberation
in planning an undertaking, and then a want of resolution in
carrying it through the first slight difficulties. Everything
that is worth doing must be commenced with some degree

168 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ,ET. 27.

of painful exertion, only to be recompensed by the hope of
success. It is only as work actually proves successful and
easy from practice that it can be agreeable and spontaneous.
The theory which you once propounded to me, that every-
thing should be done spontaneously, that is, without exertion,
is not only totally false but fatally so, if it could really ever
be carried out in practice. It is like expecting fruit to fall
into your mouth as you spontaneously sit upon the ground ;
it might do so by chance, but most people who waited for
it would die of starvation. A man of any sense climbs the
tree at the cost of much labour and some risk, but is re-
warded by as much fruit as he requires. The life of a
civilised man is distinguished from that of a savage chiefly
by the rule that the former exerts himself for future, the
latter only for present purposes. The degree in which a
man studies the future, and sacrifices present ease to probable
future satisfaction, is the best measure of his ability as a
builder of his own fortune, apart, of course, from all con-
sideration of what he esteems good-fortune.

I shall probably leave Bcaumaris in a day or two, and
return almost straight to London, but it will be time enough
in succeeding mails to tell you of our affairs in England "

To his brother Herbert.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, W.,

14/7* September 1862.

" Although I am somewhat tired by writing most of the
day and reading the rest, I must at least make a beginning
of a letter to you, as for the present at least i shall certainly
not let a mail go without a letter.

II Both the letter you sent ashore by me and that by the
tug-boat, tended greatly to diminish the trouble which we
could not but feel at losing you again for a series of years.
The members of our family do not always agree together
perfectly in little things of common life, but they never
cease to regard each other in everything that is of greater
moment; and as I was the one so frequently thought of
when in your distant position, so will you be now. . . .

" Landing in a colony is very gloomy, anxious work, as
far as I had any experience of it, and it can scarcely be so

MT. 27. SENDS PAPERS TO BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 169

well for you as it was for me. As you know, however, I
was very short of money on getting to Sydney and the
mint prospects altogether were in a state of uncertainty. I
am now in no enviable position here, as, my college work
being entirely finished, I must look for money-making em-
ployment. To make money by writing is so very severe an
employment that I am almost afraid of it, and yet it seems
the only one I could thoroughly take to.

" I am beginning some articles in the Spectator one in
this week's number. I am also finishing some very laborious
statistical calculations, what, in fact, you copied out for me,
the bank returns, and shall probably offer them to the
Economist. I may also undertake some other articles. I
have resolved, however, at last to let out my theory of
economy, and have accordingly written a short paper en-
titled, * Notice of a General Mathematical Theory of Economy/
which will, I hope, be read at the British Association Meeting
at the beginning of next month. Although I know pretty
well the paper is perhaps worth all the others that will be
read there put together, I cannot pretend to say how it will
be received whether it will be read at all, or whether it
won't be considered nonsense. ... I am very curious, in-
deed, to know what effect my theory will have both upon
my friends and the world in general. I shall watch it like
an artilleryman watches the flight of a shell or shot, to see
whether its effects equal his intentions.

11 Yesterday I had the satisfaction of seeing my diagrams
in a publisher's window in the Royal Exchange. I persuaded
Stanford to send them on sale, as he promised, to several
places, but I do not yet know how many are sold."

Until the last few years of his life Mr. Jevons was
accustomed to enter in a note-book the title and date of
everything which he published. In September 1862 he
made this entry :

" The following papers were forwarded to the meeting of
the British Association at Cambridge. I was informed by
the Secretary that they were read before the F Section, and
the second was approved of.

" i . A ' Notice of a General Mathematical Theory of
Political Economy.'

i;o W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT 27.

lc 2. * On the Study of Periodic Commercial Fluctuations,
with five diagrams. 1

" Brief abstracts are contained in the Report of the Pro-
ceedings^ 1862, pp. 157, 158. A fuller explanation and
publication of the above-mentioned theory is deferred until
a more suitable period for establishing a matter of such
difficulty."

In his journal Mr. Jevons writes on 5th October 1862 :
11 1 have generally taken it for granted that, though my style
of writing was generally heavy, 1 might, by a little practice,
make it lighter, and thus newspaper writing or magazine
contributing was any time within my power. But in writing
a couple of articles for the Spectator, and an essay, I get on
so slowly, painfully, and heavily, that I almost distrust my
former confidence. If my distrust be well founded, I here
meet a new obstacle to my present success. Light easy
writing is not essential to philosophical subjects ; it is per-
haps rather prejudicial to ultimate soundness ; but, of course,
it is nearly essential to making any money by a literary life

" During the last five days I have been almost wholly
occupied in entertaining my uncle, William Jevons, now i
bent old man, but filled with the true affection and the calm
clear mind for which he and my father have been remark-
able. . . . His expressions of affection and satisfaction arc
so warm that I must feel pleasure in believing him to be
truly pleased. But I never have unalloyed satisfaction in
society, especially where I am not perfectly at my case, for
every now and then I unskilfully say things which I regret
unavailingly long after, and now especially, I am so glum
and wrapped up in my serious thoughts, that I can scarcely
give any attention to the entertainment of others.

"Yesterday afternoon, after leaving Uncle William at
the Victoria Station, I wandered again to Westminster
Abbey, of which I shall never tire. Nowhere else can one
feel so surrounded and encouraged by the greatness of
humanity. After looking over a great many tombs of
second-rate heroes and writers, I succeeded in finding the
venerable tomb of Chaucer venerable in its age and simpli-
city amongst the venerable. The crumbling stone has lost
its inscription, yet his tales remain not only the well of

;ET. 27. NEVER REGRETTED LEAVING SYDNEY. 171

English undcfiled, the first great monument of the greatest
of languages, but a mine of true simple poetry, and of sound
philosophy. Shakespeare cxccpted, he is doubtless the poet
that I shall best admire among the English."

In December 1862 he wrote in his journal : "It was a
bold and momentous decision which brought me out of Au-
stralia. I shall not regret it, even if my remaining days be
spent in poverty. In spite of industry I could not have done
much in Sydney. I thought what I did very clever then, but
it seems foolishness to me now, and my first efforts at a theory
of economy look strange beside the theory which has gradu-
ally opened upon me. At Sydney I had by me Whatcly's
Logic, but had never read it. I scarcely knew what logic
meant. After a time, however, 1 read John Mill's Logic,
which I perhaps partly understood ; and yet, on the other
hand, 1 admired Whewcll's Philosophy of the Inductive
Sciences which now (December 1862) seems nothing but
fog.

" T conclude that I knew little or nothing about logic then,
and never should have done but for the new exercise for my
thoughts afforded in my second college course. It seems
rather late in life to be learning what logic is, yet it is better
late than never. It may prove that my visit to Australia,
by breaking my college course and giving time to mature
my powers, did peculiar service.

11 I left Sydney with many exaggerated notions of my
own powers and probable achievements. To spend a year
in successful travelling over the Globe perhaps publishing
accounts of what I had seen when I got home this was
one of the things I thought worth my notice. I had thought
myself so successful in writing flowery letters home, and my
letters and papers were so freely printed in the colonial
papers and magazines, that I entertained no doubt that it
would be the same at home. Reviews and magazines were
freely open to me if 1 cared to write, and if I found any
difficulty in getting money other ways, to take to the news-
paper profession seemed always open to me. I did not sec
that one kind of writing and thinking may be inconsistent
with other kinds.

" 2 ist December 1862. I have had a good deal of dis-

172 W. STANLEY JEVONS. KT. 27.

appointment in the last six months, but now the shortest and
darkest days are past ; we may begin to hope for something
better. In short, my plans are considerably altered, and as
it now seems to me, improved. The notion of struggling
on in London year after year until some sort of literary
success should at last come is fairly given up. Harry
Roscoe wants me to go as tutor to Owens College, where
I may make 200, and I shall go if all can be favourably
arranged.

" I do not find that my life, passed half at home, half at
the Museum, is favourable in any respect. As I take up
each new subject and get a few new facts about it, my
interest and hopes rise so highly and suddenly that I can
think of nothing else. Hence most exaggerated notions of
what I can do with it. After working a few months at it
very hard the interest of new discovery ceases, and the
materials have to be worked up and finished. A breath of
doubt and disgust seems to dispel the illusion, and I soon
become as much depressed as I was before excited. This is
just the history of my work at the subject of the volunteer
system in England. I amassed a great quantity of amusing
and new facts about the volunteers. In setting to work to
write them out in a formal account, I soon grew disgusted."

To liis brother Tom.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, 2S/7* December 1862.

" Boxing day was not a general field-day here, but our
regiment was out at noon. There were not, however, more
than 400 or 500 men. We marched in capital order from
Westminster Hall to Hampstcad. Arrived on the Heath, we
commenced by storming Jack Straw's castle, which was taken
in the twinkling of an eye. Refreshed by the plunder, we
then extended over the Heath in skirmishing order. The
place is perfect for the purpose, being covered with gorsc
bushes and gravel pits which serve for rifle pits. Our men
skirmished rather wildly, and without a rigid observance of
the field exercise-book. Still, it was a good lesson as
regards the real purpose of light infantry movements.
With the fineness of the day we got our spirits up, and
we contributed greatly to the amusement of a numerous

/Er. 27. HISTORY OF THE VOLUNTEER SYSTEM. 173

crowd of people, who regarded us and our band with great
favour.

" I rather like my sergeant's duties, which I am now be-
ginning to exercise a little. I looked well after my section,
one of the privates of which was Calder Marshall, R.A., the
sculptor ; but some of my men would get mixed up in other
companies, and not even the sculptor had any clear idea of
good cover.

11 1 think the popularity of the force increases. I must
say I am interested when we are in Hyde Park, Wimbledon,
Hampstcad, or elsewhere, to think how often the same ground
was covered by the old volunteers.

"You will be inquiring about my volunteer history.
This has rather come to grief. For after almost completing
the information necessary, 1 found I had not the light imag-
inative pen necessary for making a book popular in the
present day. The history would have proved little more
than a series of historical notes, yet it is a pity to let so
many interesting facts go waste.

" I am at present going on with my old work of dia-
grams. I am now thinking of a small atlas with plates
about 6x8 inches, from 1844-62, comprising monthly
quotations of prices, exports, imports, etc , all fully reduced,
analysed, etc., so as to make quite a small gem of a work
which cannot fail to be successful and comprising the bank-
accounts as usefully as the large diagram. It is somewhat
the same idea with which I just began nearly two years
ago, but I have learnt so much by experience that my first
diagrams are quite laughable beside the little gems I now
produce. I have just begun drawing to-day a glorious one
of the cotton trade, comprising prices of five kinds of cotton,
also of yarn, twist, two kinds of cloth, with imports, exports,
consumption, and stock of cotton. The atlas would contain
perhaps twelve plates, including (i) bank accounts, (2)
money market, stock market, corn of several kinds, agricul-
tural produce, butcher's meat, the principal exports and
imports, prices, etc., all the fluctuations during the year, and
the seasons arc to be fully worked out. A good deal of the
work is done, but, of course, infinite labour will be necessary
for finishing it satisfactorily.

174 W. STANLEY JEVONS. 1.1 27.

In his journal, 3ist December 1862, he writes : " Still
at the old work, and in rather better spirits. Yet 1 know I
shall shortly be in as bad spirits as ever, these changes being
regularly periodic with me. Harry Roscoe lately wanted
me to go tutor to Owens College, and the prospect of more
regular work and an income nearly made me give up all
London plans. Lucy, however, sent a vigorous protest
against it, which caused me to think twice, and I shall go
on here for at least nine months.

" My atlas of monthly commercial statistics progresses
satisfactorily, but my logical speculations give me most con-
fidence. I cannot disbelieve, yet I can hardly believe, that
in the principle of sameness I have found that which will
reduce the whole theory of reasoning to one consistent lucid
process. I can hardly confess to myself the value of such a
work. Surely I ought not to want confidence in following
my own plans out, regardless of the opinions of others, when
I may expect such fruit from them. And yet how irksome
is it to have everything in the future, nothing, comparatively
in the present. Of late I have not been altogether wanting
in exertions towards correcting some of my greatest failings.
For many years I have had such a fear of speaking in public
that even in reading in the college classes my voice shook.
I regarded it as a physical impossibility. When I had
papers to communicate to societies, 1 got Dr. Smith, or
Harry, or Clifton, to read them, and slunk away myself out
of danger. This seemed so very foolish and so serious a
bar to my advancement, that I resolved to try to get over
the difficulty by joining the college debating society On
the first night I said a word or two about some inconsider-
able matter. I was named by the president to open the
debate of the following meeting. Suspended between the
desire to do the thing, and fear of incapability, I at last
doubtingly consented, prepared a speech, and did not appear
when I had engaged, to the disgust of the society. I will-
ingly paid the fine and bore some little censure and ridicule,
and did not give the matter up. In the last few months I
have been a pretty frequent attendant, making brief remarks,
and undertaking, on one occasion, to reply. That I can ever
be a good speaker is altogether beyond hope but to be

/n. 27. REFLECTIONS AT CLOSE OF THE YEAR. 175

able to read with self-possession is almost sufficient for any
position I am likely to have, and this I shall no doubt be
soon able to do. I am even engaged in getting up a
literary and scientific society at college for the reading of
original papers, in which I shall be much more at my case. 1
In all public life such as I have at college, in the rifle corps,
in society, I feel a constant unreadiness of thought, a want
of tact, of practice, of quickness, which puts me in awkward
positions, saying and doing things which cause no little
subsequent regret. I have especially an incapacity of re-
membering people and their names, which is very trouble-
some. And yet if these are the accompaniments of superior
power in other ways, I should put up with them contentedly,
and not be too thin skinned.

" The year of which only five minutes have now to run
seems to have been a long one. It has seen many of my
hopes fulfilled, many frustrated. It has made me an M.A.
It has seen my theory of economy offered to a learned society (?)
and received without a word of interest or belief. It has
convinced me that success in my line of endeavour is even
a slower achievement than I thought. This year has taken
much youthfulness out of me.

" It is often a cause of regret to me that my pursuits
and my utter want of influence in society prevent me giving
any assistance to others, even my own sisters and brothers.

" 1st January 1863. How gladly would 1 brighten their
lives how could I enjoy a pleasant house, a well-filled purse, a
power of aiding and pleasing others each hour of the day.
What would I not give to inspire Herbert again with that
energy and hope which alone can make this life tolerable !
How I fear that he has lost them for ever and that Australia
promises to him little more than Minnesota ! How gladly
would I return Kenny's forgetfulness of self and constant
devotion to the good of others by such return as could be
made, instead of keeping her in an uncomfortable lodging

1 The formation of a literary and philosophical Society amongst the students
was suggested to Mr. Jevons by his friend and fellow-student, Mr. Philip Magnus,
who tells me that Mr. Jevons was chosen as president of the new society, and
that he contributed a paper on the value of gold, pnor to the publication of his
" A Serious Fall m the Value of Gold." This paper was* published in a volume
of the transactions of the society.

i;6 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. *2T. 27.

and in uncertainty ! But all this, it seems, I must suffer and
regret in quiet, and with but faint hope that I shall be justi-
fied by the result.

" During the year now begun I hope that I may not
falter and distrust even my highest hopes of doing good in
my own peculiar way. In action, social influence, etc., I
am nothing never shall be of the slightest consequence.
In many kinds of mental influence I am nothing no im-
agination an imperfect memory, no classical or mathe-
matical scholar, a heavy writer. I have but one slight
thread of hope, a capacity of seeing the sameness and
difference of things, which, if history and the sayings of
experienced men are to be believed, is a rare and valuable
kind of power. Let me set the single purpose before me of
developing and properly using it, not pretending to what I
am not and cannot be, in order that I may be what others
seem incapable of being.

" A week or two ago, when Harry Roscoc proposed my
going to Manchester, I took a violent dislike to the Museum,
and thought my escape from it would piove a turning-point in
my life. Now I am again nearly caught in the toils of literary
dissipation. I intend fairly to try my plan of literary agency,
although I am somewhat ashamed of it. To send circulars
and hire out one's time at three shillings per hour seems
rather infra dig., but perhaps it is false pride, and I ought
not to stick at anything short of moral wrong."

CHAPTER VI.

1863-1866.

To his brother Herbert.

8 PORTKUS ROAD, i8/// January 1863.

" WE unfortunately missed the last mail, from not thinking
of it at the right moment perhaps because Christmas was
coming upon us. ... Whether you get on well or ill, I
should be sorry to think of your always remaining away.
In some years to come 1 hope we may all be better placed.
But what every one, and yourself, of course, included, wants, is
not so much comfortable living as a satisfactory occupation
in short work, and that is even more difficult to get some-
times than anything else. If you could make yourself interested
in work, whatever it be, and go through with it successfully,
that, according to philosophers from Aristotle downwards,
is happiness I believe he is right, and that happiness is
inseparable from exertion, and is, in fact, hopeful exertion.
This is in direct contradiction to your doctrine, which excludes
exertion altogether, and lets things take their course.

" I am still /// statu quo ante in London. I am trying the
scheme of agency at the Museum, but as yet have only had
one job, and that not of the right sort. I am much inclined
to fear it will not do. It is regarded as too dubious and
irregular an occupation, as is apparent from the notes of
the few who have applied to me ; to say the truth, 1 am not
so much set as I was upon remaining in London. Its
principal advantage is access to the Museum but this rather
misleads one into trivial subjects, and I should, perhaps, do
better with fewer books.

N

i;8 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 27.

"At Christmas Harry Roscoe proposed my going as
tutor to Owens College, where I might make perhaps 200
a year. I put the matter off till the beginning of next
session in October, when, if nothing better occurs in the
meantime, I shall probably go. * Half a loaf is better than
no bread, 1 as they say ; and I am not afraid that, because I
begin with a rather humble place, I shall never get a better.
I require some years of quiet work to bring out my theories
in at all a presentable form, and I must have a means of
living in the meantime. And if I do not get on so fast in
worldly ways, I am quite satisfied with my own theories,
which ever become clearer and more perfect.

" The diagrams, after all, have not lost me much money, as
they will pay back more than 20 of what I spent on them.
Since you left they were praised in the Exchange Magazine
the editor of which has a fancy for diagrams. They
were just mentioned in a Times money article, and also
in the Economist, and by these opinions, sent in a fresh cir-
cular, I continued to sell a good many more of them, and
Stanford has sold altogether nearly two hundred, and at
Liverpool three dozen were sold. I have been encouraged
therefore to prepare a new set of small diagrams, to form a
small atlas, and give numbers of prices, etc., for the several
months of 1844-62. They are getting on pretty well,
and will, 1 think, succeed. In the meantime I have been
led to observe the great rise in prices of nearly all things
since 1851, which is obviously due to a fall in the value
of gold. This I am now trying to ascertain and prove
in a conclusive manner, which will, of course, be a very
important and startling fact. Supposing it to be proved, 1
do not yet know whether to publish it with my atlas or
separately."

Mr. Jcvons had thought of the scheme of a Literary
Agency to which he refers as a possible means of earning
sufficient income to enable him to remain in London and
pursue his own researches in the British Museum Library.
He offered to undertake researches on any subject for persons
who might be prevented by want of time or distance from the
Museum from undertaking the work for themselves.

The investigations on the fall of the value of gold to

SET. 27. SERIOUS FALL IN THE VALUE OF GOLD. 179

which he refers, proved to be of even more importance than
he expected, and the early part of 1863 was devoted to the
preparation of his tract, A Serious Fall in the value of Gold,
and its Social Effects set Forth, which was published before
the end of April. This little book, although at first it re-
mained unnoticed, proved to be an unhoped-for success, for
it attracted considerable attention in the autumn of 1863,
and at once gave him a place amongst the rising economists
of the day.

To his brother Herbert.

8 POKTEUS ROAD, I9/7/ February 1863.

"... We are at present in London as for the last few
years, but I am convinced I must get some more regular
occupation as soon as possible. . . . The notion of living in
Manchester is not altogether an agreeable one ; but I think
it will be a step in the right direction. After some ex-
perience in teaching, and by degrees in lecturing, 1 shall be
more ready to offer myself for any professorship that may
happen perhaps one at Owens College itself. There is no
doubt, I think, that the professorial line is the one for me
to take. I have given up all notion, for the present, of
hack-writing, as it seems to me it must be destructive of any
true thinking, and, unless to a person with a very ready and
popular style, must be an occupation full of hardship and
disappointment."

To ins sister Lucy.

43 RICHMOND GROVE, MANCHESTER,
20//2 April 1863.

11 1 don't know whether I informed you that 1 was coming
heie to arrange or consider the tutorship affair.

". . . On Sunday afternoon Mr. Greenwood, Harry, Alfred
Booth, and myself went a walk, in the course of which I
talked the matter over with Mr. Greenwood. I have also
gone into it pretty fully with Harry, and also with Professor
Clifton, who has been very friendly.

* c Although there arc, of course, many things to deter
one from coming here, it becomes more and more obvious
that it will, on the whole, be greatly to my advantage to
come.

i8o IF. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 27.

" It is quite possible that I may make 200 the first
session at least probable I shall make 150, and there
can be no doubt I shall make over a hundred at any rate.

" Considering the less cost of houses and living, my
income would in any case be equal to or greater than my
expenditure. The teaching work may be considered drudgery,
but it is a very proper preliminary to a better place, and
such as almost all go through in the larger universities
before getting to a professor's chair. Even Mr. Greenwood
hinted that in the course of a few years I might fairly look
forward to a professorship in Owens College.

"And then I find that Manchester, although smoky, has
still a distinguished literary position. I should see a great
deal more of good society than I should in London, living
there for a quarter of a century.

" I have not lived twenty-eight years without being
aware that, independent of any inward merits, there is a
certain position necessary to make one known and recognised.
This I have a far better chance of getting here than in
London. ... It Ls also not to be forgotten that the college
is a very rising one, and although decidedly a shabby one at
present, may grow, and in future and more prosperous years
will probably be rebuilt, and rendered very important. I
have been to-day to sec the Cheetham Library, of which I
had heard not a little. I find it to be one of the most
delightful old libraries I could conceive to exist, apparently
hardly touched since the Middle Ages came to an end.
Nor is it the only good library here.

" My work here would consist in teaching small classes
of six or eight students for some two or three hours per
clay, as well as giving my general assistance. I might also
have, if I liked, some of the evening classes, attended by
men from the town, which are at present taken by the
professors or by other teachers, the profits of ^hich would
amount to some fifteen shillings each evening, or 15 per
course. And it seems I might almost have a carte blanche
to form courses of logic or political economy for these
evening lectures if students presented themselves in
sufficient numbers. I should of course have some difficulty in
beginning to teach, but it must be met sooner or later, and

A:T. 27. AGREES TO BE TUTOR AT OWENS COLLEGE. 181

there cannot well be a better opportunity for practice. On
all these accounts I am inclined to come here, the only
contrary inclinations arising from the dull nature of the
town, and the regret in leaving London and the Museum.
I have been much more inclined to the scheme since I found
that Mr. Greenwood's explanations of the subject were even
more favourable than Harry's. You may, then, I think,
conclude that 1 shall to-morrow agree with Mr. Greenwood
about it, and the minor arrangements may then be con-
sidered matter of course."

In his journal he writes :

44 2 yk April 1863. For several months before Christ-
mas I was often in low spirits. Since Christmas I have
hitherto felt buoyant in spite of every apparent obstacle.
Now that I have returned from Manchester with a
reasonable prospect of a comfortable living I find myself
again falling into dejection. High hopes must, it seems,
be succeeded by the opposite. It is peculiar, too, that
as long as I am going on with my work I am happy ;
when it is done 1 collapse, hate my work, and, feeling my
best efforts useless, life seems useless and better away.
This is no doubt unreasonable, but how avoid it ? Now, I
suppose I am low because my essay on ' Gold ' is out, and
as yet no one has said a word in its favour except my .sister,
who of course docs it as a sister. What if all I do or can
do \\cre to be received so ? In the first place, one might be
led to doubt whether all one's convictions concerning oneself
were not mere delusions. Secondly, one might at last learn
that even the best productions may never be caught by the
breath of popular approval and praise. It would take
infinite time and space to write all I have thought about my
position lately. As I have even thought myself in many
ways a fool, I am in no way surprised to find that many
notions which I have had are ridiculous. At last I fairly
allow that the one great way of getting on in this world is
to get friends, and impress them with a notion of your clever-
ness. Send them about to advertise your cleverness, get
their testimonials like so many levers to force yourself where
you wish to go. How well did Shakespeare see through all
these things when he wrote his sixty-sixth sonnet

i82 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. *T. 27.

" It is quite obvious to me that it is useless to go on
printing works which cost great labour, much money, and
are scarcely noticed by any soul. I must begin life again,
and by another way, ingratiating myself where and when I
can : only after long years of slow progress can one's notions
be brought out with any chance of being even examined by
those capable of judging of them.

" Faulty as I am in so many ways, I yet feel that my
inmost motives are hardly selfish. I believe they grow by
degrees less so. Sometimes I even feel that I should not
care for reputation, wealth, comfort, or even life itself, if I
could feel that all my efforts were not without their use.
Could I do it all anonymously I perhaps might consent to it.
And yet the condemnation of friends and all you meet is
hard to be borne, and their praise or admiration must be
sweet.

" I am convinced that at any rate it is best to clear out
of London. I make no progress here quite the opposite ; I
may do better elsewhere. 1 must go upon a different tack."

To his sister Liny.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, 1 \th May 1863.

11 . . . To-morrow I am going to take my seat in con-
vention, and deliberate as to whether women are to be
admitted into our university. As yet 1 have hardly decided
how to vote ; but I begin to feel quite senatorial, having
received tracts urging a little favour to the other sex.

" The next day is the presentation, when I hope to get
my medal, having waited for it long enough."

On the 1 3th May 1863 he received the degree of
M.A. and his gold medal at Burlington House, and two days
afterwards he wrote to his brother Tom : " I am now a
veritable M.A., having been presented to Granville. I have
also got my medal, which is a good heavy lump of bullion :
it sorely tempts me as a professed gold assaycr to try what
metal it is made of. If nothing happens to it you shall see
it some day.

" I am in rather good spirits, as my logical system is at
last clear from farther doubt. It is the same as Boole's in
some ways, but free from all his false mathematical dress,

XT. 27. HIS SYSTEM OF LOGIC. 183

which I show to be not only unnecessary but actually
erroneous, and only giving true results by a kind of compro-
mise really reducing it to my form. On the other hand, my
methods reduce the most complicated sets of propositions
with great case and intuitively. From one set, for instance,
of three propositions involving say five or six different terms,
I can easily deduce as many other propositions containing
relations between those terms. There would be many hun-
dred propositions between five or six terms. Boole can get
these relations, but only by laboriously working out each case
by mathematical processes. The Aristotelian logicians might
perhaps deduce one or two of the results with difficulty.
The essential part of my method, however, is to show that
the proposition is really an equation analogous in most of
its properties to an equation in quantity. Boole has con-
fused the equation of quality and the equation of quantity
together, and all the wild complexities of De Morgan and
other logicians arise from confusing quality and quantity.
My doctrine is that there is no quantity at all in logic. All
terms arc really universal, as Boole shows indeed, but then
Boole spoils his system by introducing I and o, and various
symbols whose meaning is really derived from logic not con-
tained in it."

On first leaving London Mr. Jcvons proposed to spend
a few weeks with his brother Tom in lodgings in the Wirral
of Cheshire; and on the I5th May he wrote to him as
follows :

" The chief thing is perfect quietness for me to work dur-
ing the day. If you could get a solitary cottage on the
sandhills it would do admirably. But there must be neither
children nor cocks and hens near it. If near the sea, all the
better. I don't object to the noise of the waves. A good
walk to the ferry early every morning will do you good.
We will get up at daybreak and bathe before breakfast, and
all that sort of thing."

To his brother Herbert.

8 PORTEUS ROAD, iqthMay 1863.

" As the mail day is nearly come again, I must tell you
what little there is to interest you. I am still in London.

1 84 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 27.

but closing up my affairs here, and in a week more I expect
to leave here for good.

" London is very lively just at this time of year, and
there are various meetings, rifle affairs, and so forth, which
detain one, but I am very anxious to have some time in
the country this summer before going to Manchester. I
am arranging with Tom that we shall go into lodgings
together at Wallasey, 1 where he is in treaty for a couple of
rooms.

" 1 shall stay there a month or six weeks, and then spend
the rest of the four months at Bcaumaris, or any part where
Lucy may be.

" My arrangements with Mr. Greenwood, the principal of
Owens College, are that I shall go there in October if some
twenty or twenty-five pupils offer to pay three guineas each
for the session. There is little doubt, he thinks, that some
thirty will offer, giving me ;ioo to begin with. There is
also an evening class for logic which I am to have, but which
will not pay more than a few pounds. Private teaching must
make up the rest. For the second session, if I desire it, 1
may probably have elementary evening classes of Latin and
Greek, which pay more ; it must, however, be chiefly left to
experience to show how much 1 shall do there.

" Our literary and philosophical society at college, of
which I am president, seems to have a long future before it
At first many of the older students held aloof from it, and
predicted its ill success, but a few dull meetings having been
survived, many of the old students, including distinguished
graduates, are joining, and many of the papers are interest-
ing. This day week we arc to have a strong meeting, at
which a professor will preside.

" Rifle matters are in a very favourable position. The
force on the average is scarcely less than it was, and is
probably better trained and managed. Our corps in their
inspection last Saturday brought up 908 men of all ranks,
which is more than they presented last year by 1 5 per cent,
and most of the manoeuvres were fairly done. Parliament
have not only voted additional allowances of money to support

1 In the "Wirral of Chcshhe. They stayed afterwards at Lcasowe m the same
neighbourhood.

*T. 27. LEAVES LONDON. 185

the corps, but have readily passed a new Act consolidating
the law and giving various facilities and regulations tending
to make the institution permanent and it is now regarded
as such on all hands.

" I shall be sorry to leave my corps, the Queen's, but I shall
be sure to join a Manchester corps if I remain there any time.

" I am forwarding some copies of my pamphlet on the
value of gold to Miller, and he will, I hope, send one or two
on to you. It has as yet sold very badly, and has not been
noticed by more than one or two papers. R. Hutton has
given me an article, or part of an article, and warmly adopts
rny view of the question. I have had acknowledgments of
copies which I sent to various persons ; among whom Mr.
Ncwmarch, the chief authority on the opposite side of the
question, does not agree to all my conclusions, but says he
has carefully read the whole, and seems to regard it favour-
ably. I also have a brief acknowledgment in the hand-
writing of Gladstone, who is now regarded as the leading
man in the country.

u I shall not, 1 think, go on with these statistical matters
much at present , but I have plenty of other work going
on, and, besides, have to prepare for my college work at
Manchester."

To /us sister Lucy.

WALLASLY, $ist May 1863.

u 1 am at last out of London, and find the quiet of the
country delightful. Our lodgings are just on the edge of
the sandhills, and I shall never be tired of wandering on to
the open shore. In the morning, too, we bathe with great
convenience. . . .

" I pretty well closed up my London business, and went
to a few exhibitions, theatres, etc., before leaving the gay
world. I have brought abundance of books here, and am
looking forward to some quiet work, chiefly in preparation
for October. . . .

" We went to church this morning ! There was a good
musical service, which was as pleasant as could be expected,
considering I was at Westminster Abbey last Sunday, where
the organ-playing is perfection itself.

1 86 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 27.

"Just before leaving London I had a pleasing letter
from Professor Cairnes, a political economist, who is thought
a good deal of now, thanking me for a copy of the pamphlet,
which he said strongly confirmed some conclusions of his
own, arrived at in a different manner, and published in
various essays in 1859 and 1860. He says he has written a
letter to the Economist, drawing attention to the fact. This
will probably sell many a copy for me, and perhaps induce
Mr. Bagehot to take the subject up in the paper, as I have
already heard he was reading the pamphlet."

To his brother Herbert.

LEASOWK HOTEL, izdjune 1863.

"... I have brought plenty of books with me, and
spend nearly the whole day, from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M., in logical
and other work ; then we have tea, and stroll in the evening,
going early to bed. I find the quiet of the country ex-
tremely delightful after so long living in the noise of London.
But the long days of unbroken solitude and work are apt to
become very tedious unless 1 now and then have a change.
Most days, indeed, I get a bathe, which freshens me up, and
occasionally I go to Liverpool.

" I am engaged partly in practising up my mathematics,
Greek, and Latin, for my tutoring work at Manchester ; but
just at present 1 am chiefly working at my logical system.
It has only of late taken a definite form, but I have been
more or less at work upon it for some two years. I think I
shall have a paper ready in the course of a few weeks, of a
very complete character, but I am afraid it will be hard to
get it accepted, because there arc not half a dozen men who,
as far as I know, occupy themselves with logical speculation,
and these arc too much occupied with their own systems to
tolerate an antagonist one. . . .

" I feel rather relieved at having got away from London.
It is an inhospitable place, and, as I was placed, made my
life rather dreary. It got worse the longer I stayed. As
yet I do not miss the Museum library, for I have far more
books with me in a single trunk than I can read, and the
library is only useful now and then to look up out-of-the-
way books. A large library almost prevents thorough

^T. 27. COUNTRY LIFE. 187

reading. There are two at Manchester besides the Free
Public Library, and various half public ones, the fine old
Chectham Library, where I have no doubt I shall spend
much of my time."

To his brother Herbert.

Low NEWTON,

NEWTON IN CARTMEL, LANCASHIRE,
i9/// July 1863.

" I am now staying with John and Lucy at their country
lodgings here. This place is close to the Lakes, the lower
end of Windermere being about four miles off, and the
country is very pretty and full of good walks, although by
no means so mountainous as it seems to be a few miles
farther north. - I have two rooms here of my own, where I
do my work in quiet most of the day, and in the evenings
we usually go a walk.

" I have as yet been here only some four days.
Previously I continued with Tom at Lcasowe, where we
had a quiet but pleasant time of it.

"Monday, 2Oth July. Last evening Lucy and John and
I went to Cartmel to the old Abbey Church, a rude but
ancient piece of architecture, with some tombs and curiosi-
ties, which I saw after the service. Excepting walks of
a few miles with John, 1 have not yet seen much, nor do
1 intend to go about very much. I have plenty of work
to do at home, and am more inclined to take the country
easily.

"... I am having the first long period of country life
which I have yet enjoyed. Unless Sydney could be called
country, I may say that I was never before living in the
country for any long period. I find it excellently agreeable,
both for mind and body, for work and play. I think I
should like to live altogether in quiet country, with only
occasional sights of the town \ but as it is, I am only getting
my spirit up for a long residence and plenty of work in
Manchester, one of the worst of towns. Yet I think my
position will be far more cheerful than it was of late in
London, with large outgoings and no incomings, and all my
time upon my hands for good or bad. During my first

i88 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 27.

Manchester session I shall have some difficulty in practising
teaching, and learning and keeping up with all the necessary
work. In following sessions my work will be more familiar
and easy, being partly the same over again. My college
work will only occupy three hours for five days per week,
independent of certain evening classes, and there are three
months' clear vacation. I shall thus have plenty of time to
go on with my own work."

7V? his brother Herbert.

NEWTON IN CARTMEI,, LANCASHIRE,
2^/iJuly 1863.

" Since posting my letter through Tom's hands we have
got your first letter from Nelson, and we all greatly rejoice
in its cheerful character.

11 It seems to me that a warmer England is what any
one might desire for his adopted country. I hope that you
may be able to stay at the Nelson side, by a good develop-
ment of the diggings there. The Otago country, I should
imagine, is somewhat wilder and more inclement. In any
case I don't think the bank and you will wish to part for
the present, and the longer you stay the more will be your
salary.

" Your photograph, taken by my old photographic friends
the Frcemans, has given great satisfaction here. It is really
well done. It seems also to show that the voyage, the
southern climate, or something else, have made you look
fatter and better in a great degree.

I have just received the bill for my pamphlet on Gold.
The total cost of printing, advertising, etc., is ^43, and the
offset by sales only 10: only seventy-four copies seem to
have been sold as yet, which is a singularly small number.
u On the other hand, my diagrams still continue to sell,
thirty copies having been sold by Stanford during the last
half year, so that only ten of the * English funds ' now
remain in their hands. This sale returns me some 5 : IDS.
The superior success of the funds over the bank diagram
makes me think that a single diagram well fitted for an
office, and rather less costly than either of these, might sell
well. By getting these diagrams spread about it spreads

/ET. 27. PREPARATION FOR TUTORIAL WORK. 189

one's name, and might enable me at a future time to publish
larger works successfully."

To his brother Herbert.

BEAUMARIS, 2$d August 1863.

"Our long -contemplated visit to Bcaumaris is at last
begun, and llenny and I arc very agreeably settled here in
a small house of our own, expecting Tom to join us at the
beginning of September. You will be surprised at hearing
a house of our own, but Lucy has managed very cleverly, as
she usually does in these matters, to find a small house
which was to let for the required period. We have only as
yet been about four days here, but our visit promises to be
a very pleasant one, as well as favourable to my work. I
have indeed only a small bedroom to do my work in, but it
is pretty quiet ; and the cheerful life of Beaumaris, with
daily visits to Lucy's house, will tend to relieve the tedium
of working at home. . . .

" Your letter is a great satisfaction to all of us. It
makes us feel that the star of our family has passed its
Nadir and is rising. We have none of us yet attained any
permanent success or place in society ; but I hope that in
time we shall all have it. Some people may have thought
that we had a wrongncss in us which made us continually
refuse the goods the gods provide us, and you and I
especially may seem to have done so ; but I trust we shall
both be soon well enough off, even in the way society takes
the meaning of this. I have no fear but that Tom will find
a place suitable and profitable in due time, because his more
peculiar qualities arc so well tempered by sociability and
sense. . . .

" My own affairs arc /// statii quo ante. I am still
reading up subjects for my tutoring, and writing a set of
forty lectures on logic and political economy for my evening
lessons. The latter is no light job, and I cannot finish them
quite before the session begins. Nor can I do more than make
them up roughly with great aid and copious extracts from
books. It would require several years' practice in lecturing,
and plenty of labour, to form a good set of lectures ; but
this of course is not to be expected in a mere evening class.

190 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ;ET. 27.

" My work will at first be very novel and hard to me,
and most inadequately paid ; but it would be absurd to
despise a small beginning. In fact, I could hardly venture
to take a professorship, if I could get one, without some pre-
vious practice in lecturing. I have all my life had the
strongest possible horror of public speaking, and I used to
think myself absolutely incapable of it. But the last session
at college I found it not impossible, and, after getting over
a few failures and breakdowns, I have no longer an insuper-
able objection to it. After the practice which teaching will
give me, I think I may become quite expert at it, and
perhaps the fonder of it as I formerly so much disliked it.
... I am inclined to think I only need practice myself to
make a lecturer, though I should never make a rhetorical
speaker or debater, the two things being quite distinct. It
is a well-known fact that there is nothing to which practice
is more essential than public speaking.

" Since my last I have finished my first paper on logic
and sent it to De Morgan, who agreed to read it and give
me some opinion on it. But he has not yet had it long, and
has not yet sent any answer. I have written on the subject
to Professor Boole, on whose logical system mine is an im-
provement. In his answer he does not explain away an
objection I had raised against his system. He seems to
think that my paper probably docs not contain more than
he himself knows, this being a common failing of philoso-
phers and others ; but still he tells me very civilly that if I
think still that there is anything new in my paper I ought
to publish, which of course I shall do one way or another
before long."

To his brother Tom.

BEAUMARIS, 30^ August 1863.

"... I have just thought of a point which will remove
a difficulty in the Primary Logic. I said there that every
term means one or more qualities, known or unknown. I
now see that every term must mean an indefinite, or rather
infinite, collection of qualities of which only one is neces-
sarily known viz., the fact of being indicated by a certain
sign, and of the rest some may or may not be known. It

28. PURE LOGIC.

191

is obvious, in short, that anything either must or must not
have any property that you like to name.

"Every term also taken *'// extent must be considered
infinite, for we can never tell how many things may exist of
any kind in this world, or in other worlds, to which univer-
sal truths must extend ad infinitum. The only possible
definition which is not unlimited is that of things within
your feeling at a time, as this pen, this point, this world''

During the summer Mr. Jcvons devoted much thought
to his logical system, and the results appeared in the small
volume, Pure Logic, or the Logic of Quality apart from
Quantity, which he wrote chiefly during his stay in the
country, and which was published at the beginning of 1 864.

In the Preface he thus describes the purpose of the book :

" My present task is to show that all, and more than all, the
ordinary processes of logic may be combined in a system founded
on comparison of quality only, without reference to logical
quantity. Before proceeding I have to acknowledge that
in a considerable degree this system is founded on that of
Professor Boole, as stated in his admirable and highly
original Mathematical Analysis of Logic. The forms of my
system may, in fact, be reached by divesting his system of
a mathematical clrcss which, to say the least, is not essential
to it. The system being restored to its proper simplicity,
it may be inferred, not that logic is a part of mathematics,
as ii> almost implied in Professor Boole's writings, but that
the mathematics arc rather derivatives of logic/'

To Ins brother Herbert.

BKAUMAKIS, \$th September 1863.

"... I have myself been rather in luck lately concern-
ing the pamphlet on Gold. Mr. Fawcett, a blind M.A. of
Cambridge, to whom I sent my pamphlet, he having written
on the subject before, was convinced by my figures, and
delivered an address on the subject to the British Associa-
tion lately, quoting my figures. The Times reported his
speech, and took the subject up in a leader, also quoting me,
and then there followed a discussion of the subject in many
letters, as well as articles in other papers. Professor Cairnes
also again wrote on the subject to the Times, and almost

192 W. STANLEY Jp:VQNS. ^T. 28.

challenged people to disprove the conclusions of my pam-
phlet Lastly, the Economist has been induced to notice the
subject in a cautious manner, and, though attributing to me
some exaggeration of the matter, comes over to my conclu-
sion substantially. Thus it may almost be considered that
the matter is settled as regards a certain depreciation. All
that the papers admit, however, is the lowest possible esti-
mate of 10 per cent, whereas, though this is the result given
by my tables, as it happens, I believe the real depreciation
to be nearer 20 per cent

" In the last few days I have been thinking of applying
the method of my pamphlet to prices extending some cen-
turies back in fact, of trying to determine the general
variation of prices from the earliest times of English history
for which any data exist. The result, consisting in a simple
curve of the value of gold, would be one of the most im-
portant and interesting statistical conclusions that could be
got. The method I should use would enable me to bring
into one general induction the most scattered and various
data of prices, which are of little or no use for any other pur-
pose. If I could get such an inquiry done in two or three
years when prices are again rising and attention is drawn to
the continued depreciation, the publication would be prob-
ably very successful. 1 have already so much work upon
my hands that such a serious addition is no joke. 1 think,
however, it is well, having had a first success in this subject,
to draw that line well, and it is one in which a name is
rather easily made. I am better in theory than I am in
fact ; but theorists have a bad odour until their soundness
is established by the slowest possible process. Hence it is
a good thing to begin by diagrams, tables of prices, and
such things, so that you can never be charged with arguing
without a reference to or knowledge of facts.

" I am now within about two weeks of the time when I
must set out on my Manchester business. I have been
engaged lately in writing lectures on logic and political
economy a rather dreary occupation and in working up
some subjects for my tutoring. At first my work will be
by no means easy, but perhaps the same might be said of
any other new occupation. I think it probable that I shall

JET. 28. SETTLES IN MANCHESTER. 193

not desire to take additional private pupils to any great
extent, but rather to use my spare time on private work,
which will ultimately make a better return."

Before the end of September Mr. Jevons went to Man-
chester to be ready for his new duties at Owens College.
His younger sister decided to accompany him there, and,
as a temporary arrangement, they took a house with Mrs.
Henry Roscoe, the aunt whom Mr. Jevons had previously
lived with during his first college days in London. This
house, No. 9 Birch Grove, Rusholme, was Mr. Jevons 1 home
until the time of his marriage. Mr. Jevons 1 own letters
sufficiently explain his duties. Now that Owens College
has a whole staff of lecturers to aid the professors, it is
difficult to realise that little more than twenty years ago
it was only as an experiment that one tutor was ap-
pointed. He was to be prepared to aid the students in any
of the branches of knowledge then taught at the college,
and Mr. Jevons soon found that the variety of subjects
entailed great labour for a very inadequate reward. If
he could have been content to lay aside his private work,
it might not have been too much for him, but, as it was,
the attempt to do both by degrees injured his health, and
he never wholly recovered from the effects of the strain
upon it.

Mr. Herbert Jevons now had an appointment at a bank
in New Zealand, and, having to undertake assaying, he had
written to his brother asking some questions about the best
way of doing it. Mr. Jevons replied in a long letter,
dated "Owens College, iQth November 1863," minutely
detailing the process. He then adds :

"... I have written at such length that I have not
time to speak of my own affairs.

" I am rather busily engaged between my college work
and private work. I get on pretty well with lecturing,
having six lectures in the week, the classes varying in
number from nine up to more than twenty. The prepara-
tion of the lectures, the correction of exercises, etc., takes up
a good deal of time. But I feel that it is my vocation ;
that, in fact, though I may seem to make slow progress, I
am in the right line. I have, I think, on the whole done

o

I 9 4 m STANLEY JEVONS. -ET. 28.

better in the four years I have as yet been at home than I
could have expected."

In his journal he writes :

" 9/// January 1864. Though still capable of taking a
very gloomy view of affairs, there is much on which I may
congratulate myself. My first college term has convinced
me that I can be a lecturer a passable one, if not a good
one. The intolerable fear and weakness, that of public
speaking, is removed from my way. Moreover, my pam-
phlet on the gold question has had a degree of success
that must surely be allowed to be beyond my highest hopes.

" I often debate with myself, and have cause to debate,
whether it is better to lead a solitary, laborious life given up
wholly to study and writing, or whether it is not better to
do as others do involve myself in the pleasures of society
and of a family, and trust still to find time and opportunity
sufficient to my other work. There arc many instances of
the highest men who have remained unmarried, and two of
them, Locke and Newton, are the very two that one might
take as almost perfect examples. But Locke, if never
married, was yet a man of great social powers, and far from
being the morose awkward creature to which I have a great
tendency. Newton, again, though he led a close college
life for a long time, was probably not the better for it It
seems very likely that he rather overworked himself, and
injured his mind, and he indubitably wasted a great part of
his vast labours. Should we not be always striving to
correct our worst faults, our weak parts ? We should not,
indeed, place ourselves in a position where these faults may do
us special harm, but, if possible, let us place ourselves where
they may be corrected as far as possible. Then our better
parts may be almost left to develop themselves.

11 1 begin to think that 1 am too much wrapped up in
my own thoughts and prospects ; too constantly dwelling
upon, congratulating myself on, my own supposed excellen-
cies. This cannot be good. I should get quite as much
work done without thinking so much about it. And if I
had some one to love and care for, no real interference with
my other work need be apprehended."

JET. 28. SUCCESS OF HIS PAMPHLET. 195

To his sister Lncy.

BIRCH GROVE, RUSHOLMK,
i of /i January 1864.

"... I enclose a letter of Tom's, mentioning a review
of my pamphlet among other works, which is quite as
satisfactory as he says. It also speaks of me as being
master of every part of the subject. You will also, perhaps,
like to hear, and I only tell you because I know you
will like to hear, that my pamphlet was mentioned in
a report by one of the English delegates to the Inter-
national Statistical Congress at Berlin on the progress of
Statistical Science in England as in a certain degree a
novelty Altogether the pamphlet has had an extraordin-
ary degree of success, but it brings no money, and I don't
seem likely to get money anywhere.

11 1 have a note from De Morgan pointing out a slight
mistake in my logic, but saying he likes it well at first sight.
He evidently takes some interest in it.

" 1 find it somewhat dull and discouraging beginning
here again after our cheerful time at Bcaumaris. I think I
shall need a holiday again at Easter with you if it can be
managed, but it is rather soon to begin thinking about it."

To /i is brother Herbert.

i8/// Febritary 1864.

"... I have not much to tell you about my own affairs.
I shall make this year nearly I oo from the college. Rail-
way dividends also are improved up to six per cent, so that
I shall have an income of about 1 70, which fully covers
expenses. My work takes up a good deal of my time, but
after Easter the evening classes cease. I am going on with
various work. I am nearly completing the full reduction oi
prices since 1782, which will show many things of interest,
I think. I am also about to undertake the subject of the
exhaustion of coal in England, which I believe is a very
serious matter ; a good publication on the subject would
draw a good deal of attention. I am convinced that it is
necessary, for the present at any rate, to write on popular
subjects. My logic has made no noise, although it is

196 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ;ET. 28.

somewhat favourably regarded by De Morgan, Professor
Sandeman here, and others who know what logic is or
should be."

At Easter Mr. Jevons went for a short walking tour in
Derbyshire with his brother Tom. In the following letter
he refers to a visit he had made there with his parents and
elder brothers and sister in the year 1844 or 1845.

To his sister Lucy.

ROWSLEY, DERBY,
26th March 1864.

" Tom has written you an account of our proceedings,
but I wish to tell you how far I find my recollections of
our visit, nearly twenty years ago, are carried out. We
found Castleton and the Peak Cavern and PevcriPs Castle
very interesting, and Little John's tomb at Hathersage was
a thing to be seen. The first part I could remember seeing
was Middleton Dale, descending among picturesque lime-
stone cliffs. I think we must have driven down there, and
there was pointed out, I think, a cave where a murdered
person had been hidden. We got a lift in a car for a few
miles to Baslow to save time. I at once recognised the hotel
where we lodged a new comfortable place, though I had
lost all thought of it. The stream was close by where I
remember Herbert and I paddled about and were amused
by the ducks. I looked for the cottage up a little hill where
Uncle Hornblower lodged, and found it at once.

" Chatsworth seemed quite familiar to me, and no part
more so than Queen Mary's Bower, a kind of small garden
enclosed in a moat. We did not care to see the inside oi
Chatsworth, but pushed on for Haddon Hall, getting, how-
ever, a beautiful view of the park and palace and river and
all from a hill in the distance. Edensor seemed familiar to
me.

"At Haddon Hall I recognised the doorstep worn
through by persons stepping in and out, a fact which had
immensely impressed me years ago. The most of the
interior of the Hall seemed new to me, but almost larger and
more interesting than I had supposed. The gardens, on the
contrary, were smaller than I expected. The view of the

MT. 28. EARLY RECOLLECTIONS. 197

Hall and of the valley altogether from a little distance was
quite new to me, and is one of the most pleasing views I
have ever seen. You must know that Haddon Hall is the
subject of the only piece of poetry I ever wrote, namely,
soon after our visit, and I can yet remember being dis-
appointed because you did not seem to think much of my
verses, which was, no doubt, a very salutary thing for me.

" I find I have not the slightest recollection of most parts
of the road we must have passed, but only of remarkable
objects here and there. I shall look out at Matlock for the
large hotel where I was lost among the passages, and the
fountain that Herbert turned off and on to our great surprise,
and the cliffs on the other side of the river.

" We have been much favoured by the weather as yet,
and I feel immensely benefited by our two days."

To his brother Herbert.

BEAUMARIS, \Wi May 1864.

" I omitted to write last month, being much occupied.
1 am here for a week's holiday at Whitsun. week, during
which our college is closed. It happens to be a period
of splendid hot summer weather thus early in the year.
The sun is so hot here that we can hardly go out in the
middle of the day, and the season as yet has been such
that the trees and all vegetation are growing with the utmost
luxuriance.

44 As the tide happens to suit well, I get up before break-
fast and have a delightful bathe, all the better perhaps
because from the coldness of the water it must be brief, and
I sometimes have a second bathe towards evening.

" By the end of the week I think I shall be almost
recovered from the fatigue of my first college session. 1
have now only two weeks more at college, and after that
intend to go up to London for some weeks of my vacation.
In spite of my ill success this year I am inclined to think I
shall succeed better next session, and shall find it much
easier and pleasanter work. In that case I might make an
income of some 200 to 250 over all, and might begin to
think of taking a house of my own. I have at times over-
worked myself during the past session, and always feel it in

198 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 28.

subsequent depression ; but I try to work to the best advan-
tage, by giving up night work and taking plenty of sleep, and
occasional holidays, and I hope thus to get through the
whole of the summer, and do a great deal of reading in con-
nection with the question of the exhaustion of coal, which I
look upon as the coming question. At the same time I am
going on with the gold question, and only slightly deferring
further logical work."

In his journal he writes :

" 2$d May 1864. Yesterday I walked with Tom and
Will Jcvons from St. Michael's Hamlet to Allcrton and the
neighbourhood. We walked in the fields near the Hall, and
in every way it was an hour of pleasant feeling to me. I
could not but reflect upon those from whom I come. I
could not but feel the hope that I may do my duty and use
my powers as well, and I was filled with the beauty and
cheerfulness of the scene around. . . .

"4//////;/r 1864. This day the working session ends at
Owens College, and as I have nothing to do with the exam-
inations, my college work is at an end. I shall stay, how-
ever, another week in Manchester, having to give three lessons

to a pupil, Captain B , to get some price diagrams drawn

for the British Association, and to wind up my affairs for
the session.

" I have for at least a month now been in good, and,
what is more, equable spirits. As the session drew to an
end, the intense discouragement my work often gave me was
lightened. Having sent in a report and proposals which
were approved by the professors, I have a reasonable pros-
pect of better success next year. Convinced that I received
great detriment from my want of sociability, I resolved to do
what was possible to throw it off. It was, indeed, like
resolving to throw off nature itself and become somebody
else, so habituated have I long been to shyness, retirement,
and consequent awkwardness in all strange society. Even
now, no doubt, I must not hope to become more than in an
average degree social. A long existing fault can hardly be
changed by any exertions into its corresponding excellence ;
but I think it quite possible that the fault itself can be
removed, and that is a great thing. I could hardly have

*r. 28. SPEAKING IN PUBLIC. 199

hoped so much had I not in a previous instance achieved a
like manner of success. I have learned to speak with some
composure in public, a thing which for many years seemed
beyond the bounds of possibility. Few could form any
notion of the state of agitation into which at first the mere
thought of having to speak in public threw me. My heart
beat wildly and strongly, my blood rushed all about my
body, I seemed turned into moisture and warmth, most of
all my ideas either left me altogether, or fell into confusion
beyond all control. This is just what happened the first few
times I ventured to speak at all, so that what I said bore no
proportion whatever to what I might have had to say. But
now, by taking such opportunities as present themselves, I
am acquiring some composure ; last evening I spoke twice
at a dinner given by our students : it was the first time I
had ever spoken at a dinner. Though what I said was no
doubt wretchedly poor, I am satisfied to get off passably,
and do better on a future occasion. And when ideas are
not deficient, speaking is so much a matter of practice, that
I may almost hope to become a good and fluent speaker.
So may I not hope to become passably social > May I not
hope by making myself better known to those around me, to
use my acquirements with better advantage, and gain position,
which I desire more as a means than an end ? And may I
not even find the society of ladies and friends generally a
relaxation from my own devouring thoughts, much needed if
1 am to avoid all chances of a breakdown ?

" The last few days 1 have been making some exertions
towards this end. ... I am looking forward to several con-
siderable steps in my onward progress. I am on the point of
getting myself proposed and perhaps elected a Fellow of the
Statistical Society, as the use of the title F.S.S., the use of
the library, and possible acquaintance with other statisticians,
will be of high advantage to me. As my analysis of prices
since 1782, too, draws towards completion, a most long and
tedious piece of work indeed, 1 have formed the notion of
reading the results at the next British Association. It will
require some courage, but perhaps if 1 undertake it I shall
get through all right.

" Lastly, I am going to spend nearly four months in

200 W. STANLEY JEVONS. >ET. 28.

London, in continuous work upon the coal subject. I shall
throw my whole energy into the work, and strive to form a
piece of statistical reasoning on the subject which may in
some degree approach one's abstract notion of what it should
be. I will do my best, and I almost hope that I may be
favoured with success.

" When I look back for a year or more, I cannot deny
that I have made some advance ; that I have published two
small works one with a success it docs not deserve, the
other perhaps deserving a success greater than it has had ;
that I have also commenced a new profession, and earned
sufficient money by it to pay my way without inroads on
my capital ; and, when I look back to my notions in Sydney,
they seem almost ludicrous. My faint hopes of a degree,
B.A. at most, M.A. being a height beyond my view, my
wondering respect for whole regions of knowledge, then a
blank to me, now not quite so, and especially my respect for
the position and name of a statistician. Now I have already
been called, by reviews of authority, a competent statistician."

To his sister Lucy.

49 MORNINGTON ROAD,

26/// June 1864.

" Before going to bed this Sunday evening I must write
you a few lines.

" I am getting on pretty cheerfully in London. I get a
good deal of work done at the Museum during the day, with
some lunch and a cup of coffee in the middle of the day.
Then between 5 and 6 I go and get dinner, and generally
spend the evening out somewhere. It is surprising how
occupations turn up. ... Last night I had a great treat
at the opera, H.M. Theatre. Titicns and others singing in
Fidclio. I got a good seat in the gallery for 2s. 6d. ; and,
having the music with me, heard it to the best advantage.
Titiens' singing was altogether splendid, and the music was
even finer than I expected. We could not see the acting
at all properly, having a very bird's-eye view of it.

" To-morrow night I shall probably be at the Monday
evening concert, which I expect will be a fine one.

" I have begun my organ again, and have, rather im-

^T. 28. SUBJECT OF COAL EXHAUSTION. 201

prudently perhaps, engaged for two hours' instruction and
two hours' practice per week for three months, at a cost of
2 : 2s. It is cheap enough certainly, and I shall learn a
good deal, but it takes up much time."

To his brother Herbert.

LONDON, iWi July 1864.

" I have now been a full month in London, working at
the Museum at this subject of coal exhaustion.

"... It is not at all easy work to grind up so exten-
sive a subject, and get it all done in three months. London,
too, is getting very hot, and I sometimes feel lazy and
languid ; perhaps I shall be too lazy to write to you next
month or two. I don't know, but may be the others will
write.

" About a week ago the council of the college (Univer-
sity College, London) elected me a fellow, with a share of
proprietorship. This is the usual thing, sooner or later, to
those who get M.A. honours. It is no profit and no honour,
but still I like being permanently connected with the
college."

To his sister Lucy.

49 MORNINGTON ROAD, N.W.,

nth August 1864.

'*...! am not nearly so well here as in Manchester, or
as I used to be in London. Whether it is the heat or the
feeding I do not know. I am, however, getting on with my
work capitally ; and perhaps, by an early time in September,
may have done all that is needful in London. I can then
finish up by the end of the vacation, either at Manchester,
Beaumaris, or elsewhere, if you could find me very quiet
lodgings for a week or two."

And again on the 1 6th August :

" ... As the Museum shuts for a week on the I st of
September, I propose to be down with you the night before,
so as to spend my birthday in Beaumaris. I shall not be
sorry to leave London. As to the lodgings, I have nothing
particular to desire in it except extreme quietness, if such a
thing is anywhere to be had."

202 W. STANLEY JEVQNS. .OT. 29.

To his sister Lucy.

RUSHOLME,
SUNDAY, i6th October 1864.

" . . . I have not much to tell you. I am, of course,
busy, since I cannot wholly give up my private work, and
yet have the college work to attend to. To-morrow night
my evening classes begin, but I have managed so that they
shall only occupy me two evenings, instead of three as last
year.

" As I am receiving a few guineas now I feel far more
settled, and have no doubt I can go on here as long as I
am likely to wish to stay ; and shall, therefore, be more free
from anxiety. Eight months' work is a good deal to look
forward to ; but I think I shall promise myself a good holi-
day at the end of it perhaps a good tour on the Continent
with Tom. No one could enjoy better than I do a thoroughly
good holiday ; but, for some years past, I have not been
in a position to take it."

To hi* sister Lucy.

KUSHOLME, $d December 1864.

" I am sorry not to have answered your letter sooner ; I
would gladly write oftcncr, but that I have so much other
writing and work to do, and it is by no means a light work
for me to write a letter. ... I hear a doubtful rumour
through Aunt H. that you arc moving. I hope it may be
so for several reasons. If you do move before Christmas, I
am convinced we shall have a most merry Christmas. If
there is snow on the ground, the country will be especially
beautiful. I am in much want of a holiday ; for the truth
certainly is that I overworked myself during the summer
altogether ; I have consequently to take much rest now, and
to go an excursion almost cveiy week. Last session some-
what exhausted me ; and then London and Beaumaris did
not set me up ; so that, when I got back here, I just felt as
if a good long holiday were the thing for me, rather than a
session's work. My anxiety at Beaumaris, with the further
anxiety of setting my college classes to work again, and the
Coal Question at its most difficult and tiresome point, were
certainly rather too much. But now that I know what it is

AT. 29. THE COAL QUESTION. 203

to be overworked I shall take care to avoid it for the future.
I am now quite well."

In November of this year Mr. Jevons was elected a
fellow of the Statistical Society, London ; he also became a
member of the Manchester Statistical Society, and took
much interest and pleasure in its meetings, attending them
as frequently as he could during his residence in Manchester.

In Mr. Jevons 1 note-book he has entered that, during
March 1864, he contributed a notice of Kirchhoffs Second
Memoir and Map of the Spectrum to the Philosophical
Magazine ; notices of H cam's Plutology and Robertson's
Laws of Thought to the Spectator ; and an article on
"Statistics of Shakespearean Literature" to the Athcn&um.

Under the heading " Coal Question," he writes :

"First attention given to the subject in 1861 or 1862.
Inquiry commenced in January 1864. Chiefly carried out
at Museum library, June and July 1864. Writing com-
pleted before Christmas. Transmitted to Mr. Macmillan
about 28th December. Accepted 6th January 1865. Pub-
lished during the week 24th and 3Oth April 1865." The
complete title of the book is The Coal Question; an
Inquiry concerning the Progress of the Nation and the
Probable Exhaustion of our Coal Mines. The geological
aspects of the question are first considcicd, Mr. Hull's
estimate of the amount of coal still to be found in Great
Britain being adopted as the most probable. Then follow
chapters on the cost of coal mining, on the price of coal, on
inventions in regard to the use of coal, and on the supposed
substitutes for coal. But these chapters only lead up to
the more important part of the book, which points out the
rapid growth of the population of Great Britain during the
present century ; the vast expansion of the iron trade and
other manufactures ; and the enormous recent increase in
the consumption of coal.

In the preface Mr. Jevons says that, when he began to
study the question, he had little thought of some of the
results which the inquiry would lead to. Before the close
of the book, he shows that, " if our consumption of coal con-
tinue to multiply for one hundred and ten years, at the same
rate as hitherto, the total amount of coal consumed in the

204 W. STANLEY JEVONS. KX. 29.

interval will be one hundred thousand millions of tons."
According to Mr. Hull's estimate of the available coal in
Britain, there are only eighty-three thousand millions of tons
within a depth of 4000 feet. From these facts Mr. Jevons
draws the conclusion, "tliat we cannot long maintain our pre-
sent rate of increase of consumption ; that we can never advance
to tlic higher amounts of consumption supposed'' But this only
means " that the clicck to our progress must become perceptible
considerably, within a century from the present time? It may
be of interest to add that during 1863, the latest year for
which returns were available when Mr. Jevons wrote, the
amount of coal ascertained to have been raised from our
coal mines was 86,292,215 tons. In 1883 just twenty
years later the amount raised was 163,737,327 tons.

In May 1865 Mr. Jevons was appointed Professor of
Logic and Political Economy in Queen's College, Liverpool.
As he had to spend only one night in the week in Liver-
pool, this appointment did not interfere much with his work
in Manchester. On May 1 6th he went to London to read a
paper to the Statistical Society " On the variation of Prices
and the value of the Currency since 1872." The results con-
tained in this paper were obtained by applying more exten-
sively the method of investigation employed in his pamphlet
on a Serious Fall in the Value of Gold ; and, as there were also
four diagrams, the labour of preparing it had been very great.

To his brother Herbert.

9 BIRCH GROVE, RUSHOLME,
MANCHESTER, 25/7* May 1865.

"The Coal Question has been out now for a month,
and notices of it are beginning to drop in, but not so quickly
as one might wish. However, I will give it a year or two
for its trial. The reasoning in the book is, I think, almost
unanswerable, except where I have left the question open ;
but not one in a hundred that look into the book will read
it properly ; and it is irritating to find that those who notice
it usually represent your statements as far as possible from
the truth, and overlook all the strong points of argument.
However, the subject is one that must receive attention
before long.

^ET. 29. THE LOGICAL ABACUS. 205

" My appointment to the professorship at Liverpool has
just been announced in various papers. I shall like having
such a place in the old town and the old Mechanics 1 , and it
will no doubt repay me for all the trouble one way or
another, but the pay will be small indeed.

" It is only this afternoon virtually decided by the
trustees at Owens College that I am to be lecturer in
political economy next session, getting 50 and the fees.
I shall hold the tutorship very much as a nominal thing
next year, as it does not pay in my hands proportionately
to the great amount of the work.

" I have recently got over a piece of work that I was
anxious about, namely, reading a paper before the Statistical
Society on Prices, in continuation of the pamphlet. I got
through it pretty well, half reading and half lecturing, and
shall perhaps be able to send you a copy in a month or two.

" We have now only about a week more of the working
session, and my college work is light, although I have other
things to do. My newest job on hand is a reasoning
machine, or logical abacus, adapted to show the working of
Boole's Logic in a half mechanical manner. I got a rough
model to work excellently the other night, and I think I can
easily get it finished during the summer. It consists merely
of a number of slips of wood with sets of letters or terms
upon them, with little hooks by which they can be readily
classified in any order. This classification represents the
processes and results of reasoning ; and by its means I can
argue out in a minute or two problems that would be very
puzzling otherwise."

To his sister Lucy.

9 BIRCH GROVE, RUSHOLME,
^d June 1865.

" I daresay you will be glad to see the enclosed notice
in the Liverpool Daily Post. It ought to sell a few in
Liverpool. There are other indications that the book is
beginning to have some effect. Please return this slip of
newspaper.

" I have been thinking much about the disposal of my
vacation. I have now done with my pupils altogether.
Next week, and a part of the following perhaps, I am engaged

206 n r . STANLEY JEVONS. m. 29.

to assist in overlooking the Oxford local examinations, for
which I shall be paid a little. I propose about the I gih to
go up to London and stay a few weeks, on the pretext of
working at the Museum ; but really, I think, that I may
have a little amusement. Then I should like a few weeks
with you if the Sportsman room can be engaged.

" 1 long for a little country, and rest which I seem never
destined to attain.

" Your house must be a delightful retreat, what with
the cheerfulness within and the scenery without. I should
think you ought all to bathe frequently. I shall bathe twice
a day at least on that fine beach.

" The arrangement for my becoming political economy
lecturer is now partially sanctioned by the trustees, and
Christie has stated his intention of resigning soon."

Before leaving Manchester for the vacation he wrote to

his friend Mr. Edmonds :

i6/// June 1865.

" I find I have let nearly two months pass without
answering your very pleasant letter, but it was with the full
intention of doing it with more leisure in the holidays, now
beginning.

" I was afflicted at the time with a statistical paper on
prices, entailing constant calculation, but that is now done
and probably in print (I will send you a copy presently) ;
and now my college work is almost done. During these
two years at Owens College I have had a great deal of
hard uncongenial work in tutoring, and very little pay ;
but I have prospects of pleasantcr work. Next session 1
am to be lecturer in political economy both day and
evening, and shall also go one day a week to the Liverpool
College, where they have lately made me professor of the
philosophies, etc.

" I don't know whether you have seen any mention of
my Coal Question yet, published by Macmillan. I hope
something may come of it in the shape of reviews, etc.,
presently.

" We form a regular college set here, Greenwood,
Clifton, Roscoe, and myself, all from U.C.L. With the
other professors and other friends in the town we have the

AT. 29. TOUR IN SWITZERLAND. 207

pleasantest society. Manchester is by no means so devoid
of pleasures as might be supposed. Our college, though
rather dirty in its habitation, is prosperous, and looking
forward to better days in a grand new building, when that
can be carried out. When we get it up you must come and
see it, unless anything should bring you sooner, and give me
the pleasure of a visit here. Whenever you come north let
me know, and you must come and stay with me.

" In about a week I shall be off for a vacation of three
months, most of which I shall pass in the country, and
a part, I hope, on the Continent, where I have never been
since 1854."

Instead of going to London Mr. Jevons went, towards
the end of June, to visit his sister at Clynnog in Carnarvon-
shire, Mr. and Mrs. John Hutton having removed from
Beaumaris to that neighbourhood. The beautiful scenery,
a combination of mountain and sea, pleased him exceed-
ingly ; but he never could stay long in one place without
being at work for at least a part of the day ; and, feeling
that he needed a real holiday, he went to Switzerland for a
month with his brother Tom, starting towards the end of
August. This, his first visit to Switzerland, he always
looked back to with the greatest pleasure, and spoke of as
having been a perfect holiday, with no drawbacks to spoil
its enjoyment.

To his sister Lucy.

ROUEN,
Saturday ) 2$th August 1865.

u In spite of my getting no sleep on board the steamer
dll night we got on capitally yesterday, reaching Dieppe
about 3 A.M. ; we got breakfast, saw the sun rise and the
town under a very pretty aspect the people all just going
to their work. Then went on to Rouen, with which we
were greatly pleased. The church of St. Oucn is a splendid
piece of architecture, and from the top of it we saw the town.
The new streets here building are fine ; but the old houses and
bits of Gothic architecture remaining elsewhere are unique.

"We arc in a small hotel here, the 'Victoria,' which
English people rather like, as they speak French very
slowly and distinctly. We were so tired with two days'

208 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^ET. 29.

work and no sleep that we went to bed last night at 8 P.M.
and slept beautifully till 7.30 this morning, so that we are
ready for anything. We go on through Paris to Strasbourg.
I have got on with French speaking far better than I
expected, seeing that it is twelve years since I was in
Paris, where I spoke very little, and that I have hardly done
anything in French since."

To his sister Lucy.

HOTEL DES BALANCES, LUCERNE,
yoth August 1865.

"... We came on to Basle yesterday in company with
a good many other English people. There was nothing
remarkable in the French line of railway which passes by
Troyes and Mulhouse straight to Basle except its comfort
for travelling. ...

" To-day we have had rain following on the terrible hot
weather, from which we had suffered since leaving London.
We should like to start to-morrow for the Rigi, or for
Mount Pilatus, in order to have a sunrise view of the Alps,
but I fear we may have bad weather. One great point
here is to hear the fine organs. We heard a few notes
on what seemed a beautiful -toned organ in the cathedral
at Troyes. To-morrow, perhaps, we shall hear one here,
and I shall make a point of hearing that at Freiburg well,
as it is said to be the finest in the world. Though we got
here before six o'clock we have not seen the Alps at all,
and little or nothing of the lake. We were greatly pleased
by the first view of the Rhine at Basle. It is a grander
stream than I expected, and we had a capital bathe in it.
Basle is a beautiful town altogether, and the cathedral is no
doubt highly interesting. As, however, we were shown
over by a German woman talking French, we were hardly
enlightened by her descriptions of the place.

4< \st September. I have had a very glorious birthday
for the beginning of my thirty-first year (thirty years of age),
We went up the Rigi yesterday, and, the day being rather
overcast, easily got a good bedroom in the hotel at the top
4500 feet above the sea-level. The sunset was a failure
and our only hope was an appearance of thinness in th<

30. ON THE RfGL

209

clouds, which covered the sky and mountains. This morn-
ing we were up long before daybreak, and before the horn
had aroused the rest of the hotel. On looking out of the
window we saw darkly the whole chain of the Alps before
us. We were out before all but one Frenchman, but within
an hour or so as many as sixty or seventy tourists of all
nations appeared, shivering on the top of the mountain.
Though the view might doubtless exhibit much finer effects
than we saw, yet it was a most lucky chance that we saw
the Alps completely clear of clouds, rising up from the lakes
at our feet, and growing by steps into the snowy summits of
the Oberland. A chain of mountains and snowy points
120 miles long was then seen on one side, while on the
other the comparatively plain parts of Switzerland stretched
away up to the Jura and Vosgcs mountains and the Black
Forest. Almost perpendicularly under us was the lake of
Zug and parts of that of Lucerne, while a multitude of less
important lakes were on various sides. Yet both Tom and
I noticed that there was a want of colour about the Alps,
and for beautiful tints the view we saw could not compare
with that from Snowdon on the fortunate morning when we
saw the sun rise there.

"After waiting till 9 or 10 A.M. to see the Alps
under a full sun, we descended in full view of the beauties
of Lake Lucerne, and returned to Lucerne by steamer. After
a bathe in the lake I spent the rest of the afternoon on
music, first listening to a young German playing fugues and
organ sonatas of extreme difficulty on the new organ in the
English Church, very fine playing in its way, but devoid of
sweetness ; and next, in hearing the usual afternoon per-
formance in the cathedral. The playing was first-rate, for
the purpose of showing the points of the organ. The great
point was the vox humana stop of extraordinary perfection
and sweetness, so beautifully played as to give the effect of
a single solo singer, of a quartette of singers, or of a chorus
of voices in the distance, occasionally accompanied by the
organ as it seemed, but really wholly played upon pipes.
At first it was impossible not to believe that there were
singers in the organ gallery, and it was only by degrees that
the mechanical nature of the sound could be detected by its

r

210 W. STANLEY JEVONS. XT. 30.

regularity. The most extraordinary performance, however,
was that of a storm. While a gentle voluntary is being
continuously played distant thunder is heard gradually
approaching till it seems to fill the church in loud peals,
and a shower of rain is heard falling all over the church,
and pattering on the roof and windows. How the latter
was produced I do not know ; it must have been by some
stop or contrivance in the organ, as the sun was shining all
the time, and there was no rain. But I only found out,
half-way through, that it was not real rain, and Tom re-
mained deluded to the end. There were other more common
effects, but of great beauty, upon the flute, clarionet, and
other stops, besides heavy effects upon the full organ.

" We go on to-morrow early towards Interlaken, and a
variety of places that Tom has got at his fingers' ends, and
which I daresay will be very fine when we get to them.
I hardly think, however, that we can have a better day than
this on our tour.

" Interlaken^ 2d September. We have got on here to-
day. As we started from Lucerne at 7,30 A.M. we had no
opportunity of posting letters. We got here by a beautiful
sail down the Lake of Lucerne, then a diligence ride over the
Brunig Pass, and a second beautiful sail over the Lake of
Bricnz."

To his sister Henrietta.

INTERLAKEN,
Sunday > <)tk September 1865.

" We were very glad to get letters yesterday from you
and Lucy on our return to this pleasant place. We have
had a splendid week in the mountains since writing last
from Interlaken ; we have been almost constantly in view
of enormous rocks and precipices, snow-covered peaks and
wonderful glaciers. Thursday was perhaps the best of all
the days. We then made an excursion quite into the centre
of the glacier region. Starting from the Grindchvald Valley
with a guide about 6 A.M. we went by a steep winding path
up precipices and along the steepest imaginable slopes till
we entered a narrow gorge by which the lower Grindelwald
glacier makes its way out. Then after a little refreshment
at a chalet we climbed down into the glacier. In many

JET. 30. EXCURSION TO ZOESENBERG. 211

parts this is more like a collection of icebergs filling up the
bottom of the valley, but where we got on to it the surface
was pretty even and solid. Still there were crevasses and
great holes and gulfs descending 30 or 40 feet or more, which
it was very desirable to avoid. It was only here and there
that the ice was slippery and it was necessary for the guide
to cut steps in it ; generally the surface was paved over with
stones left by the ice as it continually melts. We walked
up the glacier for about an hour, chiefly along vast and
singular heaps of rocks and stones in continuous ridges or
moraines, of which there were several in the middle as well
as at the sides of this glacier. We then reached a place
called Zocsenberg at the head of this mer dc glace, at the
point where it is formed by the meeting of two other great
glaciers. Here there was a hut or two belonging to a
shepherd who keeps a few sheep and goats upon the summer
grass, which grows even thus high. Not finding the pAtrc
of Zoescnbcrg at home, and having both plenty of time
(9 A.M.) and plenty of strength, we got the guide to show us
the way up the Zocsenberg horn, a rocky mountain, which
rises up almost perpendicularly. On getting to the top of
it we were close to the higher parts of some of the glaciers,
where stupendous masses of ice were hanging over precipices,
and where we seemed to be in a world altogether different
from that below. We got back about 3 or 4 r.M. rather
tired. Both there and elsewhere we have heard a great
many avalanches. They fell chiefly during the hottest part
of the day, when the ice expands and is loosened by melt-
ing. They arise generally where a glacier moves down on
to the top of a precipice, and bit by bit falls over the edge.
It generally looks only like a little white dust falling over
the rocks, but the crashing noise which soon follows shows
how great the fall really is. Whether you hear it near or
not, the sound is like a sharp kind of thunder, and, often
echoed among the mountains, is peculiarly grand. When
staying at the hotel on the Wcngcrn Alp, we had the luck
to sec a very large fall of ice on the precipitous side of the
Jungfrau just opposite. It fell many thousand feet in all,
pouring over one precipice after another, making a loud
roaring noise all the time, until at last it subsided into the

212 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 30.

valley, adding to a heap of snow already lying there slowly
melting.

" One very curious thing here is the abundance of hotels
at the top of mountains, far higher than Snowdon. Every
evening after climbing a mountain and seeing the sunset we
find an excellent and even a grand dinner ready, a comfort-
able bedroom, and in fact everything you can need. This
is very strange at first to English people, but the fact is that
the Swiss are quite accustomed to living up mountains many
thousands of feet high, and we visited one large village called
Murren, 6000 feet high.

" Towards the end of our week we got rather knocked
up. We were thus rather glad to get back to this luxurious
place, and to our very quiet and pleasant Hotel Fischer here.
This afternoon, however, we most probably go on to Thun,
Berne, and Freiburg. Lausanne will be the next direction,
and then we shall soon be home. I wish to be in Man-
chester by the 2ist or 22d September."

To his brother Herbert.

9 BIRCH GROVE, RUSHOLME,
i8/// October 1865.

" My prospects here arc somewhat improved. Mr. Scott
has not been well enough to come back, and has asked for
leave of absence for a year. I have consequently been ap-
pointed his substitute in logic, for which I shall receive
nearly 70. I have already Christie's political economy
class about 60. My evening political economy class met
for the first time last Monday and is very large, probably
on account of the scholarship in political economy which
is to be awarded soon. I am resigning the tutorship here,
which is tiresome and pays little.

" I have now been three times to the Liverpool College,
but the number of students are very small, and the prospect
not good. I am, however, guaranteed i a day, which will
leave me perhaps about ,30 profit above cost of railway.
As Uncle Timothy has asked me to sleep at the Hamlet
once a week, the journey becomes a rather agreeable c out/

" The introductory meeting with my address [on Read-
ing and Study] was a stupid affair. I send you a partial

^T. 3 o. THE LOGICAL MACHINE. 213

report. The main point is my logical machine, on which
I am working now. The one adapted to lecture-room use
is now almost done, and I am thinking of a more compli-
cated one adapted to extensive problems and arguments."

To his sister Lucy.

9 BIRCH GROVE,

$th November 1865.

" It is so long since I wrote last that I fear you will
think I never intend to write again. But I want so much
time for my work that I write none but business and indis-
pensable letters as a general rule.

" Tom has got a fine day to start, and will probably
have most of the passage fine, the barometer having risen a
good deal lately. I intended to have gone to see him off,
but he wrote to say that he was going on board at 9 A.M.
and did not expect me, and it would have been hardly pos-
sible for me to get there. He goes off, I believe, in the
best spirits, and it is no wonder, considering how fair his
prospects are. 1

"... 1 have very much improved the design for my
reasoning machine in the last week or two, so that it will
ultimately be a rather wonderful thing, I think. It will be
played upon like a piano, and give the results of what you
read to it without any trouble of thinking further."

To his brother Herbert he writes a fortnight later:

" . . . The Coal Question does not make much way,
but 1 have plenty else to think about now. I am getting
my reasoning machine into a true machine form, it having
previously been an abacus or counting board, not a machine."

In his journal he writes :

"Birch Grove, Manchester, lot/i November 1865. At
intervals success rewards me deliciously, but at other times
it seems but to oppress me with a burden of duty. More
and more I feel a lifelong work defined beforehand for
me, and its avoidance impossible. Come what will, I cannot
but feel that I have faculties which are to be cultivated and
developed at any risk. To misuse or neglect them would
be treason of the deepest kind. And yet the troubles are

1 Mr. T. E. Jevons had accepted a business engagement in New Voik.

214 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 30.

not slight which such a high and difficult work brings upon
me. One duty, too, seems to clash with others. My ideal
seems to involve contradictories. I would be loved and
loving. But the very studies I have to cultivate absorb my
thoughts so that 1 hardly feel able to be what I would in
other ways. And, above all, poverty is sure to be my lot.
I cannot aid others as I would wish. Nor in a money-
making and loving world is it easy to endure the sense of
meanness and want which poverty brings. And if I could
endure all this myself, I could not expect nor hardly wish
for a wife nor any relative to endure it. Half my feelings
and affections, then, must be stifled and disappointed.

" It is when I have such feelings as these that this book
serves me well. I look back to my former confessions and
my former resolutions : I find I have too long pursued a
straight and arduous course to think of swerving now. I
must choose the greater duty, the higher work, where work
or duty would seem to clash. I must cultivate indifference
to other people's opinion where I cannot rightly hope to
gain it. 1 must work like one who is a servant not a
master, must execute the orders he so plainly receives, to
the best of his ability, and feel no anxiety for the result
it is not in his hands nor on his responsibility.

"Sunday Evening, *$d December 1865 My changing
moods of hope and depression, of long-sighted resolution,
and of present prudence, arc strangely marked in these suc-
cessive paragraphs. Now I am no longer inclined to brave the
worst hardships of a poor author's life, and strive to earn its
deserts and honours as my only reward. I have often thought,
in reading or hearing of the lives of the great but unfortunate,
that a little prudence, now and then a slight relaxation in
the ardour of pursuit, would have yielded far greater results.
It is not poverty and overwork and hopeless anxiety surely
that will raise the powers of mind to their highest. It is
mere asceticism to prefer the harder and more straightened
life if a happier and perhaps more useful one offers.

" Have I not sufficient, or more than sufficient, ardour in
the pursuit of discovery and knowledge ? Have I not in the
last few years seriously overstrained my head once at least,
and may I not justly fear that some day my strength will

-ex. 30. LETTER FROM SIR JOHN HERSCHEL. 215

prove unequal to the labour that my position may demand ?
I have shown how much I would risk where it must be
risked. It would be foolhardiness to refuse the easier and
happier life if it were in my reach. I confess I can hardly
bear the thought of a solitary life of unrelieved labour. The
happiness of marriage may not be the only happiness, the
only good, I aspire to ; but am I excluded from the one
because I hope for the other?

" It is at times truly depressing to work for future appre-
ciation only. Money, rank, manners, social position, or, at
the best, brilliant talents, carry off all consideration at the
moment.

"The work of the thinker and inventor may indeed prove
for ever futile and mistaken ; but even if it be in the true
and successful path, it is not, and perhaps can hardly be,
recognised at once. At least it is not. One of my chief
reasons for the little love of society, is that in most company
my hopes and feelings seem snuffed out.

" i^tk December 1865. Yesterday I had a letter from
Sir John Herschel, approving in the most complete manner
of my Coal Question, which 1 lately had sent to him. Long
periods of labour and depression have to be repaid in brief
moments of such satisfaction as that letter gave me per-
haps T may say amply repaid. If the book, which was to
me a work of intense interest and feeling, is read by few and
understood by fewer, it has at least the endorsement of one
scientific man whom I should perhaps of all in the world
Delect as the most competent judge of the subject as a whole.
I may almost say that I feel the work is not a slight one
to myself I cannot help but say it. When I set about it
the subject inspired me to make exertion and treat it
worthily if possible. And at least labour was not wanting.
For I worked throughout one vacation at it, often writ-
ing for five or six hours at a stretch, scarcely leaving my
scat. No wonder I was somewhat the worse when college
work came on in addition to the work of completing the
book. I may well be glad it did not destroy my powers.

"Now it is indeed pleasant to be assured that I was
under no mistake."

216 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AST. 30.

From Sir / .F. W. Hersehel, M.A., F.R.S., etc. etc.

COLLINGWOOD, HAWKHURST, KENT,

2$d November 1865.

" DEAR SIR Pray accept my warmest thanks for the
very valuable and important book you have been so kind as
to send me on the Coal Question. It embodies, in the most
clear and luminous form of expression, and supported by
the most telling statistical documents, a mass of considera-
tions that, as I read them, seemed an echo of what I have
long thought and felt about our present commercial pro-
gress, and the necessary decline of our commercial and
manufacturing supremacy, and the transfer of it to America.
Longc absit. But it must come and / think you have been
merciful in giving us another century to run.

" Such a work as yours has been long wanted to dis-
sipate completely the delusion which so large a majority of
our countrymen labour under, of the ' inexhaustibility of our
mineral resources/ etc. etc., and the ' probability, amounting
to certainty/ that science will, ere long, put us in possession
of a substitute for coal. A dim perception of the truth, to
be sure, has dawned here and there ; but, after this, let no
man plead ignorance and say, 'Who would have thought
it ? ' Not that I suppose we shall take warning. In such a
rush there is no pulling up.

" I have read every word of it (received yesterday) with
the avidity with which one devours a new novel ; and, when
I laid it down, I could not help inscribing on the title-page,
as a motto

"'Old experience doth attain
To something like prophetic strain;'

and (not without a most melancholy feeling) under the words
' THE END/ on page 349, Dido's parting words, viz.

"'Vixi et quern cursum dederat Fortuna peregi !
Et nunc magna mei sub terras ibit Imago. 1

" It used to be a favourite notion of mine that the tides
might be utilised to transmit power through air-tubes up the
country to any extent, till I made a calculation. . . . Once
more repeating my thanks, I beg to remain, dear sir, yours
very truly, J. F. W. HERSCIJEL."

JET. 30. CON CENTRA TION OF THO UGHTS. 2 1 7

In his journal he writes :

" I Jth December 1865. My mother says in her diary,
7th July 1822: 'The habit or the power of giving your
attention strongly to any object of attainment is a most
difficult acquisition, and childhood is the time when it can
be best attained afterwards it is a task of no common
difficulty to resist every temptation around you.'

" I believe that by long practice, ever since my childhood,
I have acquired no inconsiderable power of this kind. I am
seldom troubled now by not being in the humour. Even in
composition I can sit down at almost any time and work at
what I want. I can thus give one day to one subject or
work, another to another, or can portion out my work as is
desirable. Or I can carry on different kinds of work from
time to time, passing from one to another without the least
difficulty. My danger is somewhat the other way. I can
concentrate my thoughts upon a subject at almost any time,
till everything else vanishes out of view. But, if I am once
interested or excited about a subject, I cannot always
dismiss it.

" In the autumn at Clynnog, I got involved in Boole's
Probabilities, which I did not thoroughly understand. 1
thought and wrote about it hard for a week or two, until I
found 1 could not dismiss the subject. The most difficult
points ran in my mind, day and night, till I got quite
alarmed. The result was considerable distress of head a
few days later, and some signs of indigestion.

" I feel that some degree of inaction and laziness is now
a virtue rather than otherwise. Ease and freedom from
work is as pleasant to me, perhaps, as to any one ; and it is
no small privilege to enjoy the reaction from hard work."

CHAPTER VII.
1866-1868.

DURING the early part of 1866 Mr. Jevons suffered much
from anxiety and depression, as his journal plainly shows.

" 1st March 1866. Even though the deepest dis-
appointment should come upon me, give me strength,
God, to be thy brave and true servant.

"4//<r March 1866. How can we doubt that there i*
a God, when we feel him moving in us ? In the midst ol
anxiety and disappointment and sense of failure, such as ]
have seldom had to feel before, I spent a morning of calm-
ness and hope almost inexplicable. I went to chapel, and
prayers, hymns, and lessons seemed written to inspire me
with confidence. Whence is this feeling that even failure ir
a high aim is better than success in a lower one ? It musl
be from a Higher Source, for all lower nature loves and
worships success and cheerful life. Yet the highest success
that I feel I can worship, is that of adhering to one's airm
and risking all.

" 5//i March 1866. Such were my thoughts yesterday
To-day I have reassurance which seems to me nothing less
than providential. The following is the copy of a lettei
forwarded me by Mr. Macmillan :

" * WINDSOR CASTLE,

24/// February 1866.

" ' MY DEAR SIR I am not certain whether 1 owe tc
your kindness, or to that of Mr. Jevons, my early oppor-
tunity of perusing his work on Coal ; but I have perused il
with care, and with extraordinary interest. It makes a decf
impression upon me, and strengthens the convictions I have

*T. 30. LETTER FROM MR. GLADSTONE. 219

long entertained, but with an ever-growing force as to our
duty with regard to the National Debt.

" * I think it is a masterly review of a vast, indeed a
boundless, subject.

" * But I feel that I have not the scientific knowledge
which alone could make me a competent judge of the grave
conclusions involved ; and I shall look, with the utmost
interest, for other and weightier opinions upon this remarkable
product of the English economic school.

" ' Pray take my thanks as intended both for you and for
Mr. Jcvons, and believe me, I remain, faithfully yours,

" ' W. E. GLADSTONE/

" \\th March 1866. 1 seem to have more clearly
before me, by degrees, the position to which I would aspire.
Accepting the progressive triumphs of physical science, I
would aid in the reform of abstract science, and in the
establishment of moral and political sciences. But I would
also join science to morals and religion. I would try to
show that they are not antagonistic.

" 24/// March I 866. I have lost and shall lose many of the
most exquisite and true pleasures of life, but I can look upon
their loss without much regret when I feel that I am follow-
ing something above even such pleasures. But there is one
thought that fills my soul with dread. It is the thought of

u ' That one talent uhijch is death to hide
Lodged \\ith me useless.'

It is a fearful trust for one to have who feels he has not
judgment, and the worldly means and qualities which
would enable him to use it with effect.

" 28/A March 1866. I cannot forget or omit to record
this day last week. I was sleeping as usual for the night at
St. Michael's Hamlet. As I awoke in the morning, the sun
was shining brightly into my room. There was a conscious-
ness on my mind that I was the discoverer of the true logic
of the future. For a few minutes I felt a delight such as
one can seldom hope to feel But it would not last long
I remembered only too soon how unworthy and weak an
instrument I was for accomplishing so great a work, and
how hardly could I expect to do it/'

220 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *r. 30.

To his brother Herbert.

9 BIRCH GROVF, RUSHOLME,

MANCHESTER, itfh March 1866.

" I am very sorry that I have been able to write so little
of late. This term, however, is always a heavy one, and I
have had, and have, causes of great anxiety which take up
my thoughts. ... If I can get this professorship which is
now just declared vacant, I shall be all right. The salary is
250 and the fees. Of course 1 have a great many things
in my favour, as I am doing the full work of the professor-
ship, and am exactly suited for it by my degree, reading, etc.
But the trustees will probably carry out their rule of making
it an open election, and one cannot be sure how that will go.
And there are many things, such as want of sociability, which
will tell much against me. Probably I exaggerate the
chances against me at present.

" One of the best things that has happened of late is the
letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressing great
approval of the Coal Question, and allowing that it has
strengthened his desire to reduce the National Debt. It
may be a couple of months yet before the professorship is
decided, and until then I cannot have much peace of mind.
Before I can have an answer it will have been decided for
better or for worse, so there is no need to say more at
present. . . .

" Last Monday I gave an account of my logical abacus at
the Liverpool Literary and Philosophical Society for about an
hour and a quarter, and those present seemed pleased and
interested."

The logical abacus consisted of a black board with
four ledges attached horizontally. A number of slips of
wood with small and large letters printed upon them in
various combinations were ranged upon the ledges, and by
means of wire pins could be readily classified in any required
order. The results were arrived at by gradually rejecting
those combinations of letters which were inconsistent with
the premises, until only those remained which contained the
desired information. The same sets of letter combinations

*T. 30. DESCRIPTION OF THE LOGICAL ABACUS. 221

would do for any number of various arguments, the meaning
of the letters being properly defined for each argument
beforehand.

On the 3d April Mr. Jcvons gave an account of his
logical abacus at a meeting of the Literary and Philoso-
phical Society in Manchester. He explained that it was
" an attempt to reduce the processes of logical inference to a
mechanical form." The purpose of the contrivance was to
show the simple truth, and the perfect generality, of a new
system of pure qualitative logic closely analogous to, and
suggested by, the mathematical system of logic of the late
Professor Boole, but strongly distinguished from the latter
by the rejection of all considerations of quantity. lie also
said, " The logical abacus leads naturally to the construc-
tion of a simple machine which shall be capable of giving
with absolute certainty all possible logical conclusions from
any sets of propositions or premises read off upon the keys
of the instrument."

When Owens College was first established, the principal
of the college was also professor of logic, and the pro-
fessor of history taught political economy, but it had now
been resolved to found a professorship of logic, mental and
moral philosophy, and political economy. Mr. Jevons applied
for the new chair. It would not only give him a definite
position, but enable him to have greater leisure for carry-
ing on his private work, and until the appointment was
decided he could not help being very anxious as to the
result. lie was still feeling the effects of overwork ; and
this, no doubt, made him less cheerful than usual, and
more inclined to exaggerate the chances against his appoint-
ment than he would otherwise have been. Some years
afterwards he Sciid he remembered at this time lying awake
night after night until the daylight came, when a dog at a
neighbouring house always began to bark. This had the
effect of sending him to sleep at once; which he thought a
singular fact, as usually the barking of a dog was one of the
noises which most irritated his sensitive nerves.

There was never much reason to doubt that he would
obtain the appointment ; not only had the whole course of
his studies prepared him for it, but he had also been under-

222 W* STANLEY JEVONS. XT. 30.

taking the duties of the professorship for some time, so
that his fitness must have been well known to the trustees.

If the uncertainty about the professorship was a cause
of deep anxiety, he had much gratification in the attention
which the Coal Question was now receiving. Mr. John
Stuart Mill drew marked attention to it in Parliament in
the speech in which he urged, for the sake of posterity, the
present duty of making greater efforts for the reduction of
the National Debt. Mr. Gladstone also spoke of the book
in Parliament, and seemed disposed to some extent to adopt
its conclusions in framing his financial policy. It was dis-
cussed in all the leading journals, and from this time Mr.
J evens' position as a writer on applied economics was fully
recognised.

In his journal he writes :

" 1 2th April. This morning the advertisement appeared
opening my coveted professorship to public competition. I
have toiled and I have fought my weaknesses, I have hardly
left anything undone which in my poor judgment would
secure success. Surely the result is not in my hands.

" I 5/A April. The one thing requisite to me is invincible
determination and perseverance. When I think what dis-
couragement I have gone through, I feel sure that the great-
est of disappointments cannot permanently shake me.

" 2O/// April. What is this poor mind of mine, with all
its wavering hopes and fears, that its thoughts should be
quoted and approved by a great philosopher in the Parlia-
ment of so great a nation ? Do not grant me intellectual
power, O God, unless it be joined to awe of Thcc and Thy
works, and to an ever-present love of others ! "

To his sister Lucy.

9 BIRCH GROVK,

26th April 1866.

" Your letter to me received this morning was very agree-
able. I have had very pleasant congratulations from Uncle
William, Uncle Timothy, Mary, and others. You will, I
daresay, excuse my being a little too full of myself at pre-
sent. It is hard even for me to feel the full meaning of
such sudden and complete success. If I had worked ten or

<ET. 30. SUCCESS OF THE "COAL QUESTION" 223

twenty years longer, I might have been glad to have got
the result I already have got. To gain the reputation of
having settled two of the most difficult questions will be no
slight aid to me in future.

" Does it not seem strange and incredible that what I was
writing in that little cupboard in Rotten Row at Beaumaris
should be altering the opinion of the whole country, and
even destroying the hopes of the greatest of nations? I
distinctly remember thinking in Sydney that if there were
one thing I should wish to be, it would be a recognised
statistical writer. How strangely my wish has been fulfilled !
If I should live long and have as much success in other
undertakings, what will come of it ? I hardly like to antici-
pate anything.

" I hope you will not be the least discouraged about your
painting. . . . But you must remember how much time
and effort is needed in all matters of this kind. What
success I have comes from labouring without cessation
from the earliest years I can at all remember. A woman
can seldom have the inducement or opportunity to the
same constant attention and effort. No one can wish
that she should. Except under very peculiar circum-
stances, she should not sacrifice herself and others to it.
I think that women arc often quite sufficiently admirable
in themselves and their characters without accomplishments
and works."

To his sister Lucy.

9 BIRCH GROVE,

gt/i May 1866.

"... The Coal Question gets on apace. The papers
are hammering away about it. A member of Parliament is
going to move for a Royal Commission to inquire into the
whole subject, and there will be one or two debates upon
the matter probably. The Times accuses me of misleading
Mr. Gladstone. Of course one must be criticised and
abused a little. The more one's name is named now, the
better for my professorship appointment. I have such
strong opinions in favour of the Coal Qiiestion^ and am so
confident that nearly all parts of the book at all events will
bear examination, that I am not afraid. I am kept, how-

224 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 30.

ever, in a state of great excitement and anxiety altogether.
I don't really doubt about getting the professorship, but I
can't help feeling unsettled and nervous. There are a good
many applications, but few of the slightest consequence.

" I feel as if I should be able to do anything when I get
^300 a year. I long for a little rest."

To Jus brother Herbert.

9 BIRCH GROVE, RUSHOLME,
I3/// May 1866.

" Times here arc a little lively. Not to speak of an
impending European war, we have a commercial panic of a
most extraordinary kind, arising from unsound trading and
advances by these new banks and finance companies. You
will, however, read about it in the papers. It is a little
annoying to me, because I have just proved to the Statistical
Society that panics ought to come in the autumn. How-
ever, I daresay we shall have a pressure then, this year or
next, and statistics are peculiarly liable to these sorts of
exceptions.

" The Coal Panic, as some of the papers call it, is the
most interesting event to me. It gets on very well, as
Gladstone has already propounded his plan for paying off
the National Debt in part, and urged its adoption on the
ground of the coal exhaustion. There is also to be a
motion in Parliament for a Royal Commission to investigate
the subject, which will, I have no doubt, be appointed. Thus,
whether people are ultimately convinced or not, I have
gained my end of getting the subject investigated. It would
seem that Mill, followed by Gladstone, really frightened the
Opposition, composed of old landed fogies who thought their
rents would go on rising for centuries to come.

"Thus I have had quite enough fame for the present,
and I should not be altogether sorry to retire in safety. It
is quite possible that I may get somewhat roasted before
long, and I shall have to defend myself, or bear it as best I
may. Still, a writer's purpose is to get his opinions dis-
cussed, and I suppose I could hardly have had them more
prominently brought forward than in Mill's speech and
Gladstone's budget.

*:T. 30. PAPER READ TO STATISTICAL SOCIETY. 225

" Our trustees must, I think, be a little impressed by
this time, so that I hope they will not much delay over the
appointment to the professorship, but it may be some weeks
yet before the matter is settled."

Mr. Jevons refers in this letter to his paper " On the
Frequent Autumnal Pressure of the Money Market and
the Action of the Bank of England," which he had read to
the Statistical Society on the I7th April. It was published
in the June Number of the Statistical Journal, and in the
same journal also appeared " A Brief Account of a General
Mathematical Theory of Political Economy," being the
paper which he had sent to the British Association in 1862,
and which had not yet been printed.

In his journal he writes :

" \^th May 1866. The matter of this professorship will
be settled by the end of this month. Disappointment,
gloom, or despair may often or always be my lot, but I
must try for the highest which I feel myself capable of At
the worst it is but one poor life lost, and it may be a great
stake gained. If anything should go wrong with this pro-
fessorship, I have the notion of undertaking a work on the
limits and nature of knowledge generally, directed to set at
rest the discussion between Mill and Hamilton.

" The last week or two I have had enough of newspaper
fame. I know it is no slight thing to be quoted in the
budget of a Minister when he announces a change in the
policy of the country he leads.

" When I read different parts of this book, and compare
them with each other recent thoughts and feelings with
those I had ten or twelve years ago I cannot help saying
how strange H is. What led me to work to an end I knew
not, and to hope where there was nothing to hope ? And I
cannot but ask, Is the future to be constant as the past, and
favoured by the like aid from I know not where ? What I
do cannot be my doing, for I feel too weak for it."

To his sister Lucy.

9 BIRCH GROVE, RUSHOLME,
list May 1866.

"... I write now to say that there is no doubt about

Q

226 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *T. 30.

the professorship. The committee of trustees had a first
meeting last week, and seem to have found that none of the
candidates could at all oppose me ; and Mr. Greenwood even
said in a letter to me in London that there was no need of
further trouble. One cannot realise at first how satisfactory
this is.

" My visit to London was very gratifying. The visit to
Gladstone was especially so, as he was pleasant and com-
municative in fact talked so that I could get little in. It
is something to make the acquaintance of the leading min-
ister, and who is likely to be even more powerful than he
is now.

" When I called on Macmillan, he at once proposed a
second edition of the Coal Question, as the last copy was
going, and there seemed to be orders on hand. I shall have
to work hard to get it ready quickly."

In his journal he writes :

"23^ May 1866. After so many entries in this frag-
mentary record, when I was anxious and dispirited, I should
not omit to say that to-day the professorship is practically
mine, the committee of trustees having yesterday decided to
submit my name only to the general meeting, who will no
doubt at once appoint me. I shall now have about 300
a year from the college, and nearly ;ioo from my own
money. What can I not do with it ?

" I should not omit a brief mention of my late visit to
London. I had a pleasant meeting at University College with
old students and others, and gave an account of my abacus.
Professor Hirst made an interesting speech, and seemed
pleased. De Morgan also, a day or two afterwards, saw it,
and allowed that it achieved very well the exclusion of con-
tradictories. My visit to Gladstone, however, was the striking
event, which I shall not easily forget as an author to meet
a great minister in the height of his power.

"Some pleasant hours, partly with Mary Catharine
Jevons, in the exhibitions, theatres, etc., filled up my time.
I am too much rewarded. May I strive doubly hard to use
aright whatever power is granted to me.

"3irf May 1866. This afternoon I was finally and
positively appointed professor of logic and mental and moral

^ET. 30. APPOINTMENT AS PROFESSOR. 227

philosophy and Cobden professor of political economy in
Owens College, by the trustees in full conclave. Mr.
Greenwood asked me into the room, and the chairman, in a
short speech, informed me of the appointment, and explained
why rules had prevented their making the appointment
earlier. I replied in a short but, I suppose, suitable speech,
and the thing was done.

* qth June 1866. I cannot be sufficiently thankful that
I have never yet suffered any conspicuous public failure on
the contrary, I have enjoyed almost uniform success. I feel
as if I had escaped untold dangers."

To the Number of Macmillaris Magazine for June Mr.
Jevons contributed an article on Mr. Gladstone's financial
policy. Towards the end of June he took a much-needed
holiday, and after a few days at the English lakes he went
on by himself for a tour in Scotland, which he had never
before visited.

7> his sister Henrietta.

ROWARDENNAN,
Sunday evening) \st July 1866.

" You will probably like to hear how I am getting on, and
I have this evening an hour or two to spare. I have not
yet been two days in Scotland, and yet I seem to have seen
a great part of it in fact I have literally seen a great part
of it to-day, having been to the top of Ben Lomond.

u I reached Glasgow late on Friday night, spent most
of Saturday in looking over the town and visiting the
Cathedral, College, etc., and in the afternoon came on here
to have the Sunday in the country. This morning I went
up the mountain, finding the ascent very easy. There were
occasional showers of rain and clouds, but between them
there was beautifully clear air, so that I could see great
distances to the Grampian Mountains, Ben Nevis, the Clyde,
and nearly to Edinburgh. The mountains too were beauti-
fully diversified by shade and sunshine. I do not feel sure,
however, that the view is so fine as that from Snowdon on
a good day. To-morrow I go back to Glasgow by Loch
Long ; and on Tuesday I shall probably go north to Oban,
and see a good many places in the Islands, etc.

" I spent three days with the professors and Nicholson

228 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *r. 30.

at the Lakes. Our party had a beautiful walk by Langdale,
Scawfell Pike, Eskdale, and Coniston. Windermere re-
minded me of our excursion from Newton three years ago."

To his sister Lucy.

WAVERLEY HOTEL,
INVERNESS, *jthjuly 1866.

" This is my farthest north point, and to-morrow I shall
start homewards. I find Scotch travelling excessively dear.
It costs me about thirty shillings a day as I am going now.
The steamboats are very dear, and cost often a pound a day
for a trip. But the travelling among the lochs and islands
on the fine comfortable steamboats is very delightful, and
every arrangement is made to allow you to see what you
want. My best day perhaps was the excursion from Oban
to Staffa and lona and back. The islands on all sides arc
very beautiful, and unlike almost everything I had seen be-
fore. At Staffa we were landed in boats to see the basaltic
caves, which were very fine. Again at lona we landed to
see the ruins of the chapel cathedral, with the ancient tombs
of kings and the crosses, which were highly interesting I
don't know that Saint Columba, who founded the church,
was any better than Saint Bcuno, and he was not much
earlier ; but you have not in Wales the ancient tombs and
crosses Yesterday I left Oban in the regular course to visit
Glencoe, and then on to the mouth of the Caledonian Canal,
where I slept last night at Banavie at the foot of Ben Nevis.
Ben looked very grand, with many patches of snow, but I was
so prudent as to decline ascending him in the time at my dis-
posal. This morning I came on through the Caledonian Canal.
I hope that you will some time visit the west of Scotland, where
you would make enchanting views of the islands and lochs.

. " I think I can be with you if you are ready to receive
me a day or two before the end of the month.

f " I see that the Coal Commission is appointed, with the
Duke of Argyll for chairman. I hear from Macmillan that
284 copies of the new edition of the Coal Question were sub-
scribed for by the booksellers on its coming out, and he
thinks that the whole edition will sell, so that I shall get
some money from it, for a wonder.

^ET. 30. TOUR IN SCOTLAND. 229

11 To-morrow I hope to get into the Highlands again by
the railway.

" I shall walk through some of the best parts, and then
visit Perth, Stirling, Edinburgh, etc."

To his brother Herbert.

EDINBURGH, \$thjuly 1866.

" I am now drawing towards the end of my tour, which
on the whole has been highly successful and agreeable.
Sometimes I am rather lonely ; at other times I have too
much company. I am rather hard to please.

". . . From Inverness I came south by the Highland Rail-
way to Blair Atholl, on to Dunkeld, where I spent an evening
very amusingly with one of my philosophical correspondents,
a most curious Scotchman, slightly turned with metaphysics.
Perth and Dundee were my next stopping -places. At St.
Andrews I made friends with an old clergyman, who showed
me all the antiquities of the place. It is beautifully
situated on the shore, and is altogether a pleasant and
curious place. Thence to Dunfermline and Stirling. Lastly
I got here yesterday, and am amazingly delighted with the
Modern Athens. In proportion to its size it must be the
handsomest city existing."

To his sister Lucy.

DURHAM,
Wednesday i \%th July 1866.

" I hardly remember when I last wrote to you ; it seems
a long time ago. I have been to a great many places
since. . . .

41 1 was charmed with Edinburgh, the most beautiful city
existing, I should think. It looks like a crowd of castles
and monuments, or rather like two groups of castles and
monuments on two hills, with all manner of fine buildings and
gardens disposed between. I found the Manchester Theatre
Company playing the Midsummer Nights Dream at Edin-
burgh just as at Manchester. ... I enjoyed the play amaz-
ingly, having just read it over a few days before. It seemed
to me perfectly suitable for acting, and wonderfully enter-
taining.

23 o W. STANLEY JEVONS. x*. 31-

"This morning I went from Newcastle to Monkwear-
mouth, and called on the manager and viewer of the large
and celebrated colliery there. They were very civil, seem-
ing much interested in the Coal Question, which one of them
had partly read, while the other was just beginning some
experiments for the Royal Commission. They gave me
every convenience for looking over the mine to its deepest
parts. It was dreadfully hot and oppressive in some places,
and the men worked naked. After two or three hours be-
low I came up all grimy, and in a suit of mining clothes, in
which you would not have known me.

" The Coal Question seems to sell well in Newcastle. In
one shop the man told me they had sold a good few, and
had only two copies left. At the railway station I took up
a copy there, and was much amused by the man saying,
* Fine work that, sir. The first edition sold off very quick.'
There is a palpable want of truth about the latter part at
least which takes away from the first.

" I am pleased with Durham, and the cathedral and
castle look grand. I shall stay most of to-morrow here to
hear the service, which is said to be very finely performed.
Then I go on to York, where I want to sec the Minster. On
Friday or Saturday I hope to get home to Manchester,
after a tour of a most varied character.

" Some time in the following week 1 hope to be with
you at Clynnog ; and I shall be glad to rest among friends,
after so long coasting about among strangers,"

Mr. Jcvons returned to Manchester for the opening of
the college session, when he began his duties as professor.
On the 12th October he gave the introductory lecture to
the session of evening classes, the subject he chose being,
" On the Diffusion of a Knowledge of Political Economy."

In his journal he writes :

" November 1 866. My introductory lecture to the course
of Cobden Lectures has brought some little criticism from
the Radicals upon me. I am often troubled, and now more
than ever, to know how to reconcile my inclinations in
political matters. What side am I to take one the
other or can I take both? I cannot consent with the
Radical party to obliterate a glorious past, nor can I consent

/KT. 31. POLITICAL OPINIONS. 231

with the Conservatives to prolong abuses into the present.
I wish with all my heart to aid in securing all that is good
for the masses, yet to give them all they wish and are
striving for is to endanger much that is good beyond their
comprehension. I cannot pretend to underestimate the
good that the English monarchy and aristocracy, with all
the liberal policy actuating it, does for the human race, and
yet I cannot but fear the pretensions of democracy against
it are strong, and in some respects properly strong. This
antithesis and struggle, perhaps, after all, is no more than has
always more or less existed, but is now becoming more
marked. Compromise, perhaps, is the only resource. Those
who rightly possess the power in virtue of their superior
knowledge must yield up some, that they may carry with
them the honest but uncertain wills of those less educated
but more numerous and physically powerful.

"4/// December 1866. Some few days ago I began
thinking about logic again seriously. I was determined to
try whether I could not graft on to my system, as already
printed, some extensions which may render it more perfect.
After a day or two I suddenly met with what seems to me
the great and universal principle of all reasoning, that same
things may be treated identically, or that whatever we may
say of one member of an identity we may say of the other.
All logical processes seem to arrange themselves in simple
and luminous order in one's mind the moment it is allowed
as self-evident that if we start from the same beginning and
pursue similar paths we must get to similar results. It
would be worth while to spend years in developing a system
of logic on this basis. But can I ever finish such a work ?
My health seems not to be what it was. I have had in-
digestion gradually coming on, and I fear to engage in the
work 1 so much love. I am ready, I hope, at any time to
yield myself up to Him from whom alone can come the
power to achieve any worthy result."

To his brother Herbert.

BEAUMARIS, 28/// December 1866.

"... The three years that I first spent at Owens
College tutoring, lecturing, and writing at the same time

232 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 31.

were undoubtedly too hard, and would have done me up if
continued, but my work is now so much more easy, familiar,
and congenial, and I have had so many holidays, that I
shall be all right for the future, I hope.

" Henny and 1 are spending the Christmas holidays here
with John and Lucy, who found Clynnog too dreary and
solitary for the winter, and who were also disturbed by the
prevalence of measles and other sickness in the country
round and cholera in Carnarvon.

" I have posted you a Times containing some remarks
on a letter of mine. I find it easy now to get attention to
anything I like to write, and sometimes get a little abuse,
but I am already somewhat seasoned to criticism. I feel it
to be very necessary to be careful what I write, so as
not to fall into any scrape or get shown up in a mistake.
One man in the Manchester City News has taken to abusing
me systematically every week, to the amusement of the
college people and other friends. It is very difficult to
know what view to take of the Reform agitation. I am
not a democrat, as perhaps you know, and don't much care
to adopt popular views to please the mob. However, I
don't think any Reform Bill that is likely to pass will really
upset our system here, while it may lead to many real
improvements.

" I find myself a good deal taken up at present with my
college work, with some additional public lectures or papers
which I have undertaken ; but if nothing else turns up,
I shall have the summer pretty clear to go on with more
important work.

" The professors have been a good deal engaged of late
in elaborating a scheme for rebuilding Owens College, which
at present is in a small dingy building in one of the
worst parts of the town. We want to raise a great
scientific University College in Manchester with all sorts
of engineering, mining, and scientific schools. Harry
Roscoe is, perhaps, the moving spirit in it, but most of
the other professors, especially the new ones, are ardent
about it.

"6000 have already been promised for the engineering
school, which is very popular, and will doubtless succeed, but

;ET. 31. OWENS COLLEGE. 233

we want altogether some 100,000, which it will not be
easy to raise even in Manchester. The beginning, however,
is not altogether unpromising, and our present trustees are
quite willing to promote the scheme and place it on a more
public and important footing. Manchester is a fine place
for public spirit. It is a kind of metropolis of the manu-
facturing districts, and I do not know whether there is any
place out of London I should prefer to it. Indeed, there is
some use and satisfaction in being out of London, and
having a somewhat distinct position not involved in the
great crowd of competitors in London."

On 1 6th January 1867 Mr. Jevons gave a popular
lecture " On Coal : Its Importance in Manufactures and
Trade ; " one of a series of science lectures for the people,
which had been established in Manchester that winter under
the auspices of the science professors at Owens College.
On the loth April he read a paper at the Manchester
Statistical Society " On the Analogy between the Post
Office, Telegraphs, and other Systems of Conveyance of the
United Kingdom, as regards Government Control ; " but his
time for private work seems chiefly to have been given to
logic during this year.

In his journal he writes :

" \2th March 1867. Sometimes I am in low spirits
now, and distrust my future. I am unsociable, ill-tempered,
and feel that I deserve no more than a hermit's life of self-
denial and labour. But if 1 can do so with any safety to
my health, I will labour, hoping that the success hitherto
accorded me in a less important field will not be wanting in
a greater. I excuse myself for writing in this book because
I sometimes find it is a wonderful comfort to read over the
record of my past hopes and despair, and observe how my
hopes have been almost constantly better founded than my
despair."

To his brother Herbert.

9 BIRCH GROVE, 226 April 1867.

" We have now got to the end of our long term, and as
our next term is scarcely more than a month long, from
Easter falling so late, we may be considered to have killed

234 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 31.

the work of the half year. To-morrow morning I am going
to start with Barker, our mathematical professor, for a few
days' walking in the north of Lancashire and the West
Riding. He will make a good walking companion, I think ;
the weather, too, promises fairly. . . . We propose to visit
Clithcroe, Bolton Abbey, Malham, almost reaching the neigh-
bourhood of Ingleton and Thornton, where we stayed before.
I feel rather in need of a little walking. I have begun to
take more exercise than I used, and am all the better for it.
In fact, I am quite well again now ; but I have always a
tendency to overwork myself, and am now getting rather
deep into logic again."

Mr. Jcvons spent the first part of the vacation in London,
but about the middle of July he went abroad by himself to
see the Exhibition at Paris and make a short tour in Belgium
and Holland.

To his sister Henrietta.

HOTEL MEYERBEER, ROND POINT,

CHAMPS ELYSE* ES, PARIS,

Sunday, 2ist July 1867.

" The above is my address while I stay in Paris, which
will probably be about a week more.

" I spent yesterday at the Exposition, and you cannot
imagine anything more wonderful and interesting than the
collection of things. Inside, the collection is not very differ-
ent in appearance from that of the London exhibitions,
though far more extensive ; but the park outside the build-
ing is perhaps the most amusing. Here are an infinity of
houses and shops of all nations, where you can see the
manufactures carried on, or listen to the music, or taste the
peculiar eatables of almost any nation under the sun. It
is a sort of place where you can spend the whole day, from
early morning till late at night, with a constant succession
of new interests or amusements. When you are hungry you
can dine to perfection in any style, when you arc tired you
can sit down to any kind of music German, Chinese, Turk-
ish, or what you like.

"Tuesday, 2 ^d July. I am not very fond of writing
while I am travelling, there is so much else to do. As I
have spent about twelve hours every day in the Exhibition

*T. 31- PARIS EXHIBITION. 235

since I got to Paris, I am just a little tired ; . . . but still
it is very pleasant being here.

" It is impossible to tell you what there is in the Exhi-
bition, and it would be equally impossible to tell you what
there is not. I spent the whole of yesterday in the park or
grounds, where the detached exhibitions are, and could not
get over more than a fraction. You sec the natives of a
number of countries living and working in their own houses,
or imitations of them.

" Inside the palace a great number of trades, especially
the French and Parisian, are carried on. The variety of
people one meets is also very curious. Besides crowds of
persons of different nations, speaking French or German,
there are Italians, Spaniards, Russians, Turks, Chinese, Alge-
rians, Japanese. Strange -looking persons every now and
then turn up of unknown nationality. There are the sol-
diers, too, of many nations, in various picturesque uniforms.
The English do not make so much show in some ways as
other people, but they seem to be in great favour, and every-
thing is recommended, if possible, as being * Anglais/ The
evening entertainments, too, frequently are made up of
English songs or amusements of one kind or another,
always very foolish.

" I shall go probably on Saturday to Brussels and
various towns in Belgium."

To his sister Lucy.

L T)F FL \NDRE, BRUGES,

ist August 1867.

44 It seems so long since I last wrote to any of you that
I fear you will think me lost. I am, however, not only all
right, but often thinking of you at Clynnog, and I am look-
ing forward to being with you now within ten or fifteen
days.

" It seems to me a long time since the holidays began,
and, though I have got on better than I expected, it is still
very lonely work travelling about by one's self. My travels,
however, seem to get plcasanter as I get on. I have at last
reached a city which I have for a very long time wished to
see, ever since I read a novel called the Merchant of Bruges,

236 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 32.

or something like that. I have not yet seen the town, how-
ever, having only got here just at dark, but I expect an
interesting day to-morrow. To-morrow I also expect to get
to Ghent, or Gand, as they call it here ; the next day to
Antwerp; and then, if my purse holds out, I suppose I must
take some of the Dutch towns before making my voyage
homewards.

" I had a fine day to-day in the old town of Tournai,
which is something like Bruges on a smaller scale, but with
a much finer cathedral. It is in fact a splendid and most
interesting old church, and I saw it fully and to advantage.
I had an interesting sight, too, of the sacristy, with the
plate, and jewels, and curiosities, and especially the vest-
ments belonging to the church. There was a vast sort of
cabinet full of the finest vestments, in number between fifty
and one hundred I should think, all covered with the most
splendid gold embroidery, and from all ages up to 300 years.
The day before was chiefly occupied in a visit to the Field
of Waterloo. Perhaps you will remember my father often
speaking of his visit to this part of the Continent and to
Waterloo shortly after the battle of Waterloo.

" I spent one day and two nights at Brussels, which is
a pleasant clean little town, but by no means striking to one
just come from Paris."

7 > his brother Herbert.

9 BIRCH GROVK, 25^ September 1867.

"I am now glad to feel settled at home after a long
holiday. Some way or other I am sick of travelling about,
and wish for nothing so much as to be settled at home. It
is yet, however, some ten or twelve days before the session
begins. There arc already some signs that the classes will
be well filled this year.

" I am now much engaged upon the construction of my
logical machine. I have found a young clockmaker in Sal-
ford, who has begun this week to work for me at thirty-five
shillings a week. It will be necessary for me to go there
almost every day to see that he is getting on right. I find
it necessary to have each step of the work done separately,
in order that I may see whether I have planned everything

JET. 32. NE W PROSPECTS. 237

rightly. I think it will certainly be done before Christmas,
and I intend to send it to the Royal Society with a complete
paper on the subject.

" I am not sure whether I have written to you since my
continental travels to Paris and through Belgium and
Holland, but I can hardly undertake to tell you of what I
saw. The Paris Exhibition was very interesting, though
rather hard work ; and in fact, before I got home, I
managed to do myself up pretty completely, and find myself
now immensely better for a little quiet work at home.

" I have now made it a habit to walk about three hours
a day, and as much as eight or even ten miles, and I take
work in very moderate quantities, so that I can hardly fail

to be well."

To his brother Herbert.

OWENS COLLEGE, 23^ October 1867.

" I have a special reason for writing to you by this mail,
as I have to tell you of my engagement to marry Harriet
Taylor, the sister of Fred's wife. You have more than once
advised me in youi letters to take a step of this kind ; and
the fact is that, for some years past, ever since 1 had a fair
prospect of an income, I have felt myself impelled towards it
by every motive that ought to influence me. I have always
been, more than any one, I think, in need of a wife and a
quiet domestic life ; and, to all appearances, I have now
secured these great benefits. . . .

" I cannot look back upon the last eight years, since
1 came from Australia, nor indeed upon my earlier life,
without feeling what a great deal I have to be thankful for,
as everything seems ultimately to turn out as I should
wish it.

"When I went to London for the second time I had
everything to get, and no definite prospects whatever. No
one can be fully aware what extreme anxiety and low spirits
1 frequently suffered, and what moderate and slow success I
expected in the end. The life, of which I have now a pros-
pect in Manchester, is perhaps as happy and suitable a one
for me as I could easily imagine ; and, if it may only last for
a moderate lifetime, I feel confident that I can do all that I
ever imagined to myself."

23 8 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 32.

In his journal he writes :

" i<)tk November 1867. A great change has come over
my prospects, and I cannot express sufficiently the thankful-
ness I have felt at my happy prospects of marriage. I know
now how right I was in thinking that the love of a wife, and
the tranquillity of a home, were needful to me, if only to
enable me to work better than before.

" I have always feared that I could hardly marry without
sacrificing objects which have hitherto almost filled my soul.
But, to my delight, Harriet is far from jealous of ' my old
ove,' my work. She promises to aid it, to join in it, to
esteem it as her own, and to find a pride and gratification in
t Her good sense is surpassed only by her affection,
From the bottom of my heart I thank my God for what
seems to me sure to fill up my cup of usefulness and
lappiness in this world. Now, indeed, I have much to work
"or. It is new to me to feel that another's happiness is in
my hands, and that I can make her happiness. I have not
hitherto felt that the greatest efforts at kindness and socia-
bility which I could make, appreciably added to others 3
happiness ; with her it is far different.

"I have not much else to record. My mind was so
unsettled during the summer that I found myself almost
incapable of work. I spent the vacation first in London, in
intolerable solitude then for ten days at the Paris Exposi-
tion ; then in Holland and in Belgium for a week or two.
On getting back to Manchester I set rather hard to work at
my new logic, reading a good deal for it and advancing
well. I also commenced the final designs for my reasoning
machine, and advertised for its construction. Just before
the commencement of the session irresistible circumstances
led me to the happy step which I hope will bring about my
marriage this day month. Since then I have had a press
of engagements, not unnaturally ; to add to which I found it
necessary to undertake a new course in political economy
and statistics, to raise my afternoon class to more fair pro-
portions, in which, at great cost of trouble, I have partially
succeeded, having now seven students in place of two or
three in previous years. This has led me temporarily to sub-
stitute statistical for logical work. My machine has struggled

MT. 32. HIS MARRIAGE. 239

forward as best it could under constant interruption, and I
much fear now that much of it must be reconstructed before
it can work properly."

On the 1 9th of December 1867 Mr. Jevons married
Harriet Ann, third daughter of the late John Edward
Taylor, Esq., of Manchester, founder and proprietor of the
Manchester Guardian newspaper. The marriage took place
at the Unitarian Chapel at Altrincham, near Manchester.

CHAPTER VIII.

1868-1872.

AFTER his marriage Mr. Jevons took a short tour with his
wife to several of the cathedral towns in the south-west of
England. He had a double attraction in visiting cathedrals,
for, besides his enjoyment of the musical services, church
architecture was a subject of much interest to him. Early
in January they returned to the north, and spent a few
weeks at Bowdon in Cheshire, until the house which Mr.
Jevons had engaged, No. 36 Parsonage Road, Withington,
was ready to receive them.

To his brother Herbert.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
MANCHESTER, iS/7* April 1868.

" We are now pretty well settled in our new house, and
are enjoying a quiet Easter holiday at home, than which
nothing can be more pleasant. We get breakfast about
9 A.M., then I work till 1.30 P.M. dinner; then a little
more work till 4 P.M. Then we have a little gardening or a
walk out till 6.30, and about 8 P.M. we have a little more
work. Harriet does a great quantity of work for me, espe-
cially copying and arithmetical work, which relieves and helps
me much. Our house satisfies us in nearly every way. It
is very convenient and cheerful, and quite large enough.
We have also a nice -sized garden, which I have begun to
cultivate with considerable vigour. It furnishes me with a
kind of exercise 1 have long wanted.

" I find a great deal to do between the engagements of
married life and those of college, in addition to my own

MT. 32. CONSTRUCTION OF LOGICAL MACHINE. 241

work. On the 1 3th March I gave a lecture to the Royal
Institution, London, on the Coal Question, which went off
tolerably well, as I am told. I have also given a lecture 1
to some Trades' Unionists in Manchester, although very
few came. I will, in a little time, send you copies of
them.

" Next week I have to go to London to give evidence
before the Commission on International Currency, and I
am bus}' getting up a variety of things about coins."

On the 24th April Mr. Jevons went to London and gave
evidence before the Royal Commission on International
Coinage ; and soon afterwards he read a paper to the Man-
chester Statistical Society on the " International Monetary
Convention, and the Introduction of an International Cur-
rency into this Kingdom." About the same time he was
appointed examiner in political economy in the University
of London.

To his brother Herbert.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
MANCHESTER, ^djune 1868.

" We are now at the end of the session, the distribution
[of prizes] taking place on Friday next. ... I have been
very busily engaged, the last two or three weeks, on my logical
machine, having begun a new one altogether. I have now
got it to work fairly, and there can be no doubt of my finishing
it with success, although many little troubles arise in a new
form of mechanism. I am thinking of exhibiting it with a
paper to the Royal Society next session. The machine
works in a few moments any logical problems involving no
more than four distinct terms or things. It will be in appear-
ance like a large accordion, or a very small piano, and has
twenty-one keys, exactly like white piano keys."

Early in July, Mr. Jevons took his wife to visit his sister,
Lucy (Mrs. Hutton), at Clynnog in North Wales ; after
spending a week there they went to stay at a farm-house
near Beddgclert.

1 A lecture on " Trade Societies, their Objects, and Policy," delivered by
request of the Trades' Unionists' Political Association.

R

242 W. STANLEY JEVONS. -EI*. 32.

To his sister Lucy.

CASTELL, NANT GWYNANT,

BEDDGELERT, \6thjuly 1868.

" We have established ourselves here very rapidly and
easily, and arc well pleased with what we see of the place as
yet. The house is on the opposite side of Nant Gwynant
to what I expected, but it is delightfully situated, so that
Snowdon is straight before our windows. The clouds have
cleared sufficiently to let us see the lower slopes, and as far
as I can judge as yet, it is one of the most beautiful places
we could have met with. The people here consist of a fine
old man and a grown-up family of sons, and one daughter.
If further acquaintance confirms my first impressions, we shall
be lucky. As this is a farm with plenty of grass about, we
shall have as much milk and eggs and poultry as we want,
and we can send for meat to Bcddgelert. A postman calls
daily. . . . There is every prospect of our having a quiet
time here.

" It is not easy to describe this place, but it stands
among broken hills, some of them covered with woods. The
house is just high enough to give us the feeling of being in
the open mountain air. There is hardly another house in
sight from the windows, but there is a sort of gentleman's
house lower down among the woods, and in the bottom of
the valley is Plas Gwynant, apparently a handsome residence.

" I am going to set to a little work now.

"Friday Morning. This morning Snowdon is clear of
clouds, and looks very fine, although we do not get quite
the best view of him. We seem to be surrounded on all
sides by peaks of hills ; Mocl Hebog, Moel Siabod, Iran,
Lliwedd, seem to surround us with an infinity of lesser hills."

To his brother Herbert.

CASTELL, BEDDGELERT, 24/7* July 1868.

" I wrote pretty fully to you from Clynnog a week or
two ago, but as I have since got your letter about gold refin-
ing, I write again without delay. I may say, first, that just
a week ago we left Clynnog after a week's stay, and came
to lodgings at a sort of farm-house in Nant Gwynant, four

*i. 3*. ASCENT OF SNOWDON. 243

miles from Beddgelcrt. It is about half a mile off the main
road, up the hills opposite to Snowdon, so that we have a
splendid view of the mountain just opposite our windows.
For miles round the house, too, there is a beautiful succession
of hills and rocks, from any of which you get a new and
charming view. On the whole, I think this is the most
charming place to stay at I ever saw, and I hope we may
have four or five weeks here. A day or two ago Harriet
and I climbed a high hill, or mountain, two miles or so, at
the rear of the house where we were, at the head of the
Dolwyddelan valley, and had a grand view, not only of the
whole of that valley, but of nearly all the Welsh mountains.
This afternoon we walked up Nant Gwynant nearly to Pen
y Gwryd. We live here in a somewhat primitive way,
chiefly upon milk and eggs and bread. Even our supplies of
bread are rather precarious, but our lodgings are comfortable."

Whilst the afternoons were devoted to long walks or
excursions, the mornings were chiefly spent in work. He
was engaged in preparing his paper " On the Condition
of the Metallic Currency of the United Kingdom," with the
arithmetical work of which he made great progress during
his stay at Castell. It was only occasionally that he would
give himself a day's holiday. One of these was spent in the
ascent of Snowdon, which he thus describes, in a letter dated
the 4th August, to his sister Lucy :

"Last Saturday we carried out our intended ascent of
Snowdon, after waiting a good many days for suitable
weather. We were very fortunate, for besides a fine view of
nearly the whole of North Wales, we saw Ireland very
clearly, both the Wicklow mountains and the More mountains
to the north, also the Isle of Man. The clouds were also
very beautiful at times. We are now planning an expedi-
tion to the top of the neighbouring hills to see the sun rise.

" The weather is so intensely hot that we hardly do
anything out of doors now but bathe for which we have a
very pretty pool in the river close by. . . ."

In describing the ascent of Snowdon to his sister, Mr.
Jevons did not tell her that, to shorten the descent, he pro-
posed to his wife to return down the side of the mountain
opposite to Castell instead of by one of the regular paths.

244 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 33.

He had so accurately observed the mountain from below
that he was sure he could find a way unattended by any
difficulty or danger, and the result proved him correct ; for,
having lingered to watch the sunset, but a short distance from
the summit, they reached the foot of the mountain before it
was really dark.

Ten days later, this holiday was sadly ended by the
sudden death of Mrs. Jevons's eldest sister, which recalled
them to Manchester. The next three weeks were spent at
home, after which the advisability of a little more change
before the college session commenced induced them to pay a
brief visit to the Isle of Man.

To his sister Henrietta.

HOUSE, RAMSAY, ISLE OF MAN,
Sunday, 6th September 1868.

" We have now got comfortably settled here for a few
days, in a spacious house just on the beach, with wide bay
windows, which give a fine view of the sea. When the tide
goes down there are beautiful sands in front of the house ; a
quarter of a mile off fine rocky cliffs begin. There is also a
good hill within a mile of the house, and, within three miles,
a mountain called North Baroolc, quite as high as Gcrn Didn,
which we hope to ascend in a day or two. When we left
Liverpool on Friday the weather was exceedingly fine, but
out at sea a breeze sprang up with a nasty sea, which made
many passengers ill. We got to Douglas about sunset, but
preferred coming on to this quieter place, which we reached
some time after dark. It is more like Beaumaris than any
other place I have seen, but it is perhaps more dirty and
irregular, and has not so good an hotel as the Bulkeley Arms.
But the shore and the sea are beautifully clean, and very
unlike the dirty irregular shore at Beaumaris. The bathing
machines are very near the house, and we have both of us
had a dip already. . . . We shall probably go on to the other
parts of the island, which promises to be pretty and inte-
resting, though, of course, there is nothing here to compare in
grandeur with the neighbourhood of Snowdon."

During their stay at Ramsay Mr. Jevons completed,
and read to his wife, three articles, in which he pointed out

/ET. 33. PAPER ON THE GOLD CURRENCY. 245

some of the inconsistencies and contradictions which occur
between different parts of Mill's System of Logic. These
articles were sent to the editor of one of the leading maga-
zines, and on his declining to publish them, Mr. Jevons laid
them aside to be made use of on a future occasion.

To his brother Herbert.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITIIINGTON,

MANCHESTER, 2o/// November 1868.

"... I have just been one of my journeys to London,
to read a paper to the Statistical Society on the Gold
Currency. It is the result of a rather elaborate inquiry dur-
ing the past nine months, which has proved rather successful,
and is likely to prove useful, I think I have some hope
that when Mr. Gladstone is Premier, with a great majority
at his back, he may give some attention to the subject.

" . . . These journeys rather knock me up. I had three
classes on Monday afternoon and evening, went to London
on Tuesday morning, read the paper in the evening, and back
on Wednesday for two classes in the evening. Now, a thing
of this sort knocks me up for the rest of the week.

"About a month ago I gave two lectures, on successive
evenings, at Newcastle, on coal, with fair audiences, but this
thoroughly knocked me up. I cannot say my health is bad,
but I have to take great care of myself, drink port wine
occasionally, and take things as easily as possible. I never
hear any complaints from you now, and hope that your
health is stronger.

" I cannot tell you how happy Harriet and I arc together
. . ., so that I am altogether better off than I had any right
to expect in this world."

In this paper on the condition of the Metallic Currency
Mr. Jevons adopted a novel and ingenious method of esti-
mating the amount of gold coinage in circulation in the
United Kingdom, and his estimate was at once accepted as
probably the most accurate that had been ever made. He
also strongly pointed out the need for a re-coinage, owing to
the defective weight of so many of the sovereigns and half-
sovereigns. The paper was illustrated by two large diagrams
which he had drawn himself.

246 W. STANLE Y JE VONS. A i . 33.

After his marriage Mr. Jevons was not quite so averse
to going into society as he had previously been, but he had
neither inclination nor time to spare for much of it. He
liked far better to have a friend or two at his own house for
a quiet talk on some of the many subjects which interested
him. He was a very good listener, and always gave attentive
consideration to any objections raised by a companion to his
own view of whatever subject they were discussing.

The evening classes at Owens College occupied two
evenings a week during the winter, and when he needed
recreation, what he most enjoyed was to attend one of Halle's
delightful concerts. In February and March 1869 he gave
a course of lectures on political economy to working men at
Hyde, near Manchester. Some influential gentlemen of that
neighbourhood desired that a course of such lectures should
be given, and when they asked Mr. Jevons' help he would
not refuse it, for no one felt more strongly than he did the
need of extending the teaching of political economy to the
working classes. Hut these evening lectures once a week,
at such a distance from home, in addition to his evenings at
Owens College, proved an unwise tax upon his strength.

Having been consulted by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer as to the pressure of taxation upon different classes
of the people, Mr. Jevons sent to him, on the I3th March,
a report, which he had prepared with much care. The
result of his inquiries was, that the artisan, with only a
moderate use of beer and tobacco, was less heavily taxed
than the classes above or below him, but that the labourer,
if he only moderately indulged in stimulants, was rather the
most heavily taxed of any class in proportion to his income.
Mr. Jevons therefore recommended the repeal of the remain-
ing duty of a shilling a quarter upon corn, which he believed
formed an appreciable burden of about one per cent of
income upon the very poorest class on the borders of pauper-
ism. He was gratified to find that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer concurred in this opinion, and proposed the
repeal of the duty in his next budget.

During the winter of 1868-69 Mr. Jcvons' thoughts
were much occupied with logic. He had already planned
a large portion of his great work, The Principles of Science,

AST. 33- THE "SUBSTITUTION OF SIMILARS." 247

and it was in 1868 that he decided upon the title of the
book ; but as such an undertaking could not be completed
for some years, he decided to present at once a sketch of
his fundamental doctrine. This he did in a small book
entitled The Substitution of Similars, The True Principle of
Reasoning, Derived from a Modification of Aristotle's Dictum.
In the preface he thus explains the purpose of the book :
11 In this small treatise I wish to submit to the judgment of
those interested in logical science a notion which has often
forced itself upon my mind during the last few years. All
acts of reasoning seem to me to be different cases of one
uniform process, which may, perhaps, be best described as
the substitution of similars. This phrase clearly expresses
that familiar mode in which we continually argue by analogy
from like to like, and take one thing as a representative of
another. The chief difficulty consists in showing that all the
forms of the old logic, as well as the fundamental rules of
mathematical reasoning, may be explained upon the same
principle ; and it is to this difficult task I have devoted the
most attention. . . . Should my notion be true, a vast mass
of technicalities may be swept from our logical text-books,
and yet the small remaining part of logical doctrine will
prove far more useful than all the learning of the School-
men."

lie had also been engaged upon the completion of his
logical machine, which was sufficiently finished to work
correctly before the Substitution of Similars was published
(June i 869).

At Easter 1 869 Mr. Jcvons and his wife spent a few days
at Lucllow, where Mr. and Mrs. John Hutton were then living;
afterwards they stayed a week or two at Church Stretton in
the same county, where Mr. Jcvons enjoyed daily walks over
the hills.

In June, as soon as the session ended at Owens College,
he went with his wife to London for two or three weeks, to
fulfil his duties as examiner in political economy at the
University of London. He took lodgings in the neighbour-
hood of the British Museum Library, where a good deal of
his spare time was passed.

248 W. STANLEY JEVONS. xt. 33-

To his brother Herbert.

1 8 KEPPEL STREET, RUSSELL SQUARE,
LONDON, jthjitly 1869.

"... My sovereign research has been more successful
than I expected. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has
adopted the notion, and quoted some of my figures in the
House of Commons lately; and he has had a report pre-
pared partly based upon my figures. I do not know
whether he will succeed in carrying any change through,
but I should not wonder if he makes some attempt next
session. At present the Irish Church stops the way. I was
much pleased to get the return of New Zealand sovereigns
which you prepared."

A day or two after this letter was written, Mr. Jcvons
and his wife went abroad intending to go by the Rhine to
Switzerland, and after a short stay in the Engadine, to
proceed to the Tyrol and Vienna. His health was far
from satisfactory. In addition to overwork he had suffered
much during the spring from private anxieties, and a
complete change of scene and rest from work seemed
desirable ; but the proposed route proved an ill-advised one.
The weather became intensely hot jubt before they left
London, and on the Rhine it was almost unbearable. By
the time they reached Heidelberg Mr. J evens was rendered
quite ill by it, and for several days could not proceed farther.
They then went on to the Engadine ; but though the cool
bracing air did him good, he was so weak and unfit for the
exertion of much travelling, that the visit to the Tyrol and
Vienna was reluctantly abandoned, and they decided to
return home, travelling slowly, and spending a few days at
more than one place en route.

To his sister Lucy.

WlTHlNGTON,
Sunday ) i$th August 1869.

"... I think I wrote to you last from Linththal. After
spending several pleasant days there we went back to Zurich ;
thence by the lake of Zug to the Rigi mountain, at the top
of which we spent one night. We were disappointed in the
view of the Alps ; but there was a great quantity of clouds

*r. 34- COMPLETION OF LOGICAL MACHINE. 249

about, and frequent lightning. From the Rigi we pro-
ceeded to Lucerne, and stayed there three days, rowing about
the lake, hearing the organs, and making the round of the
lake in the steamboat. We stayed at the Englischer Hof.
We returned by way of France, stopping one night at Mul-
house, and then reaching Paris. As we found the weather
quite cool and pleasant, we decided to stay a day or two, in
order that Harriet might sec the Louvre and some of the
sights of Paris. We did not do very much, but still had a
pleasant time, living at the Hotel Meuricc. We were landed
at Dover at 3 A M. yesterday, and had to spend three hours
walking about the pier and stations until the train left at
6 A.M."

To his sister Lucy.

WiTiiiNCiTON, ist September 1869.

"... We shall only be going to Llandudno for a few
clays near the end of this month, so that we arc in reality
settled at home for the session. Travelling docs not agree
with me, on account of the irregularity of meals and exertion.
This next session I am only going into town three days a
week. . . .

" I have been working chiefly at my logical machine
since 1 came home ; and it is now as good as finished, and
works nicely. It is something like a cross between a small
piano and one of the old barrel organs.

44 We arc spending my birthday in a very quiet way
at home, reading, writing, touching up the machine, and
especially mowing our grass, which is a perpetual occupation
here"

To his bt other Tom.

WlTHlNdTON,

MANCHESTER, io/7* October 1869.

" . . . 1 am in better spirits about my health ; the dis-
tressing giddiness seems to be going away, and I can do
work again with comfort. . . .

" I have quite finished my paper for the Royal Society
on the machine, and have it ready to post. The machine
itself is gone to be French polished and have a travelling
case made, and with a few last touches will be quite done. I

250 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 34-

think, however, that it is quite as likely to be laughed at as
admired.

"My garden is improving by degrees, and becoming
very interesting ; and as I now only go into town three days
a week, I have time to spend upon it, and the exercise is
very healthy."

Mr. Jcvons had the pleasure of being appointed president,
for the winter session 1869-70, of the Manchester Statistical
Society, and in October he gave his inaugural address, " On
the Work of the Society in Connection with the Questions of
the Day. I. Stagnation of Trade. 1 1. Commercial Fluctua-
tions. III. Pauperism, and the Means of decreasing it.
IV. Medical and other Charities."

In January 1870 he went to London to read a paper
On the Mechanical Performance of Logical Inference"
before the Royal Society, and to exhibit to them his logical
machine.

During this winter he sent several contributions to
Nature ; but he was chiefly engaged in the preparation of
his Elementary Lessons in Logic for Macmillan's series of
science class-books. lie found a recreation in his leisure
hours in making a scries of experiments on the movements
of particles suspended in liquids ; and on the 2 5th January
he contributed to the Manchester Literary and Philosophical
Society a brief paper " On the so-called Molecular Move-
ment of Microscopic Particles." To the same society he
also read, about that time, a more elaborate paper " On a
General System of Numerically-Definite Reasoning."

On the 5th April 1870 he went to London to give a
lecture on Industrial Partnerships, delivered under the
auspices of the National Association for the Promotion of
Social Science He had undertaken with much pleasure to
prepare the lecture, because, to use his own words, he
became " more and more convinced of the extreme import-
ance of the Industrial Partnership principle to the peace and
well-being of the kingdom."

These hurried visits to London were a great tax upon
his strength, for he was so scrupulous that other engage-
ments should not interfere with his lectures at college that
he would go through almost any amount of fatigue rather

r. 35. "ELEMENTARY LESSONS IN LOGIC." 251

than fail to meet his class at the appointed time. At Easter
he took a brief holiday, which he spent with his wife at
Baslow, a little village at the higher end of Chatsworth Park,
in Derbyshire.

In the spring of 1870 Mr. Thomas E. Jcvons was
married to Miss Seton of New York, and he spent the
summer with his wife in England, so that the brothers had
the pleasure of being a good deal together. Mr. Jcvons
again stayed two or three weeks in London at the time of
the examinations for the M.A. degree, and the rest of the
long vacation was spent partly at home and partly at the
seaside, and in visiting friends. In September he had the
honour of being President of Section F (Economic Science
and Statistics) of the British Association, and it was an
additional pleasure to him that the meeting took place in
Liverpool, his native town.

In October the Elementary Lessons in Logic appeared,
and it was at once generally adopted as a text-book. It is
now so well known as hardly to need description. As it
was designed for a cla^s-book, he " throughout devoted more
attention to describing clearly and simply the doctrines in
which logicians generally agree than to discussing the points
in which there is a difference of opinion."

In December Mr. Jevons aided in drawing up a memorial
to the Home Secretary as to uniformity in the census of
1871, a committee having been formed for this purpose at
the meeting of the statistical section of the British Associa-
tion in Liverpool.

During the winter of 1870-71, in addition to his classes
at Owens College, he delivered, by request, a course of
lectures on logic to ladies, the class meeting once a week.
For the last three or four years Mr. Jevons' thoughts had
been mainly occupied with logic, but during this winter he
returned with renewed interest to political economy, and
devoted himself entirely to the writing of The Theory of
Political Economy. The work was of such absorbing interest
to him that he made rapid progress with it, to the detriment
of his health, as it afterwards proved.

From the time when he had played his grandfather's
organ as a boy, Mr. Jevons had availed himself of even*

252 m STANLEY JEVONS. ;ET. 35.

opportunity of playing on the organ, and he now fulfilled
the wish that he had long had of possessing one of his own.
On the 1 4th February 1871 he thus describes it to his
sister Lucy : " 1 am much occupied with my new organ,
which is a charming instrument. It has two rows of keys,
with pedals, and separate pedal pipes, seven stops, four in
the swell organ and three in the other, with three coupling
stops for connecting the several parts together at will. It
is to cost 133, which is not much for so complete a little
organ. I hope I may keep it the rest of my life, as I need
something to distract my mind from logic."

When the census took place, on the 1st April 1871, Mr.
Jcvons volunteered to collect the papers in one of the poorest
districts in Manchester. He was anxious to see for himself
how much the people comprehended the purpose of the census
papers, and he was glad also to have an opportunity of
visiting many of their houses.

By the time Easter came he felt the need of a little
holiday, and he went with his wife to Clapham, in Yorkshire,
a neighbourhood which he had previously visited, and which
he had enjoyed so much that he desired to show it to his
wife. The bracing air did him good, and they made the
ascent of Ingleborough. He always went by choice to a
hilly country, and climbed to the highest points in the neigh-
bourhood whenever his strength permitted it.

It was in his budget of this year that Mr. Lowe, then
Chancellor of the Exchequer, proposed the match tax, which
was received with such an indignant outcry by the press and
the people that it was abandoned. In June Mr. Jevons pub-
lished a pamphlet "The Match Tax; a Problem in Fin-
ance " in which he calmly considered the most important
objections raised to the tax, pointing out how many of
them had been unreasonable, and proving that even to the
very poor the match tax would have been less than one-
third the burden which the shilling corn duty, repealed in
I 869, had been.

At the beginning of the long vacation Mr. Jcvons paid
his annual visit to London, combining some reading at the
British Museum with his duties as examiner at the Univer-
sity of London. He attended the meeting of the Statistical

JET. 35- "THEORY OF POLITICAL ECONOMY." 253

Society, which took place whilst he was in town, and to this
the following letter refers.

To Hyde Clarke -, Esq.

13 MONTAGUE STREET, RUSSELL SQUARE, W.C.,
2 4/// June 1871.

" I have only just received your note, forwarded from
Manchester. The remarks you mention are, I presume,
those concerning the distribution of the Celtic population
which prevailed towards the west and north-west Isaac
Taylor, in his interesting book, Words and Places, gave, as
perhaps you know, a good deal of information on the point,
and I think you would find some correspondence with your
own results concerning intellectual ability. I should think
that the difference between the East and West of Scotland,
remarked at the meeting, would be due to the same circum-
stances.

"If there is time for you to add a note or paragraph to
your paper, you had perhaps better verify independently
what I have said, as it was only just on the spur of the
moment the remark occurred, and I should prefer not to be
responsible for it.

11 The comparison of races is no doubt an invidious task,
which might sometimes lead to trouble, but I do not see
that in statistical inquiries you can suppress plain facts. I
think that in legislation relating to different parts of the
United Kingdom it is always well to be reminded that there
may be distinctly different races to be dealt with, and the
more the mixture of races can be promoted the better."

For the latter part of his holiday Mr. Jevons had planned
a tour in Ireland with his wife. He had never been there,
and much desired to viM*t the country, but he felt so unwell
that he disliked the exertion of travelling, and the month
was spent quietly in North Wales instead. When he
returned to Manchester at the commencement of the session
his health had somewhat improved, though it was not fit for
the hard work which he proposed for himself during the
winter.

In October 1871 The Theory of Political Economy was
published. In this treatise he had fully developed the

254 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 36.

theory, the chief points of which had been sketched ten
years before in the paper read at the British Association
meeting at Cambridge in 1862, and published in the journal
of the Statistical Society in 1866.

The theory was purely mathematical in character. To
Mr. Jcvons it seemed perfectly clear that " economy, if it is
to be a science at all, must be a mathematical one . . .
simply because it deals in quantities. Wherever the things
treated are capable of being more or less in magnitude, there
the laws and relations must be mathematical in nature." To
quote his own words again : " The theory consists in applying
the differential calculus to the familiar notions of wealth,
utility, value, demand, supply, capital, interest, labour, and
all the other notions belonging to the daily operations of
industry. As the complete theory of almost every other
science involves the use of that calculus, so we cannot have
a true theory of political economy without its aid." In
all Mr. Jcvons 1 previous statistical writings he had done
what was in his power towards making political economy an
exact science. In a later part of the Introduction he says :
" I know not when we shall have a perfect system of statistics,
but the want of it is the only insuperable obstacle in the
way of making political economy an exact science. In the
absence of complete statistics the science will not be less
mathematical, though it will be infinitely less useful than if,
comparatively speaking, exact. A correct theory is the first
step towards improvement, by showing what we need and
what we might accomplish."

Mr. Jevons had already at intervals made some progress
in writing The Principles of Science ; he now intended to
devote himself entirely to its completion, to the exclusion of
other work, except that attached to his professorship. His
mornings were always spent at home, and he had at least
three hours' work in his study. Directly after lunch, on
three days in the week, he went to Owens College, and gave
lectures during the afternoon. On two days in the week
he lectured in the evening also. As he lectured with only
notes before him, he always felt the hour's lecture a consider-
able effort and he used to say that he envied the professors
of the physical sciences, who could occupy a part of their time

JET. 36. EVENING LECTURES. 255

in showing experiments to their students. But the evening
lectures were those from which he suffered most. He was
very susceptible to close, hot rooms, and in the old house in
Quay Street, which Owens College occupied until its present
buildings were completed in 1873, the rooms were imper-
fectly ventilated, and by the time evening came, with the
addition of gas, they were almost unbearable to him. This
winter the evening lectures tried him more than they had
done in previous years. One of his friends, who lectured at
the college on the same evening, remarked that he often
seemed perfectly exhausted at the close of them, but he
would not give in. The class that fatigued him most of all
was a large and somewhat unruly class of pupil teachers
from the elementary schools in Manchester ; for when the
Cobden professorship of political economy was endowed, it
had been arranged that free teaching was to be given by the
professor to a class of pupil teachers. There were a few
really good pupils amongst them, but as the majority did
not care to learn, it required great effort to keep their atten-
tion fixed during the hour's lesson. What made the evening
work particularly bad for him, was that any over fatigue or
excitement at night prevented his sleeping, so that he was
not really fit for his morning's work next day.

Until Christmas, however, he continued his usual amount
of work, and made considerable progress with his Principles
of Science. He contributed a paper during this winter to
the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, " On the
Inverse or Inductive Logical Problem ;" he also gave a
course of lectures to ladies on political economy, and he was
quite umiware, till the close of the year, how much his
health was giving way.

CHAPTER IX.

1872-1874.

To his sister Lncy.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
2Qth March 1872.

"... DR. MORGAN says I must take a good long holi-
day, and that in a few months I shall be quite strong again.
Early next week we are going to the Lakes for two weeks,
and I shall then probably be quite well enough to complete
next term, which is a comparatively very easy one. It is
the evening classes that I believe injure me, as I sometimes
feel quite done up with them, but now they are fortunately
at an end. Harriet and I have almost come to the conclu-
sion, hastened by my present state, to leave Manchester and
go and live quietly and economically in or near London. I
fear that I shall always be liable to this sort of over-fatigue
as long as I have evening classes. Harriet is quite desirous
of leaving Manchester now that almost all her relatives have
left, and I think it would ultimately be of great advantage
to me to be in London."

On the 6th April he wrote again to his sister :
" I got your letter this morning from Grange. We came
back from there somewhat in a hurry, as Harriet has informed
you. I did not find myself so well there, and did not like
being away from my doctor. I suffer from weakness
brought on, I think, chiefly by over-work during the past
winter, and no doubt complete rest during the summer will
restore me. I have quite decided to discontinue the college
work for the present at all events, and they will have to find
a substitute. Whether I shall resign altogether need hardly

MT. 36. ILL HEALTH. 257

be decided just yet If there seems a prospect of my being
much better and stronger I might possibly continue. . . .
We liked exceedingly what little we saw of Grange it rained
during several of the days, and we did not get about at all,
but the mountains looked beautiful, especially on the day
we left."

Mr. Jevons' illness was characterised by great inability
to sleep, and this, instead of improving with the pure air and
quiet of the country, became so much worse at Grange
that he had to return home for immediate advice. It was
so hard for him to keep his mind from working actively
during the day that loss of rest at night told more upon
him than upon most people. The month that followed
was one of much suffering, mental as well as bodily, for he
could not keep his thoughts from dwelling on his half-written
book, the Principles of Science, and he often feared that he
should never live to finish it. As soon as he was sufficiently
recovered to leave home he went to Ludlow, where his sister
was then living.

On the 12th May he wrote from Ludlow to his brother
Herbert :

< Harriet and I are now on a visit here of a week or ten
days.

" I have been rather more ill than I like to think of. It
commenced shortly after Christmas by indigestion and sleep-
lessness, and although 1 managed to carry on my college
work until Easter, my doctor then ordered me to leave off
all work whatever ; I seem to have exhausted my nervous
system by over-work, so that any exertion disarranges my
digestion and heart, but after some sharp treatment, involv-
ing several weeks in bed, or in the house, I think I am
coming all right again. I shall have to spend the next
three or four months as a perfect holiday, and we have
various plans as to what to do ; not unlikely we shall go
to Norway.

" I am to be one of the fifteen new members of the Royal
Society elected this year, and Harry Roscoe informs me
that in the ballot by the council I came out at, or very near,
the top of the list."

After several weeks' rest and change of air at various

s

258 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 36.

places, Mr. Jcvons was well enough to get through his duties
as examiner for the London M.A. degree, and then returned
home to make arrangements for a long tour with his wife in
Norway. He was still so very far from well that it seemed
rather a rash experiment going so far away, and so much
out of the reach of medical advice, but as he was quite unfit
for writing, it was most necessary to choose some place
where work would be out of the question, and where his
active mind would be occupied and interested with the novelty
of his surroundings. They sailed from Hull to Christiansand
in the first week of July, having a sea so smooth the whole
way, that the captain told them it might be fifty years before
there was another passage like it.

To his sister Lucy.

BERGEN, nth July 1872.

" I daresay you will like to hear from me how we are
getting on, although you may have had some details in
Harriet's letter, which I asked to have sent on to you. We
left Christiansand yesterday morning at 7 A.M. after a brief
night of four or five hours' sleep, obtained with some difficulty,
owing to the noise of horses, dogs, and people. The day's
journey was, for the most part, very agreeable, the steamer
passing among an infinity of islands, and stopping every few
hours at a small town or village of pretty bright-coloured
wooden houses, usually built at the very edge of the water.
These houses were almost entirely occupied by fishermen,
and at one or two of the larger places, especially Haugesund,
the herring -fishing is largely carried on, and there were a
vast number of the picturesque warehouses at the water edge,
where they cure the herrings, make the barrels, and store
them.

" The fiords which we passed through in this part of the
coast are not grand, as the rocks seldom rise, I should
think, above 1 500 or 2000 feet, and are generally low ; they
are devoid of trees, and almost of vegetation. Yet the
infinite variety of shaped islands and channels, with beauti-
ful blue water, and occasional views of the open sea, made
very pleasant scenery. If you can imagine steaming for two
days through the Menai Straits, dcvoided of its bridges, and

r- 36. BERGEN.

259

with only distant views of snowy mountains, you will have a
fair idea of fiord scenery as far as we have yet seen it.

" My chief difficulty has been want of sleep, as the steam-
boats almost invariably depart or arrive in the middle of the
night. Even when we had a clear night in the Hero be-
tween Hull and Christiansand, we were kept awake for
two or three hours by the dreadful steam whistle, which was
far from needless, however, as we were nearly run into by
another steamer in a fog. The Arendal, in which we came
from Christiansand, was a small boat crowded with baggage
and native passengers of various grades. There were fright-
ful vibrations from the engine and screw, and no proper
berths, but only couches in a close -crowded cabin. I
managed to get a few hours' sleep before we arrived, about
4 A.M , at Stavangcr, a principal town, where we remained
changing cargo and passengers until 7 A.M. Added to
other discomforts was a slight amount of sea sickness, arising
from occasional breaks in the chain of islands, where we
got a fair amount of rolling and pitching. . . . Yesterday,
our second day among the fiords, made me so sleepy that
I dosed and nodded about the deck all day, and last night
I slept in spite of all the cocks of Bergen, which appeared to
be doing their best shortly after midnight. With Bergen itself
we are perfectly charmed. It lies in the corner of a splendid
fiord, and at the foot of a range of mountains. The town runs
round the sides and ends of a natural basin, which forms the
principal part of the harbour. The houses here are various
and quaint in form, the streets narrow and devious, and there
are many marks of antiquity. Many of the women are
dressed in peculiar costumes, and have ingenious head-
dresses unseen elsewhere. Altogether the place has a
thoroughly Norwegian appearance ; and when we are able
in the cool of the evening to walk about, I daresay we shall
see much more that is interesting. Although there is none
of the luxury which one meets in Switzerland or some other
fashionable places, we find everybody very attentive to
our comforts, and exceedingly civil. The language presents
but little difficulty. We find about a dozen Norse words very
useful, such as tat = thanks, vand water, smor= butter,
brod = bread, bla = ale, and so on. A great many people

260 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 36.

know a little English, and when both fail, a few words of
German are pretty sure to be understood. A good deal of
Norwegian is pronounced more like the English than it is
spelt. For instance, you hear people saying ' God morgen '
indistinguishably from our ' Good morning ;' and there is no
mistaking such sentences as * Vad kan dc giv os til aftcns ?'
(supper).

"As regards victuals I have made myself ill two or
three times, as my curiosity gets the better of my prudence ;
but the fine air, which is certainly of the best quality and
full of ozone, has helped me through. If it is true that fish
is good for the nerves and brain, I am likely to return
restored indeed, for the fresh - herrings, trout, salmon, and
anchovies arc never wanting, and are beautiful to eat. Last
night we had portions of the most magnificent lobster I ever
saw. We shall probably leave here by a steamboat at
I A.M. on Sunday morning for Trondhjem and Tromso in the
north ; a great inducement being the splendid cool air and
the smooth water of the coast fiords through which we
shall pass. On returning to Bergen we shall perhaps go up
one or two of the great inland fiords where the grandest
scenery is ; then cross by land to Christiania, and possibly
visit Copenhagen before returning from Gothenburg to Hull.

"Saturday, i$t!i July. It is very hot here to-day, and
though not so oppressively so as on a hot English summer
day, yet it is more than we like, and the sun is very power-
ful. They have had fine weather here for six weeks at least,
and with our usual luck we find that we have come in for
one of the hottest summers that they have had of late years.
We have decided to leave for Trondhjem at one to-night, and
shall try to keep as much at sea as possible for the present.
This morning we obtained one of the few vehicles for two
persons existing in the town, and drove to the fish-market,
the post-office, and the museum. The fish-market is con-
sidered one of the sights of the place, and was chiefly carried
on by bargaining between the women on the quays and the
men in the boats the fish and money being handed about
in the most inconvenient manner. We had a good view too
of the jacgts or yachts, which are fishing -boats from the
extreme north, built in the identical shape familiar to the

^T. 36. THE ROMSDAL. 261

old vikings, with a very high stern and prow, and a single
mast planted just in the middle of the vessel bearing a single
large yard and sail. These vessels remind me of the boats
figured in old pictures and on old coins. The museum con-
tains many antiquities worth seeing. Afterwards we had
a beautiful row round the parts of the fiord making the
harbour."

To his sitter Lucy.

BERGEN, Tuesday ^ 6th August 1872.

" We have now got back to Bergen, and I have had the
pleasure of receiving your letter of 22d July, everything in
which is satisfactory. Harriet has also had two letters,
which have pleased her much, being the first which have
reached us since leaving England.

" On leaving Bergen after our first visit we proceeded to
the north by a fine coasting steamboat. On the way it
suddenly turned cold and wet, and the weather has since
been very cold. Most people would regret the previous fine
warm weather, but the cold suits my health best ; and when
I hear of the recent great heat in England I think myself
very fortunate in being away from it.

" 1 now begin to feel more in the way of recovering from
my state of weakness. On two or three recent occasions I
have been far from well, and I am hardly able to walk yet
more than I did at Ludlow; but I am beginning to sleep
in a much more satisfactory manner, and my digestion is
better, so that I hope to be soon stronger. . . .

" At Trondhjem we stayed four days waiting for a return
steamboat ; but we were much disappointed in the town,
which, although the ancient capital of Norway, contains few
things of interest. We came south again as far as Molde,
on the way to the celebrated Romsdal. From Molde, which
is on the shore of a fine fiord, we had a grand view of the
surrounding ranges of mountains, covered here and there
with patches of snow, and looking almost Alpine in character.
But it is in the Romsdal itself that we have seen the grandest
scenery as yet. Four or five hours' journey up the Romsdal
Fiord on a small steamboat was very enjoyable. In the
higher part of the fiord vast rocks rose almost straight oul

262 W. STANLEY JEVONS. xt. 36.

of the green water to the height of 2000 or 3000 feet ; and
up every opening were glimpses of still higher mountains in
the distance. The forms of the mountains are wonderfully
varied, and in some places they rise into snow-covered peaks.
If you pick out the finest bits of scenery in Wales or Scot-
land, and then imagine yourself travelling for days and
weeks amidst a constant succession of such scenes, always
varied in character, you get some notion of the country
we arc in.

" The drive of three miles up the Romsdal brought us
to the well-known Aak Hotel; and after passing one night
in a comfortable farm-house in the neighbourhood, we ob-
tained a cheerful pleasant room in the hotel, and were
induced to stay two weeks there. This hotel is beautifully
situated in the wider part of the Romsdal valley, and two
or three miles from the magnificent gorge at the foot of the
Romsdal horn. It is difficult to give you any idea of this
mountain, which rises almost perpendicularly from the sea
level to a height of more than 5000 feet, and terminates in
a rounded horn or peak, which has never been ascended.
We have watched it for many days in all varieties of
weather, but I think it perhaps looked most beautiful of
all when the topmost point peeped through the clouds.
Curiously enough there is at the very top a large rock or
boulder, which is generally supposed to be a cairn raised
by some person who had climbed the horn ; but this is
proved to be mistaken. On the other side of the gorge is a
frightful range of precipices terminating at the summit in
jagged points of rock known as the Troltindcrnc, or the
Witches' Peaks. We drove through this splendid part of
the valley on two occasions ; and on one of them went
about twenty miles, to one of the small posting inns or
^'dfr-stations called Ormcin. The valley, though less re-
markable and grand in the higher parts, presents a constant
succession of beautiful views. This journey was our first
attempt at cariolc travelling. You would be amused if you
could see Harriet and myself in two very small, light
vehicles trotting away among the rocks and precipices and
over Alpine bridges. We are already expert enough in
driving ourselves, and in fact the horses, or rather the ponies

*r. 36. AT HOTEL AAK. 263

for they are seldom larger than ponies are so well-
trained and accustomed to the roads that they hardly require
driving. One day we drove in carioles up a side valley
where an English carriage would have come to grief half a
dozen times. On this occasion we visited the soeter (sater)
or out farm of the hotel where most of the cows are sent
during summer ; but we have not seen any mountain sceters
yet, as they are generally beyond the reach of any carriage
road.

"At the Hotel Aak (pronounced Oak) we spent an
agreeable indolent life, reading novels, of which there was a
good supply, driving out in the evenings, and lying on the
grass in the mornings. The English tourists in Norway,
too, are often agreeable company. In the hotel they varied
in number, from three or four to eighteen or twenty, but
occasionally there were parties to which we objected. The
Norwegian tourists are usually of a superior class to those
encountered in Switzerland and France, and we have liked
many of them very well. A young American, who has
been travelling for three years in many parts of Europe,
was our most constant companion, and amused us much.
At the latter end of the time, too, Dr. Frankland, the former
professor of chemistry at Owens College, came to fish, and
1 was glad to become better acquainted with him than before.

44 We stay here until Thursday, when a steamboat leaves
for the great Harclanger Fiord. After visiting several parts
of that, we shall cross by land to the Sogne Fiord, and after-
wards we hope to get across the country by carioles to
Christiania. As there is sometimes a difficulty in getting
good meals, and meals are important to me, we are setting
up a beautiful provision basket, full of biscuits, preserved
meat, brandy, etc.

" If all goes well, I think we shall not return to England
until the middle of September, by which time I hope to be
much better."

To his sister Lucy.

VOSSEVANGEN, I 7/// August 1872.

" Having abundant spare time here, I propose to tell you
briefly about our travels since I last wrote to you at Bergen.

264 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 36.

We are now spending several days in a rather comfortable
and well-known hotel in a village or small town about
twenty-four hours' journey from Bergen. It is at one end
of a fresh-water lake, the Vangs Vand, which appears to be
about two miles long, but really extends three or four miles
farther, out of sight. The mountains slope up from the
water in a comparatively mild manner, and the farms and
farm-houses extend half-way up them, so that the view is
pleasing and pretty rather than grand. The lake is not
altogether unlike Bala Lake, though the mountains even
here are higher than any visible there. As there is a boat
at the water's edge ready for us at any moment, we occa-
sionally take a row, and we get a boy to row us some
distance, and then take a walk.

" We left Bergen at 9 A.M. by a fine steamboat for the
Hardanger Fiord, and after proceeding for several hours
down the coast, reached the mouth of that fiord, up which
it took the rest of the day to steam. The scenery was
always pleasing, but became more and more grand as we
approached the higher parts. As we did not wish to spend
a wretched sleepless night on board the vessel, we landed
about eleven o'clock at a village called Utne. This landing
was the least pleasant one we have had, as the boat was
loaded with luggage and goods, and with about a score of
passengers, many of whom sat high up upon the pile of
goods. The next morning we took a row.-boat, and went
about three miles, so as to meet the steamboat again, which
had, in the meantime, been going up and down some of the
branches of the fiord. We had then a splendid sail of three
hours down the Sdr Fiord, a long narrow branch of the
Hardanger, the lofty mountains on either side sloping steeply
down into the water in a succession of headlands, and
covered on one side by fields of snow and small glaciers.
On reaching Odde, the village at the end of the fiord, we
had our first serious trouble about accommodation, as there
was a sudden concourse of tourists, and we could only get a
very small bedroom, just sufficient to contain the usual two
small beds, with two doors opening respectively into the
eating-room and kitchen. Our companions here, consisting
of one exceedingly tall Norsk gentleman (how he got intc

^ET. 36. NORWEGIAN SCENERY. 265

the beds is a point that can never be explained), and several
parties of English tourists, were by no means agreeable, and
we had the misfortune to meet four grown-up boys, whom
other tourists described as c rowdies, 1 and who behaved alto-
gether so disgracefully that it has been a principal object of
our arrangements, ever since, to avoid them.

"Odde, however, proved to be a beautiful place. A
mile above the village was a fine lake three or four miles
long, so closely surrounded by mountainous precipices that
a boat across the lake was the only mode of proceeding
farther. On one side was a narrow valley, terminating in a
beautiful glacier, which, by the aid of a pony, we managed
to reach. The ice was hollowed out into a scries of fantastic
caverns of the finest azure colour, exceeding anything I had
seen in Switzerland. Another day we spent in a glorious
ride to a place about twelve miles up the main valley, beyond
the lake, the views being equally grand and lovely.

"In spite of its beauty, we were not sorry when the
steamer came to carry us from Odde to Eide, where we had
a comfortable inn nearly to ourselves, but no very grand
scenery ; little to do, in fact, but watch the netting of salmon.
After stopping two days, a drive of three hours with a capital
horse brought us here."

GUDVANGEN.

u After staying four days at Vossevangen, we came on
yesterday, and enjoyed a sight of the most beautiful scenery
perhaps which we have yet met with. The drive of twenty-
eight or thirty miles is said, indeed, to be unparalleled for
beauty in Norway, and I doubt if it is to be exceeded else-
where. During the first three stages of about seven miles
each, we passed a succession of lakes, surrounded by pine
forests, sloping hills, with groups of wooden farm-houses,
rocks, with every variety of waterfalls, the view being
generally closed by lofty mountains, diversified with patches
of snow. But it was when commencing the last stage at
Stalheim that we came in sight, all at once, of the celebrated
Nwrodal. The road here attained a height of i ooo feet or
more, and there were rounded mountains with peculiar white
rocky summits towering up above us, when at a turn in the
road we saw the Ncero Valley, a long narrow gorge, with

266 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 37.

nearly perpendicular rocks of 5000 or 6000 feet in height
running away out of sight. We have a photograph of this
valley, which will give you some idea of its beauty. Gud-
vangcn is a small village lying six or seven miles down the
valley, at the point where the Ncero Fiord commences, which
is but a continuation of the valley filled with sea water. On
the way there was much besides the scenery to amuse us.
In the first stage we had two good horses and carioles, and
enjoyed a good trot, which down some of the hills became
so rapid as to make one quite dizzy. But at the first station,
or posting-house, we were disgusted to meet a party who had
ordered twelve horses, while only six were available. We
were glad to put up with two return horses and stolkcerrcs
(or little carts). For the third stage only one stolkcerrc and
horse could be got, and at the last stage we degenerated to
.such an old horse and rickety cart that trotting down hill
appeared highly dangerous, and we descended a long series
of zigzags on foot. The stations are supposed to be little
inns, where, on an emergency, one might have to sleep, but
on this journey they were most wretched wooden huts, in
which one hardly liked to put one's nose. At one place we
tried to get tea with the aid of our provision basket. Though
we had plenty of tea, we could get nothing better as a tea-
pot than a large saucepan, with boiling water at the bottom.
When we asked for milk, a bowl of it appeared, which proved,
however, to be sourer than butter-milk. When we tried to
get some sugar, which we had forgotten to bring, the kind-
ness of the villagers produced some sugar-candy. As there
were no eggs, bread, meat, or anything else, our meal
resolved itself into some dry tongue and biscuits which we
had with us.

" We are now spending a leisure day at a comfortable
hotel in Gudvangen, a village so shut in by lofty rocks, of
which it is impossible to estimate the height, that the sun
was not visible till nine o'clock. Just opposite the hotel are
three cascades, which fall over the cliffs close together,
descending in a succession of beautiful curves and streams of
spray, many hundred feet at a bound.

" To-morrow, about noon, we go by steamboat down the
Noero Fiord, and up another branch of the Sogne Fiord to

/ET. 37. RETURN TO ENGLAND. 267

Loerdal, and, with the splendid weather which we now enjoy,
we must have a glorious view.

" We now think of returning to England by a steamboat
about the 6th September, but it may possibly be the I 3th.
I feel at times a good deal better, but every now and then
have a return of the old symptoms, so that I fear under-
taking any fixed work at present."

To his sister Lucy.

HULL, 9/7* September 1872.

" I am glad to say that we have returned safely to Eng-
land, and hope to be at home to-night. We got to Hull
about 8.30 last night, by the Rotto steamer from Gothen-
burg, and stayed the night at Mr. Hunt's, a relative and friend
of ours. The Rollo is a fine steamboat, with the first cabin
in the middle of the vessel, so that we felt the motion very
little, and Harriet seems none the worse ; indeed, for a large
part of the way, the sea was quite smooth. The voyage
occupied about fifty hours. The final parts of our tour con-
sisted of a visit of about five days to Christiania, but as the
weather was often rainy, and we were tired after our cariole
journey, we did little but rest ourselves at a very comfortable
hotel. Then we went overland by railway to Gothenburg in
Sweden, a journey of eighteen hours, by the express train.
We were much amused by this train, which, although an
express mail train, with a travelling post-office, stopped about
five minutes at most of the stations, and finally stopped for
the night at a little Swedish town, where all the passengers,
about a dozen in number, went to an hotel and had a com-
fortable night's rest, starting again at seven in the morning.
We were interested by what we saw of Sweden and the
Swedes, and much pleased with Gothenburg, which, although
a busy and rising port, is also a clean and beautifully-built
town. The scenery in Sweden is of a poor kind, excepting
pretty little views of the innumerable lakes with flat shores.

To his brother Herbert.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
\$th October 1872.

"... We are now settled quietly at home after our

268 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 37.

splendid tour of two months in Norway. My health was so
far improved that I was recommended by my doctor to
undertake the day classes, leaving the evening classes to a
substitute, and I have some hopes that, with great care, I
may get through the session. If I break down again you
may expect to see us in New Zealand.

" I am not sure that I have written to you since we went
to Norway, and I should like to tell you a good deal about
our journey, our driving in a pair of carioles for hundreds of
miles through the most varied and beautiful scenery. We
intend to spend another summer there as soon as possible."

To J. L. Shadwcll) Esq.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
17/7* October 1872.

" More than six months ago you did me the favour to
send me some critical remarks upon my Theory of Political
Economy. I was then, as I informed you at the time, pre-
vented from giving any attention to the subject by the advice
of my physician, and after being absent from home nearly
the whole of the summer, it is only within the last few
weeks that I have ventured to attempt any work again.
You will therefore, perhaps, excuse my long delay in answer-
ing your letter, which was, nevertheless, of much interest to
me.

" You desire to retain Adam Smith's sense of the word
value, and to use as a measure of value the length of
time which a man will labour in order to obtain any given
commodity. Now, you will find that in page 181 I show
my view of the matter to be in accordance with the doctrine
of labour measuring value, so far as it is true. Articles do
exchange in quantities proportional to the products of equal
quantities of labour. But the subject requires to be much
more carefully analysed, for, as I point out in chap. V.,
labour is excessively valuable in painfulness, and the length
of time is not sufficient to measure the amount of labour.
It is true that equal quantities of labour are of equal value
to the labourer, using the term value to express esteem or
amount of pleasure and pain involved, but equal periods of
labour do not necessarily represent equal amounts.

*T. 37- THEORY OF UTILITY. 269

"You object again that I have given no measure of
happiness, but you will observe that there are many things
which we cannot measure except by their effects. For
instance, gravity cannot be measured except by the velocity
which it produces in a body in a given time. All the other
physical forces, such as light, heat, electricity, are incapable
of being measured like water or timber, and it is by their
effects that we estimate them. So pleasure must be esti-
mated by its effects ; and, though I did not go into the
point, labour might undoubtedly be used as one of these
effects. The average pain which a common labourer under-
goes during, say, a quarter of an hour's work after he has
been ten hours at work, would measure the utility to him of
his last increments of wages but the pain of this quarter of
an hour is greater than that of any of the previous quarters.

" Then, again, the pleasure may be defined by the
amount of commodity producing it. Then the ordinary or
average good occasioned to a man by an ounce of bread
after \ Ib. of bread have already been eaten might be taken
as a unit of pleasure, remembering of course that the
pleasure derived from any commodity is not propor-
tional to that commodity. Then, as I have pointed out,
pp. 12-14, all commercial statistics form data, which, if
rendered more complete, would enable us to assign numerical
values to our formulae. Prices express the relative esteem
for commodities, and enable us to compare the pleasure pro-
duced by the final increments of the commodities. Had we
complete tables of prices compared with quantities consumed,
we could determine the numerical laws of variation of utility.

" 1 believe I was not sufficiently careful to point out the
process by which we might (with perfect statistics) turn all
the formulae into numerical expressions, but I only attempted
the first step, which was to get the formula; correctly, and
the main point of difference from Adam Smith was the dis-
tinguishing of the degree of utility from the total amount of
utility.

" With regard to the relative variation of value of gold
and silver, I was aware of what was stated about the increased
production of silver, but I am not aware that this increase
is nearly so great as that of the increase of gold. And I

270 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 37.

think that it entirely fails to account for the gold price of
silver never varying more than about 3 per cent, and gene-
rally much less."

On the 1 3th November he wrote to his brother Her-
bert :

" I have felt much better myself during the last week or
two, and am becoming quite active again. My election to
the council of the college gives me a great deal of occupa-
tion without much fatigue, and I am writing very little at
present. If all goes on as well as at present, I shall begin
to look forward to a long life again, concerning which I was
very doubtful during the last nine months."

To John L. Shadwcll, Esq.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WTTHINGTON,
$th December 1872.

c< I have been intending, day after day, to thank you for
sending me the copy of the Westminster Rcincw containing
your article on the ' Theory of Wages. 1 I particularly re-
marked the article at the time of its appearance, but not
being in good health, set it down for reading at a future
time. I have now read it more than once, and carefully
considered it, and so far as I can pretend to judge, I think
you have put forth the truth very clearly and soundly. I
feel sure that the general proposition which you put forth,
that wages are ultimately governed by efficiency of labour, will
some day or other be recognised as true, and though Mr.
Hearn, myself, and perhaps some previous writers, have had
some notions to the same effect, yet I think that you have stated
the truth more roundly and fully. I am especially pleased
with your protest against the effort to procure ilicap labour
as a means of promoting the prosperity of a country. I
have often felt inclined to view the matter much in the same
light, that cheap labour means a low reward for the main
mass of the population, and the good chiefly of landed pro-
prietors, but I do not remember this truth as being anywhere
stated so clearly before.

" I think that you are perfectly correct in taking dear
labour to be the test of prosperity of a people, the dearness
being, in fact, the measure of efficiency. It is only in the

JET. 37. CRITICISM OF THE "THEORY OF WAGES" 271

details of your argument that I should be inclined to criticise
at all. I cannot concur in what you say on p. 202 of over-
population resulting only from fluctuations of commerce.
Surely there is always over-population when people are im-
provident, and unable, or careless, to provide for the inevit-
able vicissitudes of the seasons. Ireland has furnished the
clearest possible case of over-population, and I think that
the same may be said of the whole agricultural population
of the United Kingdom, which has only been to a certain
extent saved by the extension of manufactures, as I tried to
show in the chapters on population in my Coal Question.

"Again, do you not sometimes ignore the variation in
the value of money which on several occasions has produced
an apparent rise of wages ? I entertain no doubt that such
is the case at present, and that it lies at the basis of all these
strikes.

14 A more important point which I should dissent from
is your adoption of a general average of wages and a treat-
ment of the higher rates of pay to skilled mechanics and
others as exceptional cases. In my Theory I have attempted
to show that any general rate is illusory, and that every one
who works for pay will ultimately be paid according to what
he contributes to the general industry. I think that it is
the very essence of wages to vary with the skill and efficiency
of the labourer, and you will readily see that this follows
from your own theory. It is a convenient simplification of
the subject to pass over this question of the difference of
wages ; but you so far detract from the consistency and
value of your theory.

" May I express a wish that you will not rest contented
with having printed so concise an essay on the subject, but
will develop your views more fully? I think there is great
need in political economy of keeping independence of thought
alive.

" For myself, I am able to do so little work at present,
and have such hard tasks of a different sort on hand, that
I have little hope of writing anything more on political
economy for some time to come."

Being relieved from all his evening work at college, Mr.
Jevons found himself able to take the day classes through

272 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 37-

the session, but he could do very little other work. The
Christmas holidays he spent at Ludlow.

To K /. Broadficld, Esq.

5 MILL STREET, LUDLOW,

25/// December 1872.

" You will be glad to hear that not only the organ
gallery but the whole church here, is continually warmed by
hot water, so that the temperature is very agreeable. The
organ is, I believe, one of the sweetest and best for its size
in England, having been built a century or more ago by the
German maker Schnetzler (or some such name), and recently
reconstructed and improved by Gray and Davison. The
tone of the whole is very good, I think, and some of the
stops are exquisite in quality. The church also, which is
very large and in many respects a beautiful one, seems very
favourable for sound, as there is not the least reverberation
apparent in any part.

"... We have quiet comfortable lodgings here ; and
there arc beautiful walks about the castle and river, and the
Whitcliff on the other side and close at hand. The quaint
little town always amuses us, so that we are doing very well.

" I am now getting on pretty quickly with the large
logic, The Principles of Science; one hundred and twenty-
eight pages are in type, and before next midsummer I hope
that the first volume will be completely printed.

"The organ here has thirty-nine sounding stops, four
manuals, and strong pedal organ.

" P. S. I am much disappointed in the termination of
Middlemarch. The introduction of Ladislaw is a blemish
on the whole, and the novel would have been better with
about half the characters."

On the ist January 1873 he wrote to his wife, who had
gone on from Ludlow to Bridgcwater to visit her sister for a
couple of days.

" I have just been much pleased to hear of your safe
arrival at Bridgewater after a comfortable journey. . . .

" I have just returned from one and three-quarter hour's
practice, which, with a walk up to Gravel Hill, will be exercise
enough for to-day. You may make your mind quite easy

*T. 37. PROGRESS OF "PRINCIPLES OF SCIENCE" 273

about me, as now you are once at Enmore Road I shall get
on quite well. . . .

"I am in pretty good spirits about the Logic just at
present. I think I can finish the first* volume before the end
of this month ; and if my health improves as it has lately
done, I should think the second volume might be done
before the end of the year but we must not be too
sanguine.

" Tell Mary Ann, with my love, that I hope to send her
exercises in a few days. I should also like to know whether
in reading the Logic \Elcmentary Lessons] she detected any
errors or defects, as I am thinking of having some corrections
made in the plates before long.

" Please remember me kindly to Eliza, and tell her what
a beautiful organ we have here. I had Dick to blow the
solo or^an this afternoon, and produced some startling
effects with the flute and trumpets."

To W. H. Brewer, Esq.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
1 5//* January 1873.

" I am very much obliged to you for the letter which I
received at the college a day or two ago. I was very
desirous of learning what attempts had been made to apply
mathematics to political economy, and I carefully searched
the British Museum catalogues, the Royal Society cata-
logues of papers, and some bibliographical books without
success. Whenever the occasion shall arise, I shall hope to
make proper use of the information which you have so
kindly procured for me. Since the Theory of Economy was
published I discovered that I had by some unaccountable
oversight omitted to notice Garnier's mention of Cournot's
work, Rcchcrches snr Ics Principes Mathcinatiqitcs dc la Thforic
dcs Richesscs, par Augustus Cournot ; Paris, 1838. I have
lately procured this book without difficulty through Messrs.
Ascher and Company, but have not yet read it sufficiently
to form a definite opinion on its value.

" It evidently has little or no relation to my mode of
approaching the subject through a theory of utility. The
almost total oblivion into which such works have fallen is

T

274 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JKT. 37-

very remarkable, and not encouraging to those who attempt
other works of the sort.

"I shall be glad to have any other information which
you obtain about the books named ; I think something
ought to be done to rescue them from entire oblivion.

" It was a pleasure to the examiners to have a candidate
to whom they could so unhesitatingly award the medal as to
yourself."

To his sister Lucy.

WiTHlNGTON, 2d February 1873.

"... I am sorry to say that my over-exertions at the
Ludlow organ threw me back for six or eight weeks, and I
am hardly as well yet as when I went to Ludlow. As it
will not do to be going on in this slow manner, we have
made up our minds to buy a pony and carriage, so that I can
take good long drives several days a week, and get plenty
of air without over-exertion. I think that this will give me
the best possible chance of recovery ; and in spite of the
considerable cost, will prove economical in the end. We
had our house on fire on Friday evening. The skirting-
board close to the chimncy-picce in the drawing-room was
blazing away at a white heat ; and had it not been im-
mediately discovered by Harriet, who was in the room,
would probably have been all in flames in half an hour, as the
east wind caused a great draught. If it had occurred at
night the house might have been burnt, and we sleeping in
the room above. The fire must have been caused by burn-
ing soot blown down behind the skirting-board by the east
wind."

To W. If. Brewer, Esq.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
I4/// February 1873.

" Best thanks for your letter, enclosing the extracts from
Kroncke's economical investigations ; I shall carefully pre-
serve them for future use. I procured Cournot's other
work upon economy which you now mention, but have not
read more than a few pages. The fact is that what time
my health at present allows me to give to work is nearly
absorbed by a logical work in slow progress through the

AST. 37. COURNOTS "RECHERCHES? 275

press, so that I have to keep economical matters for the
future.

" I have, however, since your previous letter, looked a
little more into Cournot's Rcchetchcs, and am inclined to
regard it as a very able and mostly sound work, though it
hardly gets anywhere to the bottom of the matter. The
latter part of the book, in which he treats of the law of
supply and demand, is very striking and original.

"My Theory has been reviewed in the Academy of
ist April 1872, p. 131 ; the Manchester Guardian of 22d
November 1871; the Manchester Examiner of 1 5th November
1871 ; the Glasgow Daily Herald of i6th December 1871 ;
the Evening Standard of J7th December 1871, in addition
to those you mention, and a few other brief notices.

"You may be inteiested t hear of a paper by Mr.
Flecming Jenkin in the Proceedings of the Edinburgh Royal
Society (1871-72), p. 618, in which the method of his
paper in ' Recess Studies ' is farther pursued. Some
reference is made to my Theory; but as regards questions of
priority, Mr. Jenkin has allowed himself to be in error.

" I shall look forward with interest to any further results
of your researches."

7fl his sister Lucy.

THE PEACOCK INN,
IJASLOW, 30/7* MarJi 1873.

" We are having a quiet Sunday in this beautiful little
hotel. The weather being so favourable, and both of us
rather in need of a change, we made the first of our intended
drives in our pony carriage ; and the pony brought us all
the way from Manchester very pluckily. As the distance
is nearly thirty-five miles, and there arc two long hills on
the way, it is naturally somewhat tired to-day ; but after a
quiet day I hope it will be ready to take us back to-morrow.
Many parts of the drive were very beautiful, especially be-
tween Buxton and here.

" I do not know whether you remember the Peacock
Inn, which stands on a slight elevation on the right hand
side of the road as you go to the lower part of the village,
where we once stopped, possibly in this inn. I do not
know any place where they make one more comfortable ;

276 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 37.

and there is a charming view over the meadows looking to-
wards Chatsworth, where we expect a pleasant walk this
afternoon. . . .

We propose to take a driving tour during the Easter
holidays, probably in Cheshire or the nearer parts of Wales ;
but it partly depends on the pony and partly on the
weather."

On the 24th April, after the holidays, he wrote again to
his sister :

" Our tour was, on the whole, very successful. We went
first to Northwich, seventeen or eighteen miles away, inspected
salt works, and descended into a salt mine ; then through
Dclamere Forest to Chester, where we spent Good Friday
in the very comfortable Grosvenor Hotel, Fred and Sarah
being away from home. On the Saturday we reached Llan-
gollcn ; and though the Hand Hotel was very full, we found
it comfortable. On Sunday we gave the pony a rest ; and
we climbed Dinas Bran, 700 or 800 feet high, a task I dare
not have attempted a few months ago. We were well
pleased with Llangollen, Harriet finding it much more pretty
than she expected. After visiting Valle Crucis Abbey on
Monday morning we went on to Corwen ; thence on Tuesday
we had a long drive by the Holyhcad Road to Capel Curig,
where we again gave the pony a day's rest. Siabod and
Snowdon looked magnificent on our first approach, owing to
a thin haze which magnified their apparent size, but at other
times the haze was so thick that we got no good views.
We were not altogether pleased with Capel Curig Hotel,
nor with their charges ; but the situation is delightful. Rain
having come on, we made a short stage to Pentre Voelas.
The next day being fortunately fine, we crossed the moors
to Denbigh ; and after visiting the castle, went on to St.
Asaph, and spent the night in the smallest of cathedral
towns. The next day's work was somewhat arduous, as
we drove through Ruddlan and Diserth to Holywell ; and
after seeing the well reached Mold. On Sunday morning
we had a short stage through Hawarden to Chester ; and on
Monday a long and rather tedious drive of nearly forty
miles to Withington. I am glad to say that the pony stood
the work very well, in spite of the long steep hills we

^T. 37. LEA VE OF ABSENCE. 277

occasionally encountered. We had one or two little mis-
haps with the carriage, which, although not preventing oui
getting home in it, have necessitated our sending it to be
repaired. On the whole, our tour was most enjoyable, the
weather being generally very agreeable. Were it not for
the expense, which amounted to nearly thirty shillings a
day, I should wish to repeat the tour in other parts of
England."

To the Contemporary Review for May Mr. Jevons con-
tributed an article, "Who discovered the Quantification of the
Predicate?" but with that exception his time was still de-
voted to the completion of the Principles of Science.

To his brother Herbert.

T'ARbONAGE ROAD, WlTlIINGTON,

TL^thJune 1873.

"We leave for a long tour in Norway the day after
to-morrow, and I write a few lines to say that I hope you
are now much better in consequence of the bold step you
took. Your correspondence has again dropped off, but in
the meantime I take no news to be good news.

" I have also taken a bold step, in asking the college to
give me a session's leave of absence, offering at the same
time my resignation as an alternative. Though there has
been no opportunity yet of giving me leave formally, I under-
stand that there is no doubt about it. I have to find a
substitute at a cost of ^200, but have got a good one for
that You must not suppose that my health is any worse ;
on the contrary, it is better, but there is so much leeway yet
to make up, and so little reason why I should at all endanger
my ultimate complete restoration, that I feel sure it is wise
to make the sacrifice, and both Harriet and myself will
enjoy the tours we intend to make.

" We begin with Norway again, where I intend to do
much execution on the salmon and trout, having laid in
some fine tackle.

"In September we hope to have Tom and his family
here ; in the new year we hope, if all goes well, to spend
many months in Italy, the Tyrol, Germany, or other parts o'
the Continent.

278 W. STANLEY JEVONS. &\\ 37.

" All that I suffer from now is nervous and muscular
weakness, which it takes some time to recover from ; but
having improved during a session of work, I trust there is
little doubt of thorough restoration during a session of play.

" I know too little of your present affairs to discuss them
as I should like.

"I am much occupied with final arrangements for our
departure, and so must say farewell."

To Jus sister Lucy.

LlLLEHAMMER, 2(1 July 1873.

" You will perhaps like to have a few lines announcing
our safe arrival in Norway. We left Hull on Friday evening
last at about eight o'clock, in the steamboat Oder, which was
considerably smaller than the Hero, in which we crossed last
summer. Although there was but little wind or sea, she
took to rolling, and on Saturday nearly all the ladies and
many of the men were sick. I was glad to find myself a
better sailor than last year, and more like what I used to
be. During Saturday night we had a fresh breeze, and the
ship rolled a good deal, but next day the wind and sea
calmed down, and as we approached the coast of Norway
everything became cheerful and pleasant.

"We reached Christiansand, where we previously stayed
some days, at 4 P.M., and after landing a few passengers and
a little cargo, proceeded toward Christiania. There was
some trouble among the steerage passengers, as a watch had
been stolen and a case of hats in the hold broken open. We
had a rather curious scene when the trunks of the passengers
were searched on their going ashore. One of the hats was
found in one trunk, but the watch was not discovered. What
happened to the thief on getting ashore we did not learn.

" Next morning, Monday, we were in the entrance of the
Christiania Fiord, which runs up into the country for many
miles, and we had a calm and pleasant sail up it until nearly
one o'clock. We were then troubled by hearing as soon as
we were alongside the wharf that all the hotels in Christiania
were full, owing to some timber market or fair which was
being held. Some of the passengers, it seemed, had tele-
graphed from Christiansand, but eventually a nice room was

JET. 37. SECOND TOUR IN NORWAY. 279

found for us, and all the other passengers, I believe, found
accommodation, except one young man, who had to sleep on
board the steamboat. It aftcnvards turned out that he had
telegraphed for a room, but owing to circumstances into which
I did not think it necessary to inquire minutely, we had got
his room.

" After changing money, buying a few cheap novels, and
completing our stock of provisions and necessaries at Mr.
Bennett's, a man who is the factotum of Norwegian tourists,
we set off on Tuesday morning by a railway about forty-five
miles long, which goes to the foot of Miosen Lake. This is
a fine long lake, no less than sixty-five miles long, up which
we were conveyed by a good steamboat, crowded with
Norwegians. It took the whole day, from 8 A.M. to 7 P.M.,
to get from Christiania here. Lillehammer is a small, curious
town, at the head of Miosen (the lake is really called Mios,
and en is the article f/ic, as we discovered yesterday), and is
the starting-point for the roads to the northward. There is
nothing in the neighbourhood to detain us, but we are taking
a little rest to-day, and shall at the most only go a couple of
stages by cariole this afternoon. We propose to go in the
course of a day or two to a little mountain inn, at a place
called Rodshcim, afterwards we shall proceed leisurely down
the komsdal, stopping a day or two at the stations where
trout fishing is to be had. I want to find a quiet place to
make my first essays in the angler's art, before entering upon
salmon fishing at Hotel Aak.

" Although rather tired by the voyage and the bustle at
Christiania, I think I am much more fit for travelling this
summer than last, and hope to come home, comparatively
speaking, quite strong. . . .

" This morning we have delightfully bright weather, and
the scenery around is cheerful and pretty, though not grand*
the head of the lake being surrounded by pine-covered hills
of moderate height, dotted over with bright green fields and
little red farm-houses.

" They are very primitive people here ; the bedrooms
lead out of each other, and the maids coolly walk about your
bedroom early in the morning, carrying off your boots to
clean, inquiring what you will have for breakfast, etc."

280 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 37.

On the way to Aak Mr. Jevons stopped for a day or two
at Lesje Jernvoerk, at the head of the Romsdal, on purpose
to examine the lake there, which was said to have two out-
falls. After a thorough examination he came to the con-
clusion that it was a mistake. On his return to England he
sent an article on the subject to Nature, called " Lakes with
two Outfalls."

To his sister Lucy.

MERAAK, GEIRANGER FIORD,

NORWAY, 30/7* July 1873.

" We have now got nearly to the end of the world, but
find it a pleasant place, in which we propose to spend two or
three quiet days. We came up the Stor Fiord yesterday on
a steamboat, reaching Hcllesylt early in the evening. As
there were rather more tourists than could be easily accom-
modated, we took the quietest little bedroom which you
could imagine, consisting of one of the very small wooden
huts which had been neatly fitted up for such use. Here we
slept well until 4 A.M., when we were wakened, and had to get
on board the steamboat again, as it was going to leave at 5.

" The Gciranger Fiord is a branch of the Stor Fiord, and
it took us about two hours to reach Meraak. The scenery
on the way was in the highest degree beautiful ; in fact I
was hardly ever so much pleased with any view. The fiord
is bounded by vast rocky ranges, which sometimes rise in
cliffs 1000 or 1500 feet almost perpendicularly out of the
water. The Noero Fiord is a vast gorge of the same dimen-
sions, but it is dark and gloomy, and almost terrible. In
this fiord the rocks are beautifully diversified in form,
clothed in many places with fine woods, in others with bright
patches of green fields, on which, at surprising heights above
the water, are perched little soeters or farm-houses, prettily
coloured. These cottages can only be reached from the
water by climbing from the boat-house at the edge of the
fiord up dizzy paths winding among the rocks, where ropes
or rails are requisite for safety. It is said, too, that mothers
tether their children in these places, to prevent their falling
over the precipices, which may be within a few yards of the
door. To all the other beauties of the fiord was added that
of the waterfalls. The minor fosses, streaming down the

*r. 37. THE GEIRANGER FIORD. 281

hills through thousands of feet, were almost too numerous to
receive individual notice, but that known as the 'Seven
Sisters ' was so lovely that even the sailors who had passed
it numberless times seemed to be none the less struck with
its beauty. In times of flood it consists of seven streams,
which flow down the face of a prominent cliff, through many
hundreds of feet. In some places the water descended
through the air in graceful festoons, as in the Staubbach ; in
others it coursed down the rocks, and leaped in every variety
of form, so that there were hundreds of little cataracts in
view at once. As we passed, the sun shone out well, and a
fragmentary rainbow crossed the spray and mist which
floated round. Light clouds hung about the surrounding
precipices, showing their magnitude without obscuring their
forms. The whole scene was more like what one might
expect to sec in fairyland than in this commonplace world,
and you might probably travel over every part of the globe
before you would find anything to surpass it.

" Meraak is a small village at the head of the Geiranger
Fiord ; and though the beauty here does not equal that in
the lower bends of the fiord, it is grand and charming. A
small hotel has been lately put up here the celebrated
* recently in this place ribcd establishment/ of which the
advertisements have been a standing amusement to Nor-
wegian travellers. But even the scenery and the unique
English of the advertisement have not brought many people
to stay, so that we have the small hotel to ourselves, and the
primitive people of the house are very attentive. Just out-
side the door is the water of the fiord, and the boat from
which I intend to fish.

" My letter to Tom was posted while we were at Aak.
W? there passed ten or eleven days with even more pleasure
than on our previous visit. I spent many hours fishing, the
favourite mode being to sit in a boat, and be rowed about
the river trolling for salmon, and catching perhaps once in
two hours a trout of some size. As little or no skill is
requisite in this kind of fishing, I was unable to account for
my comparative 511 luck, as I never got beyond a two pound
trout, and never beyond two fish at a time. Nevertheless
other men caught large trout, and three or four salmon of

282 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 37.

seven or ten pounds' weight were also caught. The visitors
at Aak this year seemed more than usually agreeable.
Among them were two men who proved to be old college
acquaintances of Tom's and mine, the latter being pretty
well known to Tom. Our chief friends were three Americans,
two brothers and a sister, from Boston, whom it would be
difficult not to like, and whom we shall be glad to meet
again in some other part of our journey. In spite of the
small rooms and somewhat scanty fare, Hotel Aak is a
charming place to idle away a few weeks in, and we already
talk of a third visit in some future year.

" From Aak we went down the Romsdal Fiord in a
steamer and stayed one night at Moldc, getting a glorious
view across the broad fiord of the long range of snow-
patched peaks and fjelds visible therefrom. Crossing the
fiord again by steamboat about mid-day on Sunday, we took
horses at Vcstnaes, whence a road leads to a promontory on
the Stor Fiord. During part of the four hours' drive we
passed over high moorlands and among bare sloping moun-
tains pleasantly reminding us of Wales ; but as we approached
Soholt, on the Stor Fiord, the scenery became still more
beautiful, and the first view of the long reach of the fiord,
surrounded by innumerable headlands and mountains, varie-
gated with snow, was very charming. Soholt is a very
pleasing village prettily situated on the grassy slopes around
a bay of the fiord ; and we passed two quiet nights in the hotel
very comfortably, the only drawback being occasional heavy
rains. Here I had my most successful fishing as yet. By
the aid of a little carriage we climbed up the mountains
to a lake, where I got six nice trout, but not of any great
size.

" Udvick, Nord Fiord, $th August 1873. We have
now advanced somewhat on our overland journey to Bergcn.
From the Geiranger Fiord we returned by a four hours'
boat journey to Hellesylt on the Stor Fiord, whence by a
rather long and tiresome drive we got to Faleidet on the
Nord Fiord. The weather is much less favourable to us
this year than last, and half the long drive was passed in
rain, the clouds throughout hiding the greater mountains.
There was, nevertheless, much that was beautiful on the

^T. 37. HIS CLASSES AT OWENS COLLEGE. 283

way; and the first view of the green water of the Nord
Fiord, with the grand group of snowy mountains surround-
ing the head of the fiord, was very charming. At Faleidct
is a pretty and in many respects a nice little hotel, where
we stayed four days, partly on account of the rainy weather,
partly because the occasional absence of proper meals or of
suitable food had made both of us somewhat unwell. . . .

" This morning we have come over the fiord by a boat,
a two hours' row, and we shall probably go on to-morrow,
although it is requisite to take a twelve or fifteen hours 4
journey, beginning with a steep ascent up a mountain. We
intend to stay at a place called Sandc, where there is good
river and lake trout-fishing, and afterwards we reach Bergen
by steamboat.

To W. H. Brewer, Esq.

UDVICK, NORD FIORD,

NORWAY, 5 t?i August 1873.

" I was glad to receive your letter a few days since, and
to hear that the council had, as I expected, appointed you
as lecturer for the following session. As I have now an
opportunity of posting a letter by the steamboat to-morrow,
I will answer your questions as fully as I can.

" i . Your classes will be four in number, (a) Logic and
mental and moral philosophy three hours per week through-
out the session. The logic is taken first, and has usually
occupied the course till the end of January, but if you
prefer you can terminate it at Christmas. In this part of the
course I have always given exercises at least twice a week.
Mental philosophy begins when the logic is concluded, and
occupies the time till about the end of April ; and the
remaining four or five weeks are then given to moral
philosophy; occasional essays arc required in mental and
moral philosophy.

" 2. You will not need to give any formal introductory
lectures. Certain of the professors will give public intro-
ductories at the opening of the new buildings, but we are
much opposed to admitting the public to the opening of each
class. You can, therefore, start with your subject at once ;
but as the class is not always complete the first day or two,
it is well not to get into any important part of the subject.

284 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. ;ET. 37.

" 3. All the lecturers hold examinations of their classes
at Christmas and I think also at Easter, of which you will
be fully informed ; but you can also appropriate a lecture
hour to a brief examination whenever you think fit. I find
I have overlooked the greater part of my answer to (i)
and therefore return to it. (b) The political economy day-
class is held for one hour weekly throughout the session,
and you can count the number of lectures in the calendar.
In this class occasional essays or written answers to questions
may be required at your discretion, but you will not get as
full answers as you might desire. I have generally fol-
lowed somewhat the order of subjects in Mill's Political
Economy, in perfect independence, however, of his views and
methods when desirable. In the subject of currency I have
always abandoned his book altogether; although it would of
course be desirable to include in your lectures more or less
reference to all the parts of the subject, especially those
named in the prospectus, yet the relative amount of atten-
tion given to the different parts must be left to your own
discretion, and it has in my own case varied much from year
to year. (c) The evening logic class consists of twenty
weekly lectures. It may consist of the day lectures
condensed and slightly simplified ; but you will find a
considerable proportion of the students able to enter
pretty fully into the subject Weekly exercises should
be given out, though many will not give satisfactory
answers, (d) Evening political economy. This may consist
of the day lectures condensed, and some of the less im-
portant parts omitted. A few essays may be expected, and
directions for reading may be given. (r) Pupil teachers'
class. In this class rudimentary instruction in political
economy is given. My usual method has been to begin with
a viva vocc cross-examination and discussion on the subject
of last week's lecture for about a quarter of an hour or
twenty minutes ; and then to proceed to the DICTATION of
a simple lesson, interspersed with explanations and illus-
trations. I find that the pupil teachers are mostly too
young to take down proper notes of an ordinary lecture,
and, therefore, I have dictated the more important parts
slowly.

^ET. 37- HIS MODE OF LECTURING. 285

" Having had so much experience in teaching, you will
of course be able to choose your own way of instruction,
and I only mention my own way for sake of suggestion.
Brief essays should be required from the pupil teachers.
You will have to select your own style of lecturing. Some
of our professors write their lectures complete and read
them off; others give them entirely extempore, as in
chemistry especially. My own mode is to have full notes,
extracts, and written propositions of importance, and to
dictate important statements verbatim and slowly, inter-
spersing them with extempore discussions. The lecture is
much relieved by occasional questions to the class generally,
and I also use the blackboard upon every possible oppor-
tunity, ' especially in logic. You will, I hope, take these
suggestions founded on my own practice for what they are
worth, and your own experience will probably lead you to
the best mode of instruction.

"I shall hope to be at home in England before the
middle of September, when I will write again to you ; and
we may perhaps have the pleasure of seeing you in Man-
chester shortly after that. We are having very bad weather
at present, every day rainy and cold ; but still there is
enjoyment in the continual succession of splendid scenery
through which we are slowly travelling by land and water.

" Thanks for your kind wishes concerning my health. I
think Norway is doing me much good on the whole, though
the slight hardships we have to put up with are sometimes
rather trying to those whose digestion is not very good.
Nothing, however, can exceed the perfect idleness and free-
dom from business or anxiety which we enjoy here : we
have not had any news at all since we left England five
weeks ago."

To his sister Lucy.

SANPE, i2th August 1873.

rt As it is a very wet morning, and the fish will not rise,
I may as well write you a short account of our late pro-
ceedings. We are now in a comfortable little inn in a very
pretty spot. The rugged and gloomy mountains which
usually surround us on the west coast of Norway have here

286 W. STANLEY JEVONS. -OT. 37-

given place to beautifully wooded ranges of less height, and
the valley is open, with a fine river wandering through it.
The scenery reminds me very much of Bettws y Coed and
the neighbouring parts. As the station is unusually com-
fortable, and there is trout-fishing in the river a few yards
from the house, we are spending a quiet week here. Our
companions also arc agreeable, consisting at present of only
the three Americans. My old college fellows also were here
till this morning, and completed a quiet party.

" Since I wrote last from Faleidct and Udvig, we have
had much bad weather, but have nevertheless enjoyed three
days' travelling through glorious scenery. It is the peculiarity
of Norway that there arc not simply a few grand views, but
an endless succession, and what we are unable to go to is
often finer than what we see. From Udvig it was necessary
to make a heavy day's journey, beginning at 7 A.M. by the
ascent of a mountain 2200 feet high, which was so steep that
we had to walk up three-quarters of the way, this being by
far the heaviest climb which I have done since my illness.
From the top we had a fine sight of great mountains, and a
peep of the Justedal Glacier, which is said to be the largest
in Europe. Driving down the other side of the moun-
tain, we reached a fine lake, which it was necessary to pass
by boat. At its upper end the lake is hemmed in by lofty
precipices, but the view was to a great extent obscured by a
storm of rain and wind which came on when we were half-
way, and rendered our journey three hours instead of two
hours long. Harriet was a little frightened by the waves,
but there was no danger whatever, and the men in these
lakes and fiords always keep close to the shore when they
can. From the end of the lake we drove through a glorious
pass, bounded by immense precipices, and scattered over at
the bottom with huge boulders larger than houses. One
very striking feature was a great double-pointed mountain
which stood out at the turn of the valley, with a very pretty
waterfall coming down some thousand feet, or perhaps two
thousand, from between the two points.

"After passing a succession of small lakes, we reached
the beginning of the Jolster Vand, along the shore of which
we had a somewhat tedious drive of sixteen miles, getting to

JET. 37. STA Y AT SANDE. 287

a small inn at 8 r.M. in the evening, well tired with the
thirteen hours' travelling, a large part of which was performed
in heavy rain. The fatigue of driving is often considerable,
as we have to sit as well as we can in the most inconvenient
little carts, jolting over rocks and stones, jumping out occa-
sionally to walk up steep hills or sometimes down them.
The next journey was a much shorter one, and along a very
easy road. We afterwards came on here, along two stages
of a very beautiful road, a succession of small lakes, pretty
wooded hills, green slopes covered with cottages and barns ;
at a moderate distance also were two splendid mountains,
rising precipitously about 4500 feet, and forming the com-
mencement of a scries of great mountain masses, which
shaded away beautifully towards the coast.

"We have now been here four days, and the regular,
plentiful meals, with plenty of exercise between, have done
me great good. I can now fish for several hours in the
morning and evening without being too tired. My success
is not satisfactory, luck being as usual against me, the river
much too full of water, and the weather usually unfavourable.
The fish, too, are small, not usually exceeding half a pound,
though I live in hopes of catching one of the large trout
which are in the river.

" ijth August. We are still here, and I have enjoyed a
good many days' fishing, with tolerable success. We leave
to-morrow morning for Vadheim, on the Sogne Fiord, whence
a steamboat will take us to Bergen. It is raining harder
than ever this morning, and I fear there will be little more
fine weather on the west coast this year. Although we care-
fully made arrangements for receiving letters, they have failed,
and we have heard from other tourists of five letters which
reached places after we had left. We hope to have them in
Bergen.

" The Beebcs are still here with us, and go on to Bergen
with us. Yesterday they went up the lake, leaving in good
time in the morning, and did not get home till one o'clock
this morning.

" Bergcn y \gth August. The steamer was three hours
late when it reached Vadheim, and brought us into the
harbour here at the inconvenient hour of midnight To

288 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AET. 38.

complete our misfortunes, the hotel was full when we got to
it, so that Harriet and I had to lie down and sleep on the
sofas in the eating-room until 6 A.M. this morning, when a
large American party left, and we went to bed in one of
their rooms. We have been glad to get letters here, and I
am especially pleased to have Tom's, stating that he has got
safely to England, and mentioning his plans. . . .

" Bergen is amusing even on our third visit to it, but the
weather is still rainy. We probably leave here the day after
to-morrow, and cross the Fillc Fjeld to Christiania. . . ."

On the 8th September he wrote to his sister to tell her
that they had reached home, and on the 1 8th he wrote again
to her from Chester :

" I ought to have again written to you without so much
delay, but I have been rather busy. We are now engaged
in driving our pony and carriage home from Oxton, where
Will has been taking care of it for us. I have taken ad-
vantage of the opportunity to drive Harriet round Wirral
in order to show her West Kirby, Heswell, Park-gate, and the
other places which were so familiar to us in our youth. We
stayed one night at Hoylake, a second at Chester, and
expect to reach home this evening, by way of Delamere and
Northwich. We are looking forward with pleasure to our
visit to Ludlow. . . ."

Except for a brief visit to Ludlow, Mr. Jevons remained
at home for the rest of the year, being occupied in con-
cluding his Principles of Science.

Though he did not lecture this session, he was present
at the opening of the new Owens College Buildings, which
took place at the beginning of October. In commemor-
ation of the event the professors and lecturers published
a volume of Essays and Addresses on various subjects.
Mr. Jevons contributed an essay on " Railways and the
State," in which he pointed out the fallacies in the argument
that because the Government managed the Post Office well,
they would be able to manage the railways well, and ex-
pressed his opinion that the purchase of the railways by the
State was a quite impracticable scheme.

^r. 38- "PRINCIPLES OF SCIENCE" COMPLETED. 289

To his sister Lucy.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
17 th December 1873.

" I think that I have never written to you since we left
Ludlow. It was a pleasant time we had there in spite of
my being occasionally knocked up. ... I am sure that I
feel noises far less than f used to do when my nerves were
all unstrung without my knowing it. My landlord is build-
ing two new houses within a few yards of my study windows,
but the noise has not been the least hindrance to me, and I
almost think 1 could stand barrel organs now.

" I hope to finish the book before Christmas day. There
are only a few proofs now remaining to be corrected. It is
hardly likely that the book can be bound and finished before
some time in February. I wibh I could have sent it for a
Christmas present, but T will try to have one sent when it is
ready.

To his sifter Lucy.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WIMHINGTON,
19/7* December 1873.

"... Thanks for your good wishes on our wedding-day.
As every year goes on I congratulate myself on having got
so good a wife, and my only fear in life, as I may almost
say, is of becoming too dependent on her.

u I will remember about my father's grave, and will try
to get it photographed, but it is not always easy to manage
in England, and with my entire want of knowledge of the
language there may be some difficulty. Harriet, however,
is learning up her Italian, and may, perhaps, manage it. . . ."

On the 25th December he wrote to his sister :

" I have just finished the last proof of the Principles, so
that I think I shall have agreeable recollections connected
with this Christmas day. . . ."

U

CHAPTER X.

1874-1870.

THE Principles of Science, a treatise on logic and scien-
tific method, was published at the beginning of February
1874. In this book, which had occupied years of thought
and labour, Mr. Jevons had fully developed his logical system,
of which he had given a preliminary account in the Substi-
tution of Similars. The design of the book was to detect
the general methods of inductive investigation, and to show
that the a more elaborate and interesting processes of quan-
titative induction have their necessary foundation in the
simpler science of formal logic." The frontispiece was an
engraving of his logical machine, which, as well as his
logical abeccdarium, he fully described in the course of the
work. In the preface to the first edition Mr. Jevons says,
" The study both of formal logic, and of the theory of pro-
babilities, has led me to adopt the opinion that there is no
such thing as a distinct method of induction as contrasted
with deduction, but that induction is simply an inverse em-
ployment of deduction. ... I endeavour to show that
hypothetical anticipation of nature is an essential part of
inductive inquiry, and that it is the Newtonian method of
deductive reasoning, combined with elaborate experimental
verification, which has led to all the great triumphs of
deductive research." In the chapters on "The use of
Hypothesis," on " Empirical Knowledge, Explanation and
Prediction," on "Accordance of Quantitative Theories and
Experiments," and on "The Character of an Experiment-
alist," he illustrated what he said so fully, with examples
drawn from various physical sciences, as to cause consider-

XT. 38- THE "PRINCIPLES OF SCIENCE" 291

able surprise to those who were unaware how much he had
studied physical science in his youth. The concluding
chapter of the work consists of " Reflections on the Results
and Limits of Scientific Method," and in the preface to the
first edition he thus refers to it :

" In certain concluding remarks I have expressed the
conviction, which the study of logic has by degrees forced
upon my mind, that serious misconceptions are entertained
by some scientific men as to the logical value of our know-
ledge of nature. We have heard much of what has been
aptly called the Reign of Law, and the necessity and uni-
formity of natural forces has been not uncommonly inter-
preted as involving the non-existence of an intelligent and
benevolent power, capable of interfering with the course of
natural events. Fears have been expressed that the progress
of scientific method must therefore result in dissipating the
fondest beliefs of the human heart. Even the * Utility of
Religion ' is seriously proposed as a subject of discussion. It
seemed to be not out of place in a work on scientific method
to allude to the ultimate results and limits of that method.
I fear that I have very imperfectly succeeded in impressing
my strong conviction that before a vigorous logical scrutiny
the reign of law will prove to be an unverified hypothesis,
the uniformity of nature an ambiguous expression, the cer-
tainty of our scientific inferences to a great extent a delusion.
The value of science is of course very high, while the con-
clusions arc kept well within the limits of the data on which
they are founded, but it is pointed out that our experience is
of the most limited character compared with what there is to
learn, while our mental powers seem to fall infinitely short of
the task of comprehending and explaining fully the nature
of any one object. I draw the conclusion that we must
interpret the results of scientific method in an affirmative
sense only. Ours must be a truly positive philosophy, not
that false negative philosophy which, building on a few
material facts, presumes to assert that it has compassed
the bounds of existence, while it nevertheless ignores the
most unquestionable phenomena of the human mind and
feelings,"

292 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 38.

To his sister Lucy.

ARLES, iWi January 1874.

" You may perhaps have been surprised not to hear from
me sooner, but when travelling I become lazy as regards
everything else. You may also perhaps be surprised to find
that we are yet some days 1 journey from Italy at our rate of
progress.

" Since we left London we have slept at Dover, Calais,
Paris, Lyons, Avignon, Nismes, and now are staying a night
here in a large old-fashioned room, with a wood fire. The
Mistral, or north wind, from which they suffer here, is blowing
terribly hard a cold dry wind with clouds of dust and a
clear sky ; but I think it agrees with me, as I have become
remarkably strong, after being quite knocked up by a single
day in London. We took our journey very easily at first,
and stayed five days in Paris, at a comfortable hotel of no
great size in the Rue St. Honore, called the Grand Hotel de
Normandie, which was almost exclusively English.

" I showed Harriet a few things in Paris, such as Pure la
Chaise, the museum of the Hotel dc Cluny, the Pantheon,
Saintc Chapelle, etc. It is sad to sec the buildings burnt
down, especially the Tuilcries, the interior of which we for-
tunately saw when last in Paris. Nearly all the buildings,
however, are being gradually rebuilt, and even the Column
in the Place Vcndome is rising again just as before.

" During the last few days we have been greatly pleased
with our visits to the ancient towns of Avignon, Nismes, and
to-day of Aries. I do not know whether you stayed at any
of them on your way to Italy, but they are well worth seeing,
both for the Roman antiquities and the medieval air which
still remains about the first and third. I was greatly pleased
by seeing the perfect walls of Avignon, and the vast Palace
of the Popes is a terrible building, with the dungeons of the
Inquisition, where 2100 persons were put to death during
the French Revolution of 1791. While at Avignon we
drove a short distance out of the town to see the tomb and
house of J. S. Mill. We found the tomb a very plain marble
structure, an oblong raised slab bearing the celebrated epitaph
on his wife. His own epitaph, we were told, was to be shortly

*T. 38. A VIGNON AND NISMES. 293

cut on the side. The tomb lies in a quiet nook of the
cemetery, in an angle formed by some hedges of cypress,
and it is surrounded by a railing enclosing a small garden,
with a little walk, both of which bore signs of much care.
There were flowers in bloom, and glasses to cover them, and
a basket and trowel for gardening. It seems that Miss
Taylor is now living at Avignon, and visits the tomb every
clay, and no doubt docs the requisite gardening. The house
was not half a mile off, in the flat and least wholesome and
interesting part of the country near Avignon. It was a very
plain little country house, a hundred yards off the road, with
which it was connected by a strip of garden, with lopped
trees. There was nothing attractive about it. The large
old -fashioned hotel (Hotel de 1'Kurope) at which we stayed
two nights in Avignon was the one where Mrs. Mill died,
and it seems that he carried away the furniture of the small
room in which she died, and afterwards constantly frequented
the house, coming there to chat with the landlady, Madame
Pierrow. I daresay these details about Mill will interest
you, though I cannot myself approve of such a morbid
attachment to the dead.

44 At Nismcs we were much pleased with the grand
Roman amphitheatre, nearly complete, and the Roman
temple, which is quite so. To-day we have had again a
Lreat treat, in a series of antiquities, ranging downwards from
the times of the emperors, including an amphitheatre even
greater than that of Nisincs, the remains of a Roman theatre,
a cathedral one thousand years old, cloisters, of which the
four sides have been built at four different ages, from the ninth
to the sixteenth century, all sides being remarkable for the
curious carvings or the beauty of their architecture. The
most unique thing in the town, however, is the ancient
cemetery, commenced by the Romans, and carried on by
the Christians, from which thousands of stone coffins have
been dug out, many of them richly carved, and full of various
antiquities.

"We propose to go on to-morrow to Cannes or Nice,
and to make our way without much farther delay to Florence
and Rome. . . .

" Gladstone's recent move has somewhat astonished us,

294 W. S TANLE Y JE VONS. m . 38-

and I cannot approve of the immense proposed reduction of
taxation. Both this and the sudden dissolution seem to me
an extreme measure for securing Liberal support, and I shall
not be surprised if he succeeds.

" I am now going down to examine some Roman cata-
combs said to exist under the hotel. By the bye, there are
two columns and a corner of a Roman temple built into the
front wall of our room.

" The catacombs were worth seeing, consisting of exten-
sive arched vaults of undoubted Roman work, with a good
supply of bones."

To his sister Lucy.

GENOA, *>th February 1874.

" I received your letter at the post office here yesterday
afternoon, and feel that the news about Herbert has quite
cast a gloom over things. I was so pleased the month be-
fore with his cheerful letter and agreeable prospects ; but
now I fear there is something seriously wrong with him,
though it may be any one of a hundred things, and it is
useless trying to guess what it is. . . .

"Until this sad letter about 1 lerbert came, our travels were
proceeding most pleasantly. We spent three or four days
most agreeably at Mcntonc, which is a charming place, and the
weather was perfect You will perhaps be surprised to hear
that I visited the gambling house at Monaco, and tried my
hand on a very small scale, winning about a pound. It makes
one realise what an evil such a place is, and one cannot but
regret the more that it is situated in one of the most lovely
spots on earth, more beautiful even than Mentonc. We
have been one day in Genoa, and have seen a good deal of
it ; there is much that has interested me greatly, and the
view of the place from the harbour is superb; but the archi-
tecture of the palaces and most of the churches, so far as I
have seen them, is most disappointing. We shall see a little
more of Genoa this afternoon, and then leave for Alessandria
on the way to Florence. Our only address now will be care
of Miss Smith, 93 Piazza di Spagna, Rome.

" The H6tel dc Genes, in which we are, is a very good
one, made out of an old palace, with fine marble staircases.

-ET. 38. HIS FATHER'S GRAVE. 295

Our bedroom is a great lofty chamber with painted and
vaulted roofs, and yet the charges seem moderate. At
Mentone we were in a quiet but most agreeable hotel, called
the Hotel des lies Britanniques. At Nice we were less
fortunate, and only stayed one night, and possibly this has
caused us to have an unfavourable opinion of the town com-
pared with Mentone."

To his sister Lucy*

93 PIAZZA w SPAGNA,

ROME, 2o//j February 1874.

" At last we are in Rome, having arrived here last night
by the only train from Leghorn. . . .

" We spent one whole day and two nights in Leghorn,
and of course visited the cemetery, which I found close to
the railway station. After a few minutes' search I dis-
covered my father's grave, and was glad to observe that it
was in perfect preservation. The railing of which you
spoke has, indeed, never been added, but I like the plain
marble slab and the simple inscription. At the foot was a
flourishing little shrub of laurustinus and at the head a rose
tree, which was vigorous but rather straggling. I pruned it
down a little into better shape, and I brought away a bud
from the rose and a flower from the laurustinus, which
Harriet thought you might like to have. ... I felt glad to
have seen my father's grave, and found it in perfectly good
condition. The cemetery is a pleasant little one, and is well
enclosed and kept. The rose and laurustinus will both live a
long time, especially the former, and the latter hardly looked
like an old shrub.

" We have got a capital room here, and we shall prob-
ably like Miss Smith's pension very well, though they were
having some sort of horrid reception evening when we turned
up cold and tired from our long railway journey. Harriet
is a little overdone to-day, but I do not think it is more
than a little fatigue. I am also not very lively, and our
first day in Rome has not been enthusiastic. This morning
we went down to the Forum, the Coliseum, and other parts
of old Rome, for an hour or two, but this afternoon have
done nothing.

296 JK STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 38.

" We had a very agreeable visit of three or four days to
Florence, where we saw a great deal in the time ; and
finished up on Sunday by walking about five or six hours,
including a beautiful walk out of town to Galileo's Tower
and the Hill of San Miniato, from both of which places
the views were lovely. This walk, however, knocked us
both up for the first time in this tour.

" We were one day at Pisa, staying one night at the
Grand Hotel Peverada facing the river, close to the principal
bridge. I think it must have been either the one at which
my father died or next to it. With the cathedral and
surrounding building I was, as you may imagine, very much
pleased. I ought to say that since I last wrote we had to
change our tour to agree with circular tickets with much
reduced prices which I had bought, and which obliged us to
go from Genoa by Turin and Milan to Venice.

" We stayed at Venice three or four days at a very com-
fortable hotel near the Piazza, and looking over the end of
the Grand Canal. We found ourselves there in the company
of two princes, three princesses, and quite a number of counts
and countesses ; and I was much relieved at the end of the
time to find the bill distinctly moderate, though one of the
waiters informed me that a countess had expressed herself
in strong terms of a contrary opinion. I was much pleased
with Venice naturally, though sorry to come to the con-
clusion that it is doomed to sink into ruins by degrees.
One-fourth of the inhabitants are paupers, and it is difficult
to tell what the remainder live upon except for visitors.
I had a pleasant look into some of the manuscripts of the
fine old library of St. Mark's ; I also visited the National
Library of Florence, and am going to try to get into the
Vatican Library here. . . .

"You will perhaps have seen by advertisements that the
Principles of Science is published. I hear from Macmillan
that the first sales were 170 in England, which with the
American sale might make 200. This is not much towards
selling an edition of 1250, and I am not sanguine about
the success of the book in a pecuniary sense. I have re-
quested Macmillan to send you a copy, and you ought to
have received it before you get this.

*rr. 38- OPINIONS OF MEDIAEVAL ART. 297

" 2 1st February. . . We have both of us been remarkably
well and active, and the cold frosty weather we have hitherto
had in Italy has suited me well, though it was rather too
cold to be agreeable, and in Venice almost prevented us from
indulging in gondolas. . . ."

7V? E. J. llroadficld, Esq.

PENSION, Miss SMITH,

93 P1A7/A DI Sl'ACJNA,

ROMK, lid February 1874

". . . We have had so far a glorious journey, and have
visited a number of towns. We stayed successively at Paris,
Lyons, Avignon, Nismes, Aries, Nice, Mentonc, Genoa,
Milan, Verona, Venice, Florence, Pisa, and Leghorn ; and
we have now the prospect of several weeks to spend in
Rome and Naples before returning to Florence and Milan
on our way homewards Possibly \vc nuiy also visit the
Italian lakes. We were much pleased with the old French
towns, and at Avignon we made a pilgrimage to the tomb
and house of Mill.

"Rome, ^d March Excuse the long interval between
the first and last parts of this letter. I am never inclined
for writing whilst travelling, and since being here have been
knocked up by too much exertion in sight-seeing. We are
having, nevertheless, a very enjoyable time of it. The
ancient sculpture pleases me exceedingly, and strikes me as
the perfection of art. Both the Capitoline and the Vatican
Museums arc delightful ; I cannot say the same of the frescoes
ind pictures. Having now seen what are considered to be
the finest pictures in the world, I venture to come to the
Dpinion, in which I suppose I am nearly alone, that the
medieval art was for the most part a delusion. I always
supposed that Michael Angelo was a wonderful man ; but
having seen both his frescoes and his architecture 1 give him
up. His sculpture is rather better, but does not for a moment
compare with the antique sculpture. As to other artists,
their interminable succession of Madonnas and martyrs
undergoing all sorts of operations arc wearisome when they
are not revolting. My own opinion is that a great deal
which is now thought so wonderfully beautiful will one or

298 m STANLEY JEVONS. x.\\ 38.

two centuries hence be classed with the architecture of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as absurd and degraded ;
but it is hardly likely that we shall live to see the end of
the delusion. No doubt you will say that over-much study
of logic has blunted my sense of the beautiful, but I hope I
have some perception of the beautiful in music ; and with
the ancient Greek and Roman art I am charmed.

"In architecture also I am often disappointed in Italy.
While some of the earlier buildings, like the Campanile at
Florence, are the most beautiful things I have ever seen,
others are disgusting. The facade of St. Peter's, for instance,
is to my mind a wretched production, and the whole build-
ing has little beyond size to recommend it. Some of the
earlier churches are very beautiful ; and I was much pleased
with the ancient church of San Zeno at Verona. As regards
Roman antiquities, we have already seen many of the
principal, but more of course remain. They are now
excavating the arena of the Coliseum, and arc discovering
brick and stone work under the whole of it curious elliptical
walls and passages in various directions. The antiquarians
arc already inventing explanations of them, but it must be
a matter of some difficulty.

<4 We have of course been much surprised and disgusted
with the course of politics in England. I do not wonder
that Gladstone proposes to take up philology as his future
occupation ; but I do not think the English people will long
tolerate the reign of Disraeli and the publicans. No doubt
the Nonconformists and teetotallers have done their best
to bring about the present state of things, and they will
reap the natural result of their obstinacy. What I least
like in the whole business is Gladstone's offer to make an
enormous remission of taxation, which I am sure is against
his own better judgment, and contrary to opinions he ex-
pressed some years ago in one or two private letters to my-
self."

To his sister Lucy.

93 PIAZZA DI SPAGNA, ROME,
^d March 1874.

"... We are having, on the whole, a very pleasant time
in Rome, though I have been much knocked up and unable

*T. 38. VISITS TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES. 299

to see half as much as I should like ; but I am now coming
round again. We have seen most of the important anti-
quities already, and some of the galleries. The sculpture
galleries of the Vatican and Capitol are delightful places,
and we are going again to the former this afternoon. The
frescoes and pictures I do not generally care for, and often
let Harriet go to them alone. I think there is a great deal
of false art in them, and much that is weaiisome and disgust-
ing, but the sculpture is all variety, and generally most
beautiful, and it is the only sculpture I ever cared for.

" It would be impossible to tell you about a quarter of
what we have seen. We have only as yet been two drives
outside the walls, once to the Basilica and catacombs of St.
Agnese, which were very interesting, and once to some curious
Roman tombs. There is now a sharp cold wind blowing,
which renders much driving undesirable."

Mr. Jcvons visited the Vatican library with great pleasure,
but as he continued to feel unwell, he shortened his stay in
Rome, and the proposed excursion to Naples was given up
On the way north they stopped a day or two at Perugia,
where he went to the public library and examined the old
logical MSS. with much interest ; and at Milan he spent all
his available time in the Ambrosian library. At Bologna he
saw Raphael's celebrated picture of St. Cecilia, of which he
expressed an unqualified admiration both in subject and exe-
cution. It is to be regretted that there is no letter giving
an account of his visit to Ravenna, which made an indelible
impression upon his mind. Years afterwards he wrote in his
article on the " Use and Abuse of Museums," " Who that sees
some of the reproductions of the mosaics of Ravenna hanging
high up on the walls of the Museum at South Kensington,
can acquire therefrom the faintest idea of the mysterious
power of those long lines of figures in the Church of St.
Apollinaris?" After a brief but delightful visit to the Italian
lakes they went by way of the Mont Cenis tunnel to Paris.

To Ids brother Tom.

WITHINCTON, MANCHESTER,
iqth April 1874.

" Although I have a great many other letters requiring

3oo IV. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 38.

answers, I must defer them until I have written at least a
short letter, although it is but to tell you what you must
know, that I have been grievously distressed about poor
Herbert's death. The fears I had entertained about the
nature of his illness had been somewhat removed by his later
letters, so that I was quite expecting to sec him in England
within a few weeks from this time, and I was planning how
we could best arrange for his comfort and restoration. The
letter therefore which I received in Paris from John was quite
a shock, and joined to a rather disquieting report of Lucy's
health led us to travel to Ludlow with much speed. . . .

" Of poor Herbert's end I have tried to take the most
cheerful view, that it was probably not a very painful one,
and that the sudden termination undoubtedly relieved him
from much suffering. Judging from his letters, I cannot
suppose that he had felt any very acute pain, which must
have earlier convinced him of the hopeless nature of his
illness.

"... 1 have been reading over with painful interest the
letters which I had from him for years back, which are not
many. I am inclined to find some comfort in the belief
that the later years of his life, in spite of disappointments
and misfortunes, were his happiest. ... 1 do not think
that he was ever really solitary and purely unhappy. I feel
sure he was the most sociable of us all, possibly excepting
Lucy, and his days were occupied between bank work during
the morning and afternoon, and music, theatres, games of
whist, billiards, etc., or occasional dances in the evening.
No doubt, as he said in one letter, his life was a dull routine,
but so it is for a great many people, and I have little doubt
that the free and easy society which arises in new colonial
towns may have suited him better than the slow heavy
society of English towns.

" There is probably sufficient difference of age between
us to prevent you from having as long a recollection of him
as myself. My recollections, indeed, arc not very vivid, in
especial before 1850, when I lodged with him in London.
Ever since that time I have felt constant sorrow for his state
of health, and more or less anxiety as to what might come
of it. ... But there is one most pleasant feature in his

ALT. 38. DEATH OF HIS ELDER BROTHER. 301

recent letters. They all show with what courage and
strength of mind he was bearing disappointments and mis-
fortunes of various kinds, and at last encountering the certainty
of a painful death. All his fickleness of mind seemed to
have gone, and he stuck to his post until it was too late to
see us again, though we may hope that he had no idea how
suddenly his end would come. . . ."

To George If. Darwin,

PARSONAGE ROAD, WlTHINGTON,

MANCHJ-.S'J ]<k, "d April 1874.

" For more than three months past I have been travelling
on the Continent. Your letter of 1 2th February was forwarded
to me, and I was very glad to find that you now allow the
correctness, in a certain point of view, of my mode of repre-
senting the rate of interest. You will remember that I never
denied the correctness of your own formula, which arises
from the supposition of different conditions. The question
really is, therefore, which conditions most accurately corre-
spond to those of actual industry, and though I have still a
prejudice in favour of my own, and like very much the sim-
plicity of the result, I do not propose at present to attempt
to decide the question, but shall preserve your solution for
the time, if ever, when I appioach the subject anew.

" Let me also now thank you for the copy of your paper
in the Contemporary Review on Mill's views of capital. 1
read it, when received, with great interest, and agreed with it
cordially. I hope we may see many contributions to the
theory of economy from you, for I think I could count on
the fingers of one hand those in England \\ho really give
any contributions of the sort.

" When I reached home a few clays ago I was sorry to
find that your circular concerning the marriages of cousins
had been lying here quite unnoticed. I need hardly say
that if I had been at home it would have been promptly
returned. I now send it in the hope that it is not altogether
too late. Although I am sufficiently acquainted with the
genealogical details of a very great number of relatives, either
of my own or my wife's, I cannot find that there has been
more than one marriage of cousins, that included in the

302 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *n. 38-

accompanying return from my wife. There has been no mar-
riage at all of two persons with similar surnames, so far as I
can ascertain. At first sight I did not perceive the purpose
of the return and the method of inquiry, but I presume you
intend to count up in newspapers, or other lists of marriages,
the comparative number of marriages of similar names to
whole number of marriages, and thus by a double ratio to
obtain proportional frequency of cousins' marriages. It
seems a happy device "

To Professor Leon Walras, Lausanne.

MANCHESTER, \2th May 1874.

" Pray accept my best thanks for your kindness in sending
me a copy of your Memoir, and for the very courteous letter
in which you draw my attention to it. When your letter
came I had, indeed, already noticed in the Journal dcs Econo-
mistes your very remarkable theory. I felt the greater
interest in the subject because my own speculations have
led me in the same direction, now for the last twelve years
or more. It is satisfactory to me to find that my theory of
exchange, which, when published in England, was either
neglected or criticised, is practically confirmed by your
researches. I do not know whether you arc acquainted
with my writings on the subject. All the chief points of
my mathematical theory were clear to my own mind by the
year 1862, when I drew up a brief account of it, which was
read at the meeting of the British Association at Cambridge,
as you will learn from the report of the meeting ( l Reports of
Sections/ p. 1 5 8). A very brief abstract was then alone
inserted in the report, but the original paper was printed in
the journal of the London Statistical Society in I 866, vol.
xxix. p. 282. I beg to forward you, by book post, a copy
of this paper. Finally, in 1871, 1 caused to be published
by Messrs. Macmillan and Company an octavo volume called
the Tkeory of Political Economy, in which is given a full
explanation of the theory, with the aid of mathematical
symbols. I shall be glad to learn whether you are yet
acquainted with this work, since, if you are not, I shall be
happy to present you with a copy. You will find, I think,
that your theory substantially coincides with and confirms

*r. 38. FIRST LETTEX TO PROF. LON WALRAS. 303

mine, although the symbols are differently chosen, and there
are incidental variations. You will see that the whole theory
rests on the notion (section 8 of your paper) that the utility
of a commodity is not proportional to its quantity ; what
you call the rarity of a commodity appears to be exactly
what I called the coefficient of utility at first, and afterwards
the degree of utility ', which, as I also explained, was really
the differential coefficient of the utility considered as the
function of the quantity of commodity. The theory of
exchange is given in section 14 of my paper, and may be
considered to be contained in one sentence. An equation
may thus be established on either side between the utility
gained and sacrificed at the ratio of exchange of the whole
commodities, upon the last increments exchanged.

" Now, in my book of 1871, 1 show fully how this theory
may be expressed in symbols. If there be two persons, A
and B, of whom A holds the quantity a of one commodity,
and B holds b of another, then I give the equation of ex-
change in the form

in which x is the unknown quantity which A gives to B in
exchange for y. It follows that -' is equivalent to your

Pa or Ph namely, the price current or ratio of exchange.
Again, }\(ax) means the degree of utility, of so much as
he has handed over to B. Now these degrees of utility
are exactly equivalent to your rarities^ and your equation

Pa~~*\ ' s identically the same in meaning with my own

form of statement. Indeed, when the meaning of the terms
is explained, your proposition * Lcs prix courants ou prix
d'equilibrc sont cgaux aux rapports dcs raret^s ' is seen to
coincide precisely with my theory, except that you do not
point out how many equations are requisite, or how many
unknown quantities there arc.

" The publication of your paper as it now stands is very
satisfactory, in so far as it tends to confirm my belief in the
correctness of the theory, but it might lead to misapprehen-
sions as to the originality and priority of its publication. I

304 W. STANLEY JEVONS, ^ET. 38.

shall therefore take it as a favour if you will kindly inform
me whether you are sufficiently acquainted with my writings,
or whether you would desire me to forward a copy of my
Theory of Political Economy.

" With many thanks for your kindness in bringing the
Memoir to my notice, and with much admiration for the
clear manner in which you have treated the subject, believe
me," etc.

To his brother Tom.

PARSON AGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,

MANCHESTER, 14/7* May 1874.

" I agree with you that it is not well to think much of
the past, which is for us in many ways so melancholy. We
have enough to think about and do in the present. You
will, however, wish to hear the details of poor Herbert's
death, which I have now received in a letter from Dr.
Coughtrey, of which I enclose a copy. It is quite evident
that he died almost instantaneously. . . ,

" Thanks for the copy of the New York Tribune. I have
received two other copies of the same from other people. I
have also the Times and 7W. I like the Tribune notice
very well, and that in the Times is not bad. The reviews
here are very slow in speaking, if they mean to speak at all.
Having sent a copy to Gladstone, I have had a very pleasant
and interesting letter on the theological part.

"... I have been rather troubled about my professorship
and monetary arrangements, but shall probably continue, on
condition of having no evening lectures this next session,
i very nearly resigned. I am at present commencing in a
very leisurely way my book for the International Scientific
Scries, upon the subject, Money, and the Mechanism of
Exchange. As I look forward to an American demand, I
must show some knowledge of the American markets and
currency. There was a book I once presented to you, or
lent, upon the New York Money Market Can you post it
back to me, or at all events give me the title, since it is
essential to me, containing an account of the New York
Clearing House? I am ordering Sumner's History of the
American Currency, but if you can come across any other
books relating to American money and banking, I should

JBT. 38- SECOND LETTER TO PROF. L&ON WALRAS. 305

much like to have them or the titles. I should also be glad
if you would explain to me the exact position of the
American currency at the present moment, and the relation
between the greenbacks and the National Bank currency.
Of course I have noticed and rejoiced over the veto of the
Inflation Bill, which has saved America from a gigantic job
and blunder."

To Professor Leon Walras.

OWENS COLLEGE,
MANCHESTER, 30/7* May 1874.

" I have now been in possession, for two or three days, of
part of the proofs of your work on the Thcoric dc la Richessc
Socialc, which you have been so good as to send me, and 1
have already read a considerable portion of them with much
admiration. Before attempting to form any final opinion as
to whether there are important points of difference between
our views or not, 1 should like to have more time to study
and reflect upon your printed chapters, and also to see the
remainder of the work. But I cannot delay expressing the
pleasure with which I find that we have by independent
paths reached conclusion^ which arc nearly if not quite the
same. I flatter myself with the hope that the unity of our
results arises from the best cause, namely, that we have both
reached the truth, which must be one. After receiving your
very friendly letter of 23d May, and after seeing a full state-
ment of your mode of arriving at the equations of exchange,
I cannot for a moment entertain the least doubt of the entire
independence of your own researches as regards my own.

" As to the question of priority of publication, it is of
course of less importance than that of the truth of the theory
itself. But 1 confess that I have always in my own mind
attached much importance to this mathematical theory of
economy, believing it to be the only basis upon which an
ultimate reform of the science of political economy can be
founded and a solution of many difficult problems effected.
I cannot, therefore, help accepting your very kind offer to
make known in the Journal tics Economises or otherwise the
fact that I had already gone over part of the same ground as
yourself, although in a different manner. I must add that
I feel it to be most honourable in you, after seeing merely

x

3o6 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 38.

the brief sketch of my theory as printed in the Statistical
Journal for 1866, to acknowledge at once my priority on
some points ; and I shall be glad to learn your opinion of
the much fuller statement of my views contained in the
Theory of Political Economy, of which I have lately posted
you a copy.

" For my own part 1 shall have much pleasure in doing
what I can to make known in England your own excellent
statement of the theory of exchange, and to show my high
estimation of your friendly conduct I trust that the theory
of exchange will thus become the origin of the exchange
between us of many friendly letters."

To his sister Lucy.

122 GOWLR SlREKT, LONDON, W.C.

"We are settled in comfortable lodgings at the above
address, and shall probably be here for a week longer. I
think we shall have a good time of it, and I combine a little
business with a good deal of pleasure. This evening I go
to dine with the Political Economy Club for the first time
since they made me an honorary member, but the .subject is
one about India, on which I do not sec how 1 can have any-
thing to say. To-morrow I am going to the annual visita-
tion of the Greenwich Observatory, when one has a good
opportunity of seeing the place . . .

" The worst of corning to London is that it makes me
wish to live here altogether, the libraries arc so attractive.
I have already been once to the Royal Academy, and like
the show of pictures much on the whole, including the cele-
brated picture of Miss Thompson. I am probably going again
this afternoon.

To his brother Tom.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINOTON,
i9/// June 1874.

"Your agreeable letter of I4th June was received a few
days since. I need hardly have said that it was agreeable,
as yours are always so, and serve to cheer me.

" Thanks for sending the books. ... I think you are
quite right in deferring any remarks on American Currency
until there is something fixed. It will be next year before

^r. 38. QUESTIONS ABOUT AMERICAN CURRENCY. 307

the book is done, I feel sure. In the meantime there arc
many little points you might inquire into, quite useful in any
case. I want to know

" i. What is the nature of a certified cheque as used in
New York ?

" 2. Are they much used, and are they used in other
towns of United States ?

41 3. When a cheque is certified, is the banker justified or
obliged to retain a sufficient deposit on the part of the
drawer to provide for it ; or is it merely a kind of general
acceptance of a bill upon himself, that is, the banker ?

" It might be very useful if you could get access to the
banker's clearing house in New York, and send me a few
notes as to how they do the business especially whether
they ^till make payments in coin or notes. If you could
get copies of the paper forms employed, it would be very
valuable.

" I have lately visited the London clearing house by the
aid of Sir John Lubbock, and have been much interested
both in that and the small Manchester one. I should also
like to know whether any, and if so, what coins circulate in
the States now ?

" We spent nearly two weeks in London pleasantly for
the mobt part . . .

u I am going again into the subject of mortality, and the
effect of the Irish population on mortality in English towns.
The volume of the United States Census which you gave
me has just supplied some data quite countenancing my
theory. Thus in the States of higher mortality the pro-
portion of Irish deaths to all deaths is 8 per cent In the
States of lower mortality the proportion of Irish deaths is
only 2 per cent, a very striking difference, which quite
accords with other facts. Applying the same kind of calcu-
lation to German deaths the proportions are 4-4 per cent
and 3*0, showing little evidence of any connection.

" I hope your estimate of the Principles of Science may
prove true in some degree. I have seen a letter from a
scientific old lady, Miss Wedgwood, the niece of Charles
Darwin, who seems greatly pleased with it. The reviews
hang fire very much. I quite agree with you that the

3 o8 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 38.

Saturday Reviewer failed to see the connection between the
parts of the book altogether.

" I will consider what you urge about a tax on coal. It
is much the same as the proposal of Sir Rowland Hill in a
paper read to the London Statistical Society, December
1873, vol. xxxvi. p. 565. The paper was not favourably
received, and it would be worth your while to read the dis-
cussion if you can meet with the journal. I do not feel
quite sure about the matter, but must make up my mind, as
I have proposed the point for discussion at the Political
Economy Club, and suppose I shall have to argue it some
time next session.

" I think I can detect a gradual improvement in my
health. I still frequently knock myself up, but recover
much more rapidly than before, which seems to me a good
sign.

" At present I feel overwhelmed with things to do, and
our frequent absences from home waste so much time. I
have arranged with the college to continue for a session
without evening work, leaving future arrangements unsettled."

To his brother Tom.

WITHINOTON, MANCHESTER,
une 1874.

" We sail for Norway on 3d July, and I must write a
note to say good-bye before we go.

" I have been enjoying much some volumes of music
1 bought lately, being the trios, quartettes, and violin duets
of Beethoven, arranged for the piano, and published in
Litolf s edition of his works. You should buy them by all
means, and after a little practice you will find them, as
might be expected, full of delightful music, not more difficult
than his pianoforte sonatas, and of a lighter character in
general.

" As regards the book on money, I have now partially
promised to have it done by Christmas, so that I should like
to know something about American currency, say by October.
I have noticed what is said in the papers of recent Bills in
Congress. So far as I can make out, they arc going to
withdraw greenbacks, and leave National Bank currency

^ET. 38. THEORY OF POL. ECON. APPROVED ABROAD. 309

almost unrestricted. Unless I misunderstand the matter, I
can hardly imagine a worse solution. I should like to know
why these banks should have the right of issue? What
constitutes a national bank? Is there any limit to what
they can issue ? Unless there be some careful restriction,
there will probably be a repetition of what happened in
1830-40. Docs the profit of bank issues go in any way to
Government ? "

To M. J. cTAulnis dc Bourouill.

CHRISTIANIA, Tthjidy 1874.

" I received your very agreeable letter one hour before
leaving Manchester for a journey in Norway, and was there-
fore unable to answer it before arriving here. I sent by
post from England a copy of the brief paper on the mathe-
matical theory of political economy printed in the Statistical
Journal in 1866, to which you referred in your letter. You
will find, however, that it contains nothing but what is much
more fully described in my book on the theory, and there
are some parts of the paper, especially section 15, which I
now regard as erroneous.

" Allow me to thank you very much for the kind expres-
sions which your letter contains, and to say how gratified I
am that you approve of my efforts to trace out a mathe-
matical theory. It is quite true that what I have written
on the subject has received little or no attention in England,
and by those who have noticed it the theory has been
generally rejected, or even ridiculed. This has not shajccn
my conviction of its substantial truth, though I have feared
that it would take a long time to obtain for it any reception.
Until the last few months I was not aware that any atten-
tion had been given to my book abroad, and you may there-
fore believe that I was gratified with what you tell me.

" As to the reviews in the English periodical journals,
that in the Saturday Review of I ith November 1871 is the
most important, and indeed the only one requiring any
attention. There was indeed a review in the Academy
of ist April 1872, but though more fair than that of
the Saturday Review, it contained no criticism worthy of
your notice. Mr. Cairnes, as you truly say, has failed to

3 io W. STANLE Y JE VONS. AT. 38.

seize the idea of the theory, and his objections are conse-
quently of no weight, though he is usually a most able
economist. He has, indeed, stated, both in print and in
private letters to myself, that his want of mathematical
knowledge prevented him from reading a large part of the
book, but that being so, I regret that he has thought proper
to controvert the foundation of the theory on false grounds.

" With the remarks of Mr. Carey referred to by you, I
am quite unacquainted.

" I am most happy to hear that you propose in a forth-
coming work to illustrate the principles of political economy,
and present them in a popular form, while preserving the
scientific form, which is necessarily a mathematical form. I
have felt great difficulty in conveying the fundamental ideas
of the theory in at all a popular form, and 1 shall therefore
look with much interest to the book, of which I feel the
importance. I am sorry indeed that it will be printed in a
language of which I can read nothing, but I may suggest
that after completing the edition in Ilollandaise you may
undertake another edition cither in French or English. I
shall myself have much pleasure in making known, as much
as I can, your opinions on this subject.

" I can only regard my own work as a bare and imper-
fect outline of some of the more important theorems oi
political economy, and there can be no doubt that a hundred
points still of importance remain to be cleared up by your-
self or others. The question of the variation of the curves
of utility is one of evident importance, and I shall much
wish to see how you treat it.

"As to the exchange of indivisible commodities, I feel
myself quite unable at present to add anything to what I
have said in the book. The conclusion which I adopted in
one case, that the ratio of exchange was indeterminate,
seemed unsatisfactory, but I could find no other answer to
give. If you can suggest a better result, it will remove
what may well be regarded as a difficulty in the way of
the theory. I am not even yet sure that my statement of
the theory is free from errors. Objections have been made
even to the fundamental equations of exchange, but the
fact that M. Walras has arrived at substantially the same

ACT. 38. A NOR WEGIAN " STA T70N." 31 1

equation makes it very probable that my statement was
correct.

" While I am not aware that my views have been accepted
by any well-known English economist, there are a certain
number of younger mathematicians and economists who
have entered into the subject, and treated it in a very
different manner. Among these I may mention Mr. George
Darwin, the son of the eminent naturalist ; he is a very good
mathematician and an acute economist, and his only im-
portant objection was to the expression for the rate of

ft
interest^ , but after proposing one or two more complicated

expressions himself, he at last allowed that my expression
was satisfactory and simple.

" In Conclusion, 1 must say that I am very sorry that
your letter should have remained so long unanswered, but
the delay is due to the fact that I was just setting out on a
journey when your letter came"

To las sishr Lucy.

HAMAK, MJOSLN LAKE, NORWAY,
\$thjuly 1874.

" It is time that 1 was writing to tell you of our safe
arrival in Norway, and of our proceedings so far. We have
just returned to-day from an expedition into the eastern part
of Norway, among the pine forests, where we went principally
for the sake of fishing in a fine rivcT called the Rcna. We
reached this little town by railway to the south end of
Mjosen, and then by steamboat up the lake. From here a
narrow gauge railway runs for forty miles to the north-east,
and then by a cariolc drive of five hours we reached the
station Losset, where we stayed.

" This station or inn was kept by a rich landed proprietor
who owns the country for many miles round, but seems to
be obliged by law to accommodate people. We were much
amused at noticing the habits of this Norwegian family, who
had their sleeping and sitting rooms in one large house, but
came three times a day to get their meals in the house at
the side where we had a fine large bedroom. At about nine,
two, and seven, a large farm bell was rung, and all the men

312 W. STANLEY JEVONS. A i. 38.

and other people came home to meals, the family eating in
one small room, the servants in another, and ourselves* in
a third. The family seemed to have nothing to do but
sit in a porch all day talking, and occasionally going out
shooting or fishing excursions.

" My own fishing was very unsuccessful ; for though I
went out several times I only caught one fine trout, of which
we only ate half at dinner. I think, however, that it was
not wholly my skill which was at fault, as other men who
came fishing seemed to catch nothing, and it is probable that
the large quantities of timber which happened to be floating
down the river frightened the fish.

" The forests about Lossct were very pretty, but the trees
seem to be nowhere large in Norway now.

" The rivers also had pleasant bits of scenery, but the
mountains are quite of an inferior character to those on the
west coast. During one or two days we were much plagued
by mosquitoes.

" We are going this afternoon by steamboat across the
lake to Gjovik, one and three-quarter hour's steaming, and
then westward by carioles on the road across the Fille Fjeltl,
intending to visit again parts of the Sogne and Hardanger
Fiords.

" Our voyage from Hull was, on the whole, remarkably
agreeable, the wind, though fresh, being eastern, so that the
boat rolled slowly and easily. . . . We found on board four
or five tourists or salmon fishers with whom we were
acquainted on previous trips, including Professor Frankland,
the chemist, Roscoe's predecessor at Owens College ; Mitchell,
one of the firm who make steel pens, a remarkably agreeable
man ; and Banks, a young doctor and medical lecturer in
Liverpool. All the other passengers, some fifty in number,
being inoffensive or agreeable, there was nothing to interfere
with the pleasure of the voyage."

To his sister Lucy.

BALHOLM, SOGNE FIORD,
Wi August 1874.

" I have written so little to you this summer that I must
not let another post go without a letter. We have misman-

AT. 38. EXCURSION TO A GLACIER. 313

aged our affairs this time, so that I have missed your first
letter. . . . We arc, however, having a good time of it in
this grand and beautiful place. Balholm is a village on the
west shore of one of the principal reaches of the great Sogne
Fiord, and in the part which, perhaps, is finest in the whole
one hundred and twenty miles which that fiord runs. As
seen from our little inn, the fiord resembles a great lake,
perhaps twenty miles long, and from seven to fifteen wide,
surrounded on every side by steep and gloomy mountains.
In no direction are these fjelde less than from 2000 to 3000
feet high, and the higher parts rise to 5000, and are covered
with large patches of snow, half hidden in and confused
with the clouds. Just behind Balholm runs up a small
branch fiord, perhaps two miles long, called the Esse Fiord,
which terminates abruptly among nearly perpendicular
mountains of the most singular and picturesque forms. We
had a beautiful row up there the day before yesterday.

" Our chief excursion, however, \vas that of yesterday,
when we went up the Fjoerlands Fiord, another branch which
runs fifteen or twenty miles among the mountains and snow-
fields to the north, and terminates with glaciers. We started
at six o'clock in the morning with three men to row, and
reached the end of the fiord in five hours ; then we had a
walk of two hours up to one of the glaciers, waited an hour
watching the avalanches fall over the rocks, walked back in
two hours, Harriet being assisted by a very shaky little cart,
and then rowed back in five hours, so that we had a rather
long clay. We were lucky in having it perfectly calm all
the way, and free from sunshine, which is rather trying on
the water. The men had made us kinds of couches of straw
and rugs in the stern of the boat, so that we lay with toler-
able comfort, and read and slept during the ten hours as
pleased us at the moment. In this way a boat journey is
very agreeable now and then ; but of course you are liable
at any time to wind, which destroys all your comfort, and
may indefinitely prolong the journey.

" The glacier called the Sulphellcn Brae was well worth
seeing, as it has the peculiarity of being divided completely
into two parts, one on the top of the mountains, and the
other in the valley below. The ice falls down precipices

3H W. STANLEY JEVONS. ,ET. 38.

several hundred feet high, breaking up into snow again, and
making a peculiar thundering sound, which you may perhaps
have heard in the avalanches at the Wengern Alp. We saw
some ten or twelve small falls of ice while we were there,
but there must be very much greater ones at intervals, though
we were not fortunate enough to see one. To-day we arc
taking our case, with nothing more than a little row in pros-
pect ; but we must to-morrow travel rather actively on our
way to the Hardangcr Fiord, where we wish to see the great
Voring Foss. It is one drawback of Norwegian travelling
that the steamboats, upon which we depend almost entirely
in these great fiords, go day and night without regard to
comfort. The boat by which we go to-morrow is appointed
to call here at 3 A.M., but as it is usually very late, it may
come any time before five or six. We shall probably trust
to the people waking us when the boat is in sight, but in
any case it cuts up one's night\s rest. When we came down
the fiord from Lcurclal it was worse, as the boat was appointed
to leave at 1.30 A.M. After a fc\v hours' sleep we got down
to the pier at 2 A.M., and then had to wait three hours on
the pier or boat before going off This sort of thing would
have distressed me greatly, as indeed it sometimes did, in
previous years, but I am glad to say that I now feel the loss
of sleep very little. Kven the loss of one or two hours used
to make me feel wretched.

" JScfore coming here we spent five days at Sande, a
very pretty place, one stage from a branch of the Sogne
Fiord, where we stayed ten days last year. The weather,
however, was very rainy and bad, and the station somewhat
solitary, as there were no other English travellers whatever.
Indeed, from not being on the most common routes, or for
other unknown reasons, we have hardly seen anything of our
countrymen and women this year. In this little station inn
we are among a large family of native ladies and girls, from
the grandmother downwards in age. Though rather a bore,
they are familiar, agreeable people, and we have been amused
at seeing some of their customs, of which we had only heard
previously.

" Our dinner the day before yesterday consisted of boiled
salmon and potatoes as a first course, and a curious sort of

.KT. 38. SOME NORWEGIAN CUSTOMS. 315

pottage, made apparently of milk and small onions and tur-
nips, as a second. The family had nothing to drink what-
ever except the pottage, and they displayed an indifference in
the use of knives and forks and spoons which would be
thought dreadful in England. Indeed, in all the steamboats,
inns, and elsewhere, it is the proper thing to help yourself
with your own knife and fork, and if you can only stick them
into something you want, you need not stand upon ceremony.
After dinner our Norwegian friends and ourselves all jump
up at the same moment, and then it is proper to say, ' Tak
for Mad,' that is, ' thanks for the meal/ Properly this should
be accompanied by each person shaking hands with each
other person, but if strangers arc present this is replaced by
a little bowing and nodding. I cannot make out the origin
of this curious custom The shaking of hands leads people
to think that it is the guests or the children thanking their
hosts or parents for the meal, but I am inclined to think that
it is a confusion between this and the saying of grace.

" Messrs Wilson, the steamboat owners of Hull, have
just put on a fine large new steamboat in place of a small
disagreeable one in which we suffered last year. We have
therefore written to take a cabin in this boat, the Angclo, for
28th August, and, if \vc get it, shall hope to be home by
about 1st September.

To Ills sister Lucy.

KAALFJIUUS, II \T,LINGT>AL, NORWAY,
2o/// August 1874.

" Since I last wrote we have heard that some of these
wretched strikes in England had delayed the completion of
the new steamer, so that her second passage would be one
week later. We therefore altered our minds, and settled to
leave by the Angclo on 4th September, and we have secured
a private cabin, so that we hope to have a pleasant voyage,
reaching England about 7th September.

11 We have now almost completed our tour, except our
contemplated visit to the celebrated Riukan Foss. This
visit takes us into a new district of Norway, namely, Thele-
mark, and will occupy about a week.

" When I last wrote we were at Balholm, a beautiful

316 jr. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 38.

place on the So^ne Fiord. We left by steamboat about
3.30 A.M. in the morning, much annoyed because the boat,
which is often two or three hours late, would come punctually
when we wanted to prolong our night's rest, and caused us
to be hurriedly wakened, and hastened down to the landing-
place. After steaming up two new branches of the great
fiord, namely, Sogndal and Aarlands Fiords, both of which,
especially the latter, were worth seeing, we went down the
grand Ncero Fiord once again, and reached Gudvangcn in
the middle of the day.

" We were again annoyed to find that a large German
party of six or eight also landed there, so that there was
every probability of a scarcity of horses next morning. We
therefore determined to drive at once to Vosscvangen, on the
way to the Ilardangcr, and we went on in the company of
three English, one of whom, a Mr. Venn, turned out to be a
London University man, remarkably well read in all branches
of philosophy. We were rather favoured by the weather,
and got over the thirty-two miles in eight hours. Although
it was the third time of passing along the road we admired
the scenery more than ever, but it is hopeless to try to give
you any idea of it, when the photographs miserably fail.

"As we did not arrive till after ten at night we had a
day of nineteen hours' travelling. After driving to Eidc, on
the Harclangcr, the next day, our intention was to go by
steamboat next morning at 5 A.M. to the Voring Foss, but
when called at 4 A.M. I collapsed, and decided to go to sleep
again. I larriet was in consequence disappointed of her visit
to the great foss, for which I was very sorry, but as it involves
a fatiguing ride of many hours, it was perhaps prudent to
give it up.

" After resting two days at Eide we took the steamboat
at 5 A.M., and made the tour of the upper part of the
Hardanger, seeing the Eidfiord and other parts which we
had missed on a previous visit. One of these places was
Ulvik, which struck us as one of the loveliest spots on
earth. Situated on the grassy slopes at the bay-like end of
a short branch of the fiord, it is surrounded by pine-covered
hills, which would be called mountains were it not for
immense precipitous mountains which towered above them,

^ET. 38. AN INCIDENT AT UL VIK. 3 1 7

so that there was a fine contrast between the bright green
fields on the shore of the fiord, the pine region above it, and
the rocks crowning the whole. Here occurred a rather
amusing incident. As the steamboat came alongside the
pier about 9 A.M. the inhabitants of the little village were
assembled for the usual gossip, the steamboat arrival being
the only excitement which distinguishes one day from
another in these quiet places. Among the people were
soon distinguished two young women of remarkable beauty,
both in elaborate llardanger costumes, one as a bride or
married woman with her elaborate white cap and gilt belt;
the other, who was still more pretty, as an unmarried woman
with two very long plaits of hair hanging down. I observed
that all the male passengers on the steamboat gradually
collected at the head of the vessel where these girls could be
best observed, and one German was seen to go ashore and
inspect them closely with his eyeglass. I was much amused
to find out some days afterwards that one of them was the
daughter of the Mayor of Hull whom we were to have called
upon in Bergen if we had gone there, she being a friend
of our friends in Hull, and the mayor having very civilly
called upon us in Hull. The other girl was one of her
friends from Bergen with whom she happened to be making
a little tour in the Hardanger, and they had dressed in the
llardanger costume as a little ' lark/

" We got back to Gudvangcn on the Sogne Fiord just
in time to secure the last vacant bedroom from our friend
Schultz, the hotel-keeper.

" We have visited these places so often that we are quite
on familiar terms with the people at the inns, and we have
found this pleasant and advantageous, as they welcome
us back and do the best they can. As the steamboat goes
only once a week, very stupidly, there is usually an aggre-
gation of tourists ; but on this occasion there was an extra-
ordinary number for Norwegian villagers to accommodate,
probably not less than fifty, in two little inns.

" At Vosscvangen we had left in the morning a dreadful
large party of eight people, who had robbed us of some
hours' sleep by their noise, and who were avoided by all the
tourists in Norway on account of the noise and trouble they

318 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 38.

occasioned, Although I had made some remarks to him on
the subject, the father of the party seemed to have no idea
that it would take eight hours to drive four stages of eight
miles each ; and so they started in the afternoon, having
heavy rain all the way, and the last and most beautiful stage
in the dark, having to walk most of the way for safety sake. At
1 1.30 P.M., when just going to sleep, a great noise of knocking
at doors and giggling of girls and shouting to the landlord an-
nounced their arrival in pouring rain. . . .

" On reaching Locrdalsbrcn at 6 P.M. it was our turn to
get into trouble. In order to avoid a pressure of tourists
and a disagreeable stopping-place, we had arranged witli a
man who had furnished us horses on two previous occasions
to bring two horses down to the boat, so that we could
at once drive up country to a comfortable station. The
horses were duly there, but just as we were leaving we
learnt for the first time that we could not go more than
one stage with them. The Lrerdalsoren hotels being then
in all probability full, the odious party of eight having taken
possession of the only one we could go to (the landlord
of the other having previously cheated us), we were obliged
to proceed. At the end of the first stage, at 7 P.M., there
were many travellers and few horses, and no bedrooms.
After bargaining and remonstrating for an hour, we finally
succeeded in getting one horse at a rate considered quite
extortionate here. We reached Ilusum, the next station, at
10 P.M., only to find every bed taken, and four Germans in
possession of the only sitting-room. It was nearly dark,
and the station-master declared there was no prospect of
horses. Our own man would not hear of letting his horse
go another hard stage that night, so that there seemed every
prospect of sitting on the doorstep all night. After a time,
however, we got possession of the sitting-room table, and
secured a light supper, in which we were shortly joined by
three other very pleasant English travellers in the same posi-
tion as ourselves. Presently, however, it turned out that the
landlord had horses if we would pay for them ; and towards
twelve o'clock we all five set out for a long dark drive in
three small vehicles. It would not be easy to forget this
drive, as for a considerable distance the road overhung a

<!. 38- A DRIVE IN THE NIGHT. 319

roaring torrent, with only a few upright stones to guard the
edge. At one place the road, perhaps for a quarter of a mile
in length, is cut out of the side of a precipice bounding one
side of a tremendous but narrow gorge, with a river falling
in cataracts a hundred feet below. It is altogether perhaps
the wildest and grandest piece of road which we have ever
seen in Norway ; but as I had three times previously driven
over it in the day-time I undertook to drive first, and the
other horses followed.

<l Koiigsbcrg, 24/// August. We reached this little town
last night after a tedious steamboat and railway journey
from Gulsvik, at the head of the Kroderen lake. It is a
slow little place, although it has a mint, which we went to
see this morning.

" I was very glad to receive last night your letter of 5th
August, forwarded from Christian ia, which the girl told us
at this hotel that they had been offering to visitors for some
time past.

" Please tell Grindal that when I caught a small trout
one day, and put it back among some stones in the river,
I saw an eel come from among the stones and seize the
fish and drag it away. Then taking hold of the fish's tail
I pulled both suddenly out of the water, but the ccl soon
wriggled back. The next day I wished his Aunt Harriet
to sec the eel also, so I put a small dead fish in at the
same place. After a little time the ccl came out again,
tried the fish, found it \vas dead, and went in again.

"The letter which you forwarded is interesting and im-
portant to me. My theory of political economy is making
way very well on the Continent, and is likely to appear both
in French and Dutch."

To his sister Liny.

VrnoRiA HOTEL, HULL,

Monday, 7/// September 1874.

"We arrived safely in Hull last night after a rather
rough passage. . . . Had it been finer we should have had
a very agreeable passage, the steamboat being a very fine
one, and many of the passengers agreeable people. Among
them was Mr. Husscy Vivian, M.P., who was my chief
opponent in the Coal Question, and who moved the rcsolu-

320 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 39.

tion for a royal commission ; and I had an interesting dis-
cussion on the subject with him.

" We had an awful piece of work landing by steamboat
in the dark, and it was almost two hours before we could
get to this hotel and secure all our luggage.

" We felt much regret in leaving Norway for a long
time, and our last few days were spent very agreeably in an
inn some thirty miles from Christiania, in a charming spot
upon the Tyri Fiord"

To J\L /. ifAuhiis dc Bourouill.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITIUNGTON,

MANCHESTER, yh October 1874.

" I hope that you safely received my former letter,
written from Norway, in reply to your letter of 2pth June,
and also the copy of a printed paper which I posted from
Hull when on the point of leaving England.

" 1 have now returned from Norway, and am again
engaged in my usual work. I am about to prepare a
memoir, to be read at the Statistical Society of Manchester,
upon the subject of the mathematical theory of political
economy, and if the book which you arc proposing to
publish is sufficiently advanced, I should much like to draw
the attention of the Society to it.

" You have stated that your dissertation would be ready
in September, but I presume that some of those unavoidable
causes of delay, which so often occur in publication, have
hitherto prevented its appearance. I look forward with
much pleasure to becoming acquainted with your improve-
ments and additions to the theory.

" Since receiving your letter I have reflected much upon
the point which you mentioned, namely, the exchange of
indivisibles ; but I cannot say that any mode of improving
what I have said in the book has occurred to me, and I
await your criticisms on the treatment of it with interest.

u While it is no doubt necessary to work out the theory
with fulness and correctness by degrees, yet I think that we
need still more at present to make known its simple prin-
ciples, and show that the notions of value, utility, price, etc.,
may be made more precise, and may be explained thereby.

^ET. 39. PROCESS OF INDUCTION. 321

"I have now received a copy of the first part of M.
Walras' treatise, and find that it has been very ingeniously
thought out and written. He has, I think, discovered the
true principles of the science with the greatest insight and
ability, and I shall be truly sorry if he experiences any dis-
appointment at not being quite the first in the field. But,
as he remarks, his formulae and general mode of treating the
theory are complementary to mine, and both books serve
remarkably to confirm and supplement each other. What I
mainly regret about the form of M. Walras' book is, that it
is in no way adapted to make the principles of the theory
more popularly known : it seems almost worse in this
respect than my own book. Therefore I feel sure that there
is the greatest need of a book to illustrate and explain the
new view of the science, and this, as I understand your
letter, will be accomplished by your work. I hope, however,
that your treatise will not appear only in Hollandaise, but
will be translated into French, if not into English, so that it
may have a wider range of readers."

To Rev. Jolin Venn.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
yt/i October 1874.

" I have been reading your review of the Principles of
Science in the Academy with the greatest interest and grati-
fication, and have to thank you warmly for the careful and
impartial way in which you have treated my poor volumes.
Passing over the points where you indicate more or less agree-
ment, I should like to notice briefly the objections which you
raise, not with the object of taking up your time in controversy,
but simply to explain the difficulties under which I lay.

" Mill's so-called Inductive Methods were certainly given
in my Elementary Lessons, but that work was only intended
as a small introductory text-book, in which it was impossible
to discuss the exact value and nature of doctrines commonly
accepted. What Herschel and Mill treated as the special
methods of induction are by me treated under the head of
experiment. It seems to me, rightly or wrongly, that they
arc rather rules for observing or experimenting, so as to
gain facts from which hypothetical reasoning may after-

Y

322 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AST. 39-

wards extract laws and principles. The process of in-
duction proper is, on this view, what I have treated in
chapters xxii. to xxvi. I quite agree with you, however,
that much vagueness attaches to the name induction, and I
think it very likely that I have not used the word always in
exactly the same sense. My only excuse can be that even
Mill seems to me to have used the word loosely indeed, he
wavers very much, and calls geometry, for instance, some-
times deductive and sometimes an inductive science. To
the want of a psychological analysis of the basis of reason-
ing I plead guilty. On this point the Spectator raised
almost exactly the same objection as yourself at the same
time. No doubt to a considerable extent I have avoided
the true difficulties of the subject, but this does not preclude
me from attempting to remedy the defect at some future
time, if I live long enough, and can feel that I see my way
to a more settled state of opinion. My efforts have been
directed principally to arranging in order the more formal
and mechanical parts of logical method, which may be useful
in itself, though only a preliminary task to a more profound
discussion of the bases of knowledge. The main point on
which 1 should venture to differ from your criticisms refers
to the symbolic method and its usefulness. It is a matter
which cannot be adequately discussed in writing, but I would
remark that the principal question is whether or not the
symbolic processes correctly represent the relations of classes
of things and the course of our thoughts about them. If not,
the symbols must be given up, or modified until they do.
In short, I venture to look upon them as an essential mode
of expressing a true system of logical forms, not meaning of
course merely the general letters A, B, C, etc., but any corre-
sponding use of words or signs for expressing the like
general relations of terms.

"No doubt I have not adequately noticed Mill's ob-
jections to ' Quantification, 1 but 1 felt that to enter into
discussion and criticism would add too much to the length
of an already heavy and costly book.

rt With regard to your example of possible confusion at
bottom of third column, p. 382, it seems quite possible that a
student might make the mistake suggested, but it would be

JUT. 39- PRINCIPLE OF SUBSTITUTION. 323

by a breach of the rule of substitution, by substituting ' con-
sequence of gravity ' for ' consequence of gravitating matter/
there being no warrant whatever for this substitution. Thus
I do not see that the strict scientific generality of the prin-
ciple of substitution is impeached, or indeed intended to be
impeached. In the next column you have given a very nice
example of a logical question, simple, yet perplexing, without
some method of symbolic analysis.

" 1 have to thank you for pointing out oversights about
Encke's comet. It is obvious now that I have committed a
blunder in the Elementary Lessons^ which no one had before
pointed out. The angular velocity of the comet is increas-
ing, so that of course it returns each time a little sooner than
it would without resistance. The resisting medium produces
an effect which would, in the absence of solar attraction, pro-
duce retardation.

44 This and some other requisite corrections, which you
point out, shall receive the closest attention, if ever the time
arrives when a second edition becomes possible."

To M. le Professeur Bodio, Directcur-Ge'ncral dc la
Statistiqiic du Royanme, Roma.

THE OWENS COLLEGE, MANCHESTER,
\2fh November 1874.

" 1 have been informed by my correspondent, M. Leon
Walras of Lausanne, that you take an interest in the mathe-
matical treatment of the science of political economy, and
that you are inclined to look favourably upon attempts to
reform the science. , I have, therefore, been encouraged to
forward to you by book post, registered, a copy of my work
on the Theory of Political Economy, published in 1871.
This work was very unfavourably received in this country,
and almost the only English economist of importance who
noticed it, namely, Professor J. E. Cairnes, repudiated it
altogether.

" Nevertheless 1 am quite convinced of the substantial
truth and importance of the views put forward, and am
much gratified to find that the profound and ingenious
researches of M. Walras, pursued as they have been in an
independent manner, lead to the same conclusions.

324 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 39.

" This remarkable coincidence of results emboldens me
to bring the book to your knowledge, in the hope that it
may receive the approval of yourself and of some of the
other distinguished representatives of the science in Italy."

To his sister Lucy.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITIIINOTON,
19/7* November 1874.

"... My books are beginning to pay at last. The little
Lessons sells 2500 copies a year, and is now paying about
70 a year. Three other books pay about ^3 : IDS. between
them. I think I am going to write more school or college
books. I hear that my Theory of Political Economy is
going to be translated into Italian. I am much oppressed
with the too abundant exercises of my logic class. . . ."

In November 1874 Mr. Jevons read an important paper
to the Manchester Statistical Society on " The Progress of
the Mathematical Theory of Political Economy, with an
Explanation of the Principles of the Theory." He began by
calling attention to the remarkable fact that M. Leon Walras
had, at a later date than himself, but quite independently,
and by a different course of reasoning, reached the chief
result of the mathematical theory. As "this fundamental
formula of the science of economy is far from being of an
obvious character," the coincidence could not possibly be
due to chance ; and therefore furnished a very strong proof of
the truth of the theory. Though his own book had up till that
time met with a discouraging reception from economists in
England, he had the pleasure of knowing that the new
theory had already received much attention on the Con-
tinent, " where the prejudice against the abstract and mathe-
matical investigation of political economy seems to be much
less than in England."

To G. H. Darwin, Esq.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
24/7* November 1874.

" I shall be very happy to read anything you have
written about the theory of political economy, though it

*:T. 39. ECONOMICS TREA TED MA THEM A TICALL Y. 325

would be more to satisfy my own curiosity than because I
should be likely to suggest any alterations.

* It is very gratifying to hear that you are so clearly in
favour of the mathematical treatment of the subject, as it
would be difficult to meet with any who join mathematical
and economical knowledge and ability in a manner better
calculated to allow of forming a sound judgment than they
are joined in you, as I am well assured.

"I much regret that Cairnes should have raised such
absurd objections to the theory, proceeding entirely from
misapprehension. His remarks may temporarily prejudice
the theory, and it would be a great advantage if you would
thoroughly refute them, without using too many mathema-
tical symbols, so as to frighten readers away. I am more
afraid of this with English readers than of Cairnes, and I
think his objections may serve as a good opportunity for
explaining the principles of utility.

" 1 do not know whether you have seen my paper on
the subject, read to the Manchester Statistical Society,
but in case you have not, I send a paper containing a copy
of it.

"Walras' method may be rather intricate, but it is
ingenious, and I think sound. There are also certainly
some valuable novelties in his book, but I have not studied
them very closely yet.

"P.S. I now have a Dutch treatise on the theory of
political economy, by d'Aulnis de Bourouill of the Leydcn
University."

To M. /. d'Aulnis dc BouroiiilL

PARSONAGE ROAD, \VITIIINGTON,

MANCHESTFR, 25/7* November 1874.

" I received the very welcome copy of your dissertation
about two days ago, and write to say how much pleased I
feel that you have thought it worth while to treat so fully of
the mathematical theory of political economy.

" I regret very much that I am quite unable to read the
book or follow the argument to any extent Fortunately the
Dutch and English languages are very closely akin, and the
Norse is evidently closely related to both, so that I can here
and there gather the meaning of a few sentences. I am

32 6 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^.39.

intending to borrow a Dutch dictionary, which will enable
me to go farther. However, the notes, diagrams, and other
indications show me very often the nature of the discussion,
independently of the statements in your last letter. Your
work is written, I should think, in a manner well calculated
to secure attention to the subject, and I wish that I could
study the additions and improvements which you have made.

'* I am particularly curious to know your theory about
the exchange of indivisibles treated in the appendix. If
you have now more leisure time, could you give me a slight
sketch of your way of treating the subject ?

" I feel what an advantage it must be to have a command
of so many languages as your countrymen. Those whom I
have met in travelling were often remarkable linguists.

" I have sent you a copy of a newspaper containing a
report of a paper I read to the Manchester Statistical
Society, and I will send you a formal copy when printed.

" I am desirous of offering for your acceptance a copy of
my book on logic the Principles of Science, but should like
to know exactly to what address it should be sent, and
whether you will be in I.cydcn to receive it.

"Is the work of M. Van Houten written in French?
If so, and in fact in any case, I should like to have its exact
title. I hope some time or other to form an historical sketch
of opinions bearing on utility and value, and it would be
necessary to introduce his views.

u Would it be too much trouble if I were to ask you to
send me the exact addresses and names of a few of the most
eminent economists of your country, to whom I might with
advantage send copies of any papers referring to the theory
of political economy ?

" In asking you to explain your theory of exchange of
divisiblcs, I did not overlook the brief explanations which
you have already given, that it is the poorer purchasers
which determine the price for the rich. But this can only
apply where there are many articles of a similar character,
and it will not, as far as I can see, overcome the difficulty
alluded to in p. 122 of my book, of an isolated exchange
of indivisible objects of value.

"In sending a copy of my book on logic, can it be

MT. 39. TO G. H. DARWIN, ESQ. 327

delivered at Bois le Due by railway, or will it not be better
for me to send it to some address at Leyden ? It will be
too heavy to go by post."

To G. H. Darwin, Esq.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
29/// November 1874.

" I have read your article with much interest, and am glad
to find that you almost perfectly agree with me. I have
made a few marks upon the paper, but none of any conse-
quence. All that I have to say about the form of the article
is that it can hardly be called, as it stands, a review of
Cairncs' book, but rather a defence of mine. If you publish
it as a review of Cairnes' it would clearly be desirable to say
something more, in fact much more, at the beginning about
the excellences of other portions of his book. There can
be no doubt of the value of Cairnes* discussions of many
questions, though on the theory of value I think him so un-
fortunate.

" As regards the channel of publication, you know quite
as well as I do what is best, and I should hardly like to
make suggestions.

*' I have been reading your article in the Contemporary
with much interest, and am glad to find the puerile style of
Max Mullcr's reasoning (as it has always struck me) so well
shown up. It is impossible not to admire his flow of learn-
ing, and his agreeable and instructive style. He has done
an immense deal for linguistic study in England, but when
he approaches theory or argument he makes the most extra-
ordinary blunders.

" It is curious you think your handwriting bad. I think
I have seldom or never read a more legible paper. It is
almost as easy to read as type.

" When you have time, I wish you would consider the
mathematical nature of the equations (Theory of Political
Economy, pp. 99-101, etc.) I have a standing difference
with my friend Barker, who says they are (or at any rate
ought to be) different equations demanding integration,
whereas I hold that, though deduced by the use of differen-
tials, they are simple algebraic equations. The problem, as

328 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^ET. 39.

I regard it, is a statistical one, closely analogous to that of
the lever as treated according to virtual velocities.

" I have to be in Cambridge at the end of the week for
the Moral Science Tripos examination, and may perhaps
have the pleasure of making your acquaintance."

In the spring of 1874 Mr. Jevons had been asked to be
one of the examiners at the Moral Science Tripos at Cam-
bridge for the years 1874 and 1875, an d he had much
pleasure in agreeing to the request. This was the first visit
he paid to Cambridge.

To his sifter Lucy.

BULL HOTEL, CAMBRIDGE,

6th December 1874.

"... We spent about two days in London, rather success-
fully, and came here on Saturday afternoon. We have not
yet been out into the streets, but the town looks very interest-
ing from the window. We have had a great many visitors
already, and they seem to come at all hours. We have invi-
tations already for most of the days we shall be here, and
are not likely to be dull. The examination work is fortun-
ately much lighter than I expected, as there are practically
only thirteen men and two women candidates.''

To his sister Lucy.

WITHINC.TON, i6/// December 1874.

" Thanks for your letter received at Cambridge. We were
so busily employed there that I had no time to answer. We
only returned last night, having had perhaps the pleasantest
visit to a place that I can remember. Not only were the
college buildings and chapels very interesting, but the people
were exceedingly kind, and we made a great number of new
acquaintances, chiefly among the college tutors and lecturers,
with two or three of the professors. I think we were at a
breakfast or luncheon or dinner party almost every day, and
sometimes two, and I was greatly pleased with dining in the
college halls several times. Harriet, of course, could not
accompany me there, but she went one evening to Trinity
College Hall to see the dinner from the gallery. We were
also greatly pleased with the college chapels, which we fre-
quently attended."

AST. 39. 71/7?. MILDS WRITINGS. 329

To W. Summers, Esq.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
i(*th December 1874.

" On returning home after a few days' absence I am pleased
to receive your letter containing a copy of a letter which you
addressed to the Examiner newspaper. I have read the
latter with much interest, and am naturally gratified to find
that you consider the remarks of the Examiner ill-considered
and erroneous, to say the least. I fear it is impossible to
criticise Mr. Mill's writings without incurring the danger of
rousing animosity, but I hope and believe you arc right in
saying that I have said nothing from petulance or passion.
Whatever I have said or shall say of Mr. Mill is due to a very
long consideration of his works, and to a growing conviction
that, however valuable they are in exciting thought and lead-
ing to the study of social subjects, they must not be imposed
upon us as a new creed We may profit by their excel-
lences, and there is no fear on this point ; but we may also
suffer from their defects."

To M. J. JAulms dc Koiiromll.

WITHINGTON, MANCHESTER,
zyt December 1874.

"The Messrs. Macmillan inform me that they have for-
warded a copy of my book on logic, The Principles of Science,
addressed to Bois le Due. I directed that the cost of con-
veyance should be paid to the destination, and I hope that
you will duly receive the book.

" I am much gratified to hear that M. Laud, the professor
of logic at Leyden, approves of the work, which cost me far
more labour than the Theory of Political Economy.

" Having recently seen Mr. George H. Darwin, a son of
the well-known Charles Darwin, and a very clever mathema-
tician and economist, he expressed a great desire to sec your
dissertation, as he can, in some degree, read your language.
1 have therefore lent him my copy for a time. I wish that
there were more people in England able to read it.

" I am informed by Professor Boccardo of Genoa that he
proposes to translate my Theory into Italian. I shall in the
course of two or three months draw up some little alterations

330 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 39.

and improvements, and I should be very glad to know whether
you will point out the places which need alteration most

"The paper for the Manchester Statistical Society is
in course of being printed in the Transactions, and when
finished I shall have the pleasure of sending you a copy.

" Please do not put yourself to any inconvenience concern-
ing the note of the contents of your dissertation, which you
kindly offered to send. It will be very interesting to me
when you arc able to write it, but 1 fear it is taxing you too
much to expect it. Such a statement would, however, enable
me to refer more fully to your work in England."

To G* H. DctnviHy Esq.

PORTICO LIP.R^RY, MANCHESTER,
2d February 1875.

"At the earliest possible moment after reading your
article in the Fortnightly, I write to say how warmly I thank
you for so boldly taking up the cause of the Theory. Not
only must your article give new courage to those already
believing in the possibility of applying mathematical methods
to economy, but it must go far towards silencing those who
have hitherto ridiculed the notion, and opening the eyes of
those who have been entirely blind. It seems to me just the
kind of article likely to do most good in counteracting the
ill-considered criticisms of Cairnes.

" I quite agree with you that Cairnes' own speculations
on value are probably much more sound than his objections
to other people's speculations, but 1 have of late been so
much occupied in other reading that I have really not read
his book properly, and look forward to the pleasure of
studying it with care. I expect to find it confirmatory on
the whole of the mathematical theory.

"The Dutchman seems to read the Fortnightly much
more regularly than I do, and will be pleased to see that
you favourably mention his book.

" I have posted a copy of my paper to Beckenham, not
knowing whether you are there or at Trinity College.

" I hope to sec before long your paper on production, a
new theory of which will be a true novelty. I cannot say
I have hitherto been able to conceive the line you take."

^T. 39. MILL'S LOGICAL MAZE. 331

To H. S. Fomvcll) Esq.

PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
7/7* February 1875.

" I have been very much interested in your letter con-
cerning my paper. It has told me much, which I had no
previous means of knowing, concerning the ideas current in
philosophical subjects in Cambridge. I was not aware that
Marshall had so long entertained notions of a quantitative
theory of political economy, and think it a pity that he has
so long delayed publishing something on the subject.

"It is, of course, open to you or him or others to object
to the special way in which I have applied mathematics, and
I should like to see other attempts in different directions,
but what I contend is that my notion of utility is the cor-
rect one, and the only sound way of laying the foundation
for a mathematical theory.

" In regard to what I have said of Mill, I must allow
that I should not have expressed so strong an opinion had
I been thinking only of his political economy. There is
much that is erroneous in his Principles, and he never had
an idea what capital was, but the book is not the maze of
self-contradictions which his logic undoubtedly is. If you
have not examined his logical theories very critically, you
will hardly be aware that upon the principal points he
usually holds from three to six inconsistent views all at the
same time. It is to this I allude in reality, and in the
course of a year or two I hope to make it apparent.

" I have not yet read enough of Cairnes* book to form any
opinion about it as a whole, and though I cannot think much of
the beginning, I did not suppose it was as shallow as you say.

"... To give you a slight clue to Mill's logical maze, I
may mention that in regard to the nature of geometrical
science he states in one place or other the following
opinions :

1. It is entirely inductive.

2. That though usually called inductive, it is im-
properly so called.

3. It is the type of a deductive science.

4. That there is no opposition between deduction and
induction.

332 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 39.

5. Geometry is deductive as opposed to experimental.

6. Nevertheless geometry is experimental, and all the
truths of geometry can be verified and proved by actual trial.

7. As the experiments of geometry cannot be perfectly
performed, we substitute mental experiments.

To M. Lton ]Valras, Lausanne.

14/7* February 1875.

"... I think that a considerable change of opinion is
taking place in England. Various correspondents express
their acquiescence, and some of the professors arc beginning
to bring the theory before their students. When 1 was in
Cambridge two months ago I found that the subject was
much better understood there than I had supposed, and I
have little doubt about its gaining ground gradually. . . .

" I have no doubt whatever about the ultimate success
of our efforts, but it will take some fighting ; the disciples of
J. S. Mill being bitterly opposed to any innovation upon his
doctrine. I have already been very seveioly criticised for
what I said about him by the London Examiner^ which
upholds his vipws, but I am going to criticise J. S. Mill with-
out the least fear of the final result."

To his sister Lucy.

PARSONAOF ROAD, WITHINGION

". . . I am getting on very fairly on the whole, but
incline to be rather overworked, and sometimes have neur-
algia in my neck, which comes on in my lectures, and makes
me very nervous. The proofs of my new book on money
are coming very fast, and I have two or three more books
in my head. I suppose I shall write as long as I live, but
how long that will be 1 cannot tell.

" . . . I am very sorry I have not more time for writing,
but I have had a good deal of correspondence lately with
other people that I am obliged to attend to somewhat ; and
with my book and lectures, I feel hardly able to find suffi-
cient time and strength. But you must not suppose I am
unwell, as on the whole I gradually become better, and
Morgan told me the last time I saw him that I could now
insure my life."

/BT. 39 . RESIGNATION OF HIS PROFESSORSHIP. 333

The Easter holidays were spent with his sister at Ludlow,
and whilst there he wrote the following letter :

To E. J. Broadficltl) Esq.

GRAVEL HILL HOUSE, LUDLOW,
Z\st March 1875.

" You will be interested to hear that I yesterday sent
Ncild my resignation of .the professorship. I have nothing
particular to say about this step, except that I think it will
be much better for me in the end, though of course it lessens
my income to some extent. I have always felt that it was
a considerable strain to meet a class and discuss questions of
the difficulty and width, which I have professed to treat, for
some time back. It is in fact an absurdity that one man
should have the whole sphere of the logical, metaphysical,
mental, moral, and economical sciences upon his hands, or
rather upon his head.

"I intend to move to London as soon as I can con-
veniently get rid of my present house and find a new one
there, but it may be a year before I can carry this out.
There will be very great advantages, in a literary point of
view, in being in London, and there is no fear of my being
idle.

" We are enjoying here the first spring day. This is a
beautiful place, both as regards the town and country.
There are very pretty walks in all directions, and the Whit-
cliff and Castle Hill are, I think, unrivalled in England for
picturesqucncss.

" There is one thing which will much trouble me in
leaving Manchester, and that is not seeing you so often
as I hitherto have done. But I may still hope to see you
occasionally, and you must visit us in London every now
and then.

14 There is much which makes me very sorry to leave
Owens College, but at times we must have the courage to
make a change, however painful it seems at the moment,
and I have thoroughly satisfied myself that I must now
move."

In spite of his firm resolve to give up his professorship,
at the time he wrote this letter, the Council of Owens

334 H'. STANLEY JEVONS. w. 39-

College expressed so much regret at losing his services,
that he consented to withdraw his resignation for the present.
His improved health enabled him to undertake more work
than he had done for the previous three years, but it was
the opinion of those who knew him best that it would not
be wise to continue the duties of his professorship long.
Although he was in future only to lecture one evening a
week at college, his private work seemed continually on the
increase ; and writing was so much more congenial to him
than lecturing, that he did not wish to limit it, as he must
do if he continued his lectures and also paid due regard to
his health.

To H. S. Foxwell, Esq.

36 PARSONAOF ROAD, WITHINGTON,
MANCHESTER, iyi May 1875.

" The arrangement which you propose with respect to
the examinations [at Cambridge] quite suits my inclinations.
I should have, of my own accord, chosen logic and political
economy. I will, therefore, consider the selection to be
settled, unless I hear to the contrary . . .

" I have thought a good deal about what you say with
reference to Mill. It seems to me very undesirable that the
world generally should look upon him as the soundest
logician, when, as I feel pretty sure, his system a.s a whole is
unsound. But I am too much engaged in other matters at
present to write any criticism just now. I have heard
several other men, connected with the London University,
speak like you, as if the question of the moral sciences hung
by a thread, so that they might be thrown over altogether in
consequence of the least indiscretion. But I trust that the
authorities of the universities arc not quite so narrow-minded.
Moreover, Mill's eccentric and in many ways, as I believe,
really hurtful opinions do much to prejudice people against
the sciences which he is supposed to represent. 1 shall
hope, however, to have further opportunities of discussing
such matters with you."

During the first week of June he went to London for a
day or two to attend a meeting of the Political Economy
Club, at which he had been asked to open the discussion.

*r. 39- POLITICAL ECONOMY CLUB. 335

To his Wife.

SCIENTIFIC Ci.un,
7 SAVILLE Row, ^th June 1875.

" The discussion went off very fairly last night I got
on without any difficulty, and was quite fluent most of the
time. I tried particularly to wind up so that the club should
know when I had done, but failed entirely. When I left off
there was a dead silence of several minutes, and Leslie, sit-
ting next me, remarked that he thought I was going to
begin again. The discussion was somewhat spirited, though
tending to become conversational at times. The prepon-
derance of opinion was strongly in my favour, though the
chairman, old Edwin Chadwick, was much riled at my ideas,
and answered them at much length and as strongly as he
could.

41 Sitting next me was a Mr Horace White, a well-known
American, who seemed to be editor or proprietor of the
Chicago Tribune, and spoke of the Mr. Lloyd who writes as
a young man in his office ; opposite was another American
guest whom I thought I knew the face of, and he turned out
to be MacCulloch, the former treasurer of the United States,
whose portrait is on the greenbacks. Another guest was
Lord Fortcscuc, a pleasant man, but poor speaker. The
debate was much interrupted by a great noise outside the
window in the yard, and by Ncwmarch, who every now and
then blew up the waiter and rushed about calling for the
proprietor to stop the noise.

" This morning I got to the Academy soon after nine,
when the rooms were quite cool and nearly empty, and
had a long comfortable look at the pictures for nearly
three hours. The greater number of the pictures strike me
as being almost worse than ever, and there are very few really
good ones. There is, however, one very wonderful one, the
Assyrian Marriage Market, representing the sale of a number
of young women, who are ranged in the front of the picture
in order of beauty. The whole details and idea are per-
fectly worked out, somewhat in the manner of Holman
Hunt, but I believe that the artist (A. Long) beats Hunt
altogether. Miss Thompson's picture may have some signs

33 6 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AST. 39-

of cleverness in it, but is very disagreeable, and not much
worth looking at.

" This club is a convenient sort of place, and I am glad

I joined it.

" I have spoken a little about the University College,
London, professorship both to Robson, the secretary of the
college, and to Courtney. It is quite evident that I have
the refusal of it, and they much want me to apply."

Mr. Jevons was very sorry that he did not know, before
he withdrew his resignation at Owens College, that the
professorship of political economy in University College,
London, would become vacant in October. Having agreed
to remain at Owens College for some time, he was un-
certain what to do. The difficulty was finally overcome by
the Council of University College appointing a temporary
lecturer for the session 1875-76.

To his Wife.

VICIORIA HOTEL,
EUSTON SQUARE, 6/// June 1875,

" After writing to you yesterday I went down to West-
minster Abbey, and found that there was going to be a
special choral festival with a choir of 550 men. After
waiting an hour and a half I heard some grand organ
music. The organ has been moved and, I think, much
improved since I last heard it, and strikes me as being now
almost unsurpassed for sweetness and beauty as well as
being powerful. Perhaps the size and form of the building
add to the effect.

" Afterwards I spent a few minutes inspecting my old
corps, the Queen's Westminster, as they were assembling for
a march out. It reminded me of former days, not so bright
as these to me.

" I am going to the Temple Church for a short time this

morning.' 1

During the long vacation Mr. Jevons spent a few weeks
at Llandudno with his wife, and before the end of their stay
he paid a brief visit to Ireland by himself.

39- VISIT TO IRELAND. 337

To Jus Wife.

MACHEN'S HOTEL, 12 DAWSON STREET,
DUBLIN, $th August 1875.

" I have had a fine day, seeing nearly all that is most
important in Dublin. My only fear is that I have been
doing too much. What has pleased me most is the col-
lection of Irish antiquities of the Royal Irish Academy,
which is a few doors off in this sheet. It is an admirable
collection, and the series of gold collars, fibulae, head
ornaments, and ring money is superb, not to mention the
jewelled shrines and the celebrated Tara brooch, which is
admirable. These collections and the manuscripts of the
Brehon laws, the Annals of the Masters, etc., arc worth com-
ing to sec.

" Trinity College was almost entirely shut up for the
vacation, and the porter was rather grumpy till I told him I
was a professor, when he relaxed and showed me the museum
with the celebrated harp of some old king, and a fine collec-
tion of South Sea, Australian, and other weapons made by
Captain Cook.

14 Dublin is said to be more full of visitors, and more
lively, than any one remembers. More than once I have
been asked for information by strangers, and to-day had to
tell a man the nimc of Stephen's Green. I was on the top
of a tram car taking an excursion wherever it might lead,
and found that he was doing just the same. I have been in
and out of Stephen's Green so often that I am as familiat
with it as if I were born and bred there. Sackvillc Street I
know as well as Regent Street, and Merion Square better
than Belgravc Square.

" The tram cars are most convenient and well conducted,
and make me ashamed of Manchester. The car drivers are
excellent fellows, infinitely better than London cabmen, and
the best guides I ever met. One man apologised to me
elaborately to-day because he could not speak as loudly and
clearly as he thought he ought to do, in discoursing on the
town, owing to a fall from his car. So far, I think, the
Irish are a particularly pleasant people to travel among, as
much so as Americans. I am much struck with the resem-

z

338 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. *:T. 39.

blance of Dublin to some of the older parts of London built
at the end of the last century or the beginning of this. The
suburbs also, which I have yet seen, remind me of London
suburbs. It arises, I suppose, from much of Dublin having
been built at that time ; then it was an independent capital,
and a very prosperous place.

" There will be a great show to-morrow in the form of a
procession of 50,000 men, or more. This evening all the
green articles of any sort which can be found are being
rapidly sold out. I have felt inclined to stop and see it, but,
on the whole, think it best to adhere to my intention of going
on to-morrow morning in good time. I propose to stop at
Kildare to see a round tower and some antiquities near the
station, and then go on to Cashcl, Tippcrary, Limerick I
even hope to get to Gahvay."

To his Wife.

DOIJIIYN'S HOTEL, TIPPERARY,
6th August 1875.

" I got here after a capital day about 8 P.M. Being a
little tired with a long railway journey, fifteen miles jolting
on an Irish car, and visits to two sets of ruins, I turned in
to lie down for a little time. At nine o'clock a band of
music and populace passed the hotel, and I got out to see
what was up, and found the whole town illuminated with
candles in endless number. Some small houses had as many
as fifty, and they graduated from that down to one. The
whole of the inhabitants seemed to be admiring the effect,
marching about after bands of music, and watching tar
barrels burn at the corner of the streets, but they were all
very peaceable, and did not seem inclined to break the
windows of the half-dozen houses which had no candles. . . .
Numbers of people were coming into Dublin by train when
I left, and the Dublin men were turning out with green
scarfs.

"In three-quarters of an hour I was at Kildare, much
amused on the way by the account of Dr. Kcnealy's crushing
overthrow in the House of Commons, which is the best ad
homincm argument ever hit upon. At Kildare I was much
interested in the round tower, which is very perfect and dis-

SET. 39. BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 339

tinguished by the door being 14 feet above the ground,
evidently for purposes of defence. The cathedral is very
ruinous, but is going to be rebuilt to some extent. The
Curragh Camp is within two or three miles of Kildare, and
a grand review was in progress within sight of the town
when I was there, but I did not feel inclined to stay and sec
what is pretty familiar to me.

"Going on by train at 11.30 post closes this moment."
The last week of August Mr. Jcvons spent at Bath with
Mrs. Elliott, a relative of his wife, for the purpose of attend-
ing the meeting of the British Association, which was held
at Bristol. He read two papers there, the first being " On
the Progress of the Coal Question," and the second " On the
Influence of the Sun-spot Period on the Price of Corn."

To his Wife.

BRISTOL, 26/7/ August 1875.

" You will be interested to hear that my paper is already
read and discussed. I came over here by a 9. 1 o train which
got to Bristol station shortly before 10, but the cabman
wanted not less than three shillings up to the meeting room
at Clifton, so I took an omnibus, which was so slow that 1
did not get up till 1 1 A.M. Then I found, somewhat to my
dismay, that my paper had been set down next after the
President's address, which was then being delivered. I had
not the least expected this, and it was a mere chance that I
had brought my diagram. However, I took a couple of
sandwiches and a glass of sherry at the refreshment -room
in case there should be much delay, and made my way to
the section room, which is in a school-room close to the
reception-room. Mr. Hcywood's address was done not long
afterwards. There was great difficulty in getting my diagram
up, as the screen was small and inconvenient, and when it
was up the lower part could not be seen. I think I read
the paper very fairly, and soon lost all nervousness, and it
did pretty well. The discussion was active, but was rather
cut short by Mr. Heywood, who wanted to limit the number
of speakers. However, several insisted on speaking, and one
lady would ask a question, and there was a certain amount
of liveliness, which was better than having it come to a flat

340 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 39.

end. I was sorry my diagram, which cost so much labour,
was not better seen."

To his Wife.

BRISTOL, 29/7* August 1875.

" I am probably going for a short drive this afternoon
with my old college friend I lallett, who wrote lately to me,
as you will remember ; but I must first write my usual daily
note. Thanks for your letter, which was very pleasing to
me. I am glad you get on better, but am not quite sure
whether I ought to be away from you.

"... I am writing in the section room, having just
finished my second paper. I got into rather a mess about
the reporting, as I found that the reporters had got my
abstract and telegraphed it everywhere, though 1 did not
purpose to read the paper fully. However, I gave a free
statement of the purpose and nature of the paper, which
seemed to excite considerable interest. I took great care
to make it plain that I did not assert the truth of the con-
nection.

" I may be deluded, but my impression is that my
speaking is much improved. My nervousness seems to
have disappeared to a great extent, and when I know the
subject I seem to get on without difficulty. ... I have seen
a good many old friends, especially to-day, such as Whitakcr,
Clifton, Foster, Guthrie, and I have made some new acquaint-
ances."

To his Wife.

BRISTOL, y>th August 1875.

" . . . I brought Mrs. Elliott over this morning to the
economic section, where several ladies, Mrs. Grey, Miss
Carpenter, Miss Becker, etc., were to hold forth. I have
no objection myself to women speaking in public, but it
makes a good deal of bother at present, perhaps by being
unusual. If this passes over in time, I think there will be
no reason why they should not.

"... This morning Mrs. Elliott and I went to St.
Mary's, Redcliffe, which I found to be a superb church
inside and well worth seeing : yesterday I saw Bath Abbey
Church very well, as, however, I think I told you yesterday.

*r. 39- MONEY AND MECHANISM OF EXCHANGE. 341

" In the Daily News to-day I find the abstract of my
sun-spot paper given in full as a * singular paper/ but I do
not think it much matters. I am thinking of going on with
the subject and trying to get something out of it. ... I
spent most of the morning in Stewart's section of physics
(which Stewart presides over), and entered into a little dis-
cussion."

To his Wife.

BRISTOL, y.st August 1875.

" . . . I have been attending the economic section all day,
half the day being occupied with a long discussion on trades
unions, which was partly interesting and partly tedious. I
made a rather long speech on the subject, and again this
afternoon I spoke on the subject of competitive examinations.

" There is to be no economic section to-morrow, so 1
think 1 will spend most of the day in seeing something of
Bristol and its manufactures, which I have hitherto been
unable to do for the most part.

" I have booked myself for the excursion to Wells and
Cheddar which was assigned to me, the Avebury one, I
suppose, being previously full. This evening I shall attend
the soiree the first evening meeting I have been at. To-
morrow evening I shall go for a short time to a glee concert,
a ticket for which has been presented to me, and afterwards
to the soirfr at Clifton College.

41 Your letter received this morning is satisfactory, so that
1 shall stay over Thursday, and hope to get home in good
time on Friday."

In September 1875 Money and the Mechanism of Ex-
change was published as a volume of the International
Scientific Scries. Mr. Jcvons in his preface thus describes
the book : " In preparing this volume I have attempted to
write a descriptive essay on the past and present monetary
systems of the world, the materials employed to make
money, the regulations under which the coins are struck and
issued, the natural laws which govern their circulation, the
several modes in which they may be replaced by the use of
paper documents, and finally, the method in which the use
of money is immensely economised by the cheque and
clearing system now being extended and perfected."

342 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. A-J. 40.

To H. S. Foxwcll, Esq.

36 PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
$d October 1875.

" I am glad you like some parts of my book on money.
Even if I could have got more into the allotted space, I do
not know that I could have ventured to touch the subjects
you mention.

rt Have you seen Crumps' Theory of Stock Exchange
Speculation ? It is not altogether a good book, being written
altogether from a business point of view, but it contains some
useful hints.

" I have often speculated on the lowncss of interest on
money at call, but presume that it arises from the large
quantity seeking employment, and the fact that it cannot be
safely employed at a higher charge. Consols would certainly
not allow of a higher rate, for if the money be invested say

- i

for a fortnight, the interest would be only -< or just - per

26 8

cent, which might any time be lost by a forced sale, not
to speak of expenses. He who invests other people's
money in consols, or indeed in most other funds, will, on
the average, have to sell when the price is depressed. This
subject was much discussed last session in connection with
the National Debt Commissioners holding the funds of the
savings banks, which is money at call."

To E. /. Broadficld, Esq.

WITHINGTON, Gt/i October 1875.

"... Whether wisely or not I declared war against Mill's
crotchets some years ago now, simply because I know them
to be untrue, and I shall have to fight it out. I have little
or no doubt about success, if only health and opportunities
favour me ; but you will sec that in such matters one labours
under disadvantages in not living, like most of the political
economists and literary men, in London. You can hardly
fail to see the need of my being there. It is more easy to
imagine than describe. Take only the case of the Political
Economy Club, of which I was made an honorary member
a year or two ago. This dines and debates once a month

^T. 40. A MOMENTOUS CHANGE. 343

privately, and includes every leading economist. Mill's
opinions were all disseminated and discussed there many
years ago, indeed he was a very prominent member. I have
only been able to attend the club two or three times alto-
gether ; last May I opened one discussion, but it is clearly
of great importance to have such an opportunity of discuss-
ing and urging my own opinions. There arc several other
societies, the Statistical, Social Science, Royal, etc., from
which I am practically cut off.

" It is a very momentous change to me, and the necessity
for deciding comes at a most inconvenient time, when I am
occupied with other anxieties. The professorship in Uni-
versity College has now been left at my disposal practically
for three months, which is a very civil thing of them to do ;
but you may now consider, I think, that I have finally de-
cided to take it, and the only difficulty is in providing for
the lectures at London during the present session.

" You will also sec that my going to London is wholly
unconnected with questions of salary at Owens College,
though it is a serious matter giving up some hundreds a
year, as I am going to do, at my time of life. However, I
expect that the sacrifice need not be permanently a great
one if I want the money."

On the 8th October 1875 his first child was born, a son,
who was named Herbert Stanley after his father and uncle.

To his sister Lucy.

36 PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
qth November 1875.

" I daresay you will be glad to hear a few things from
me, especially as I am able to say that Harriet and Herbert
Stanley are getting on well. ... It is wonderful what
interest one feels in the little fellow, though he has not yet
shown any consciousness of his relation to me, except to cry
when I touch him. ... I have just received a letter from
University College, stating that the Council propose to elect
me professor, so that it is really settled, though the final
ratification cannot be made until 4th December. I do not
begin my work in London until next session in October
1876, and for the present a temporary lecturer will be

344 W. STANLEY JEVONS. . ^ET. 40.

appointed. I trust I shall never regret the important step I
have taken. It involves a loss of something like 300 a
year, though part of this may be made up by other appoint-
ments or gains in London."

To H. S. Foxwcll, Esq.

36 PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
iC/h November 1875.

" I quite concur in the proposal about the Girton stu-
dents, understanding, of course, that there is no objection on
the part of the University. I have sent a new question to
Mr. West to be substituted for that on banking.

" I do not think the ' so-called Ricardian theory/ etc.,
much matters one way or the other, but am quite willing it
should b altered to * Ricardian theory/ I cannot recollect
whether it was one of my questions or not. Certainly I
cannot sec that Ricardo has the slightest claim to the theory,
as it was quite as well stated by Malthus, if not by Ander-
son long before. I am beginning to think very strongly that
the true line of economic science descends from Smith
through Malthus to Senior, while another branch through
Ricardo to Mill has put as much error into the science as
they have truth "

To //. .ST. Foxiucll, Esq.

36 PARSONAGE ROAD, WITHINGTON,
2O/// November 1875.

" I return the revises without alteration. The question
about rent was not mine, but I cannot remember whether or
not I inserted the ' so-called/ I think you might as well
speak of La Place's theory of gravitation as of Ricardo's
theory of rent or Airy's undulatory theory of sight.

" I was pleased to hear that it is definitely settled for
you to lecture at London. It is not likely to do you any
harm, but you must not be disgusted if you have not a very
brilliant class. None of your predecessors, so far as I can
learn, have ever been able to infuse much spirit into the
class, but still the work must be done, and it is worth doing,
and I suppose I shall do it after you for the rest of my life."

To the December number of the Fortnightly Review Mr.
Jevons contributed an article on " The Post Office Telegraphs

^T. 40. TO M. LUIGT BODIO. 345

and their Financial Results." He also wrote during the
winter an article on Boole for the Encyclopedia Britannica,
which appeared in vol. iv., and he was engaged in preparing
his Primer of Logic for Macmillan's series of Science Primers.

To M. Lnigi Bodio.

THE OWENS COLLEGE, MANCHESTER,
^d December 1875.

" Allow me to return you my sincere thanks for the
copies of your statistical publications which I have duly
received, including the admirable treatise on the * Casse di
Resparmio,' which I also received some time since. They
will all be valuable and highly-esteemed additions to my
library.

" I am much pleased to think that my book on The
Theory of Economy is about to appear in Italian, and I can-
not but be flattered by your remarks upon it.

" My address will be at Owens College, Manchester, until
about August 1876, when I hope to remove to London,
having been lately elected professor of political economy in
the University College at London. I hope by this change
to enjoy greater advantages and leisure for further economical
studies.

" 1 beg you to accept the copies of pamphlets which I
send by book post.

"Your treatise on savings banks seems to me a most
admirable work, to which we have nothing corresponding in
England. It gives data for comparing the providence and
progress of nations nowhere else to be found. The differ-
ences shown to exist between North and South Italy arc
strangely marked, and seem to show that the regeneration
of South Italy will be as difficult a task for the Italian
Government as Ireland has been and is for the English
Government."

On the evening of the 23d December Mr. Jevons went
to Ludlow and spent several days with his sister Mrs. Hutton,
whose only son, a most promising boy of thirteen, had just
died from diphtheria.

On the 24th he wrote from Ludlow to his brother Tom :

" ... No one could know Grindal without becoming ex-

346 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 40.

ceedingly fond of him. A sweeter disposition no one ever
had, and his quaintness and humour were very attractive.

" I left Harriet and the baby well at home. He is just
beginning to smile and take notice of his father a little, but
the pleasure I feel in him only makes me the more sad to
think of Lucy's loss. We arc getting to a time of life when
joys and sorrows arc much mingled."

CHAPTER XI.

1876-1880.
To If. S. Foxwelh Esq.

^th January 1876.
" YOUR account of the political economy class at University
College, London, is certainly very discouraging. I never
expected much, but could not have supposed there could be
so poor a class.

" Last session I had, in my day class of political economy
here, twenty-four students, in addition to an evening class of
forty-two, held by a lecturer. This year I have ten day
students, and an evening class, held by myself, of fifty-four.
I have also a fair class in logic and philosophy of about
thirty, in addition tu an evening class of logic held by a
lecturer.

" 1 am very well pleased with the first number of Mind*
on the whole, so far as I have read it. Pattcson's is a vigor-
ous article. Venn's is able and interesting, but he much
needs to be undeceived about Mill's logic.

" I only heard of poor Hansel's death a week or so ago.
I had never seen him, but regret his untimely end. Your
news about Siclgwick is quite news to me, and I am glad to
hear it. Though my acquaintance with him is quite recent,
I have conceived a great respect for Sidgwick in every way."

To Ais brother Tom.

OWENS COI.LKUE, iGth February 1876.

" There is a great deal I ought to write to you, but I
have more letter writing to do than I like. Your American
friends are evidently reading my book on Money, as I get

348 / V. S TANLE Y JE VONS. ^T. 40.

long letters from different parts of the States and Canada
requesting my perusal of pamphlets and books.

"... T am glad to say that Herbert Stanley is growing
very well, and is already an amusing little creature. He has
not the beauty of your children, but there are great signs of
intelligence and character. . . .

"My professorship in the college is now advertised, and
a fair number of applications will probably be received. We
have not yet taken any steps about a house, but I shall
probably go to London at Easter for a week of house
hunting.

" I have been thinking much about your visit, and plan-
ning a scheme of action. ... I will write again soon. At
present I am filling up a half-hour at college, waiting for a
concert of chamber music."

To Professor Clifford.

WITHIN < : TON, i6/// MarJi 1876.

" I am very much interested to hear that you have been
preparing a paper on the * Types of Compound Statements/
I was not before aware that the subject had attracted your
attention. It is impossible for me to guess how you could
make an application of the grouping to hyperclliptic functions,
having no idea what the latter arc, but I am sufficiently
glad to gather from all you say that my types of statement
with three classes are not only valid but of some interest.

" I shall, of course, be much pleased to communicate the
paper to the Manchester Philosophical Society, and the
honorary secretary, when I mentioned the matter, naturally
jumped at it. The society is, however, in the habit of
closing its proceedings rather early in the year, and the last
meeting named on the card is 1 8th April, but the secretary
(Professor Reynolds) said the paper would be in time by
1st May.

" I quite feel what a privilege it is to live in an age
when three or four men care about compound statements.
I was lately pleased to meet with a correspondent (Mr. J. C.
Monro of Uarnet), who seemed to care whether Boole's views
of probabilities were right or wrong. Even De Morgan
exhibited a certain vagueness and apathy on this point

AEI-. 40. THE UNITED KINGDOM ALLIANCE. 349

when I tried to get his opinion many years ago. I look
forward with great pleasure to my new life in London, and
the new friends I may perhaps hope to make, but already I
am beginning to feel the perplexities of house hunting,
having been nearly on the point of taking a house at Hamp-
stcad."

In March Mr. Jcvons read a paper to the Manchester
Statistical Society " On the United Kingdom Alliance and
its Prospects of Success." This paper brought a good deal
of criticism upon him, and he was thought, by some of his
friends, to be very bold in expressing his opinion " that the
United Kingdom Alliance is the worst existing obstacle to
Temperance Reform in the kingdom. It absorbs and ex-
pends the resources of the temperance army on a hopeless
siege, and by proclaiming no quarter it drives the enemy
into fierce opposition to a man." But the paper was the result
of several years' reflection upon the subject, and he saw no
cause for changing his opinion, that in trying to pass a Per-
missive Bill the Alliance aimed at too much, and so hindered
all reform.

To Rci\ Jo/in Venn.

WiiHiMiroN, 26/7* Manh 1876.

" Thanks for telling Macmillan to send me a copy of
your new edition, which shall have my very bebt attention,
You admire Mill so much more than I do, that to a certain
extent it makes us look from different points of view, but
there is nothing like the free expression of opinion for getting
towards the truth. There is no immediate prospect of a
second edition of my Principles being required, but possibly
in a year or two I may have an opportunity of correcting
errors and omissions.

" I am greatly obliged to you for stating your objections
to my remarks on Boole. I did not want to take up much
space in that book with controversy, more especially as I
had said what I had to say in my earlier essay, * The Pure
Logic, 1 of which I send you a copy. My logical notation
stands or falls with the substantial accuracy of what I have
said about exclusiveness of alternatives. The point is
certainly a nice and debatable one, but fifteen years of con-
sideration lead me to maintain what I have said. Doubtless

350 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AET. 40.

Boole can express whether the alternatives are exclusive or
not,

or

and so can my notation equally well,

but the point is that his notation necessitates the expression,
so that, as he himself told me in a short correspondence, the
terms are unintcrprctable unless upon this condition. Thus
x+y has no consistent meaning in his system except it be
explained as (d} or (ft). Until you decide which it is, it
cannot be used. But one general result of my logical cogi-
tations is that you always use terms subject to subsequent
restrictions or explanations.

" I cannot see that I am wrong on p. 130. By 'a con-
dition concerning the exclusive nature of alternatives, 1 I
mean simply that terms, wherever joined by + in his system,
must be held to be exclusive, since

=2 xy + , etc,

would be actually uninterpretable in fact a contradiction in
terms.

" In answer to your remark that my X -|- Y is a conces-
sion to the laxity of common language, 1 can only refer you
to pp. 82-85 in the Principles as to the latter part of my
Pure LogiC) of which I send you a copy.

" It is not easy to establish my view, but I am convinced
of its truth. The best proof, perhaps, is to be found in the
extreme simplicity and generality of my notation compared
with the intricate and almost incomprehensible system of
Boole. I am quite convinced that Boole's forms, \ ^- -J and
{}, have no real analogy to the similar mathematical expres-
sions. In logic they merely indicate that a term agrees with,
or is contradictory to, one or other, or both, or neither side of
an equation. But they have nothing to do with the values
j , o, oo and ?

"As regards the form A = AB, 1 say on p. 49 that in

JET. 40. LOGICAL NOTATION. 351

Boole's logic expressions of the kind A = VB were freely
used, but that I found indeterminate symbols only introduced
complexity. I do not say that Boole exclusively, but only
freely, used A = VB, that is, the form corresponding \>xvy.
I am, of course, aware that he also used x~xy. My point
in p. 49 is that the introduction of v or V at all is a mistake,
and in no way an advantage. I think my remarks are
correct, though very concise, but you should understand that
in view of the extent of the book I felt obliged to restrict
myself to a simple exposition of my own notation, avoiding
all controversy.

" I am not sure whether you mean that my acknowledg-
ments of dependence on Boole were not ample enough. 1
should be sorry if this were so, but you will find in the Pure
Logic abundant recognition of the fact, and in my Elementary
Lessons, which is the only one of my books widely read,
the whole subject is put down under the heading of
Boole's Logic. The fact is, that a friend well acquainted
with the matter remonstrated with me for representing my
notation as being that of Boole.

" If I ever come to a second edition of my Principles I
shall be happy to amplify a little upon the points of agree-
ment and difference with Boole.

" You will gather from the last chapter of the Pure Logic
that T hold Boole's system to be absolutely perfect within
itself, entirely self-consistent, but I deny that it is logic pure
and simple.

"The relation to logic is one of so difficult a kind that 1
cannot say more than I have said in the Pure J^ogic.

" My machine is rather a large and awkward thing about
three feet high. There is only one in the world, and prob-
ably there never will be another. I would offer to send it,
only it will not bear travelling, and I fear it would be
useless to send it to you. 1 enclose a photograph and a
paper giving full details of it. The abacus will do all
that the machine can, and more, as it takes in five terms,
but it is rather troublesome to use. If you like to show
it to your students I shall be happy to send it with or
without the black board, and you could return it to me
after we arc settled in London. It does the problems in

352 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 40.

a very short time if you get the knack of moving the com-
binations."

In the Easter holidays Mr. Jevons spent ten days witli
his family at Grange on the coast of Morecambe Bay, and
he then went on alone to Edinburgh to receive the honorary
degree of LL.D., which the University of Edinburgh had
conferred upon him. He was the guest of Dr. Hodgson at
Bonaly.

To his Wife.

BON \LY, COUNTON, N.B.,

20/// April 1876.

" Bonaly is a charming place I had no idea a professor
could have so nice a place. . . . The ceremony went off very
nicely on the whole. Professor Maclagan made a speech
laudatory of each LL.D , and said of me that the Principle*
of Science had put me on the same platform with Whewell
and Mill. The students received me pretty well, especially
when he referred to the Elementary Lessons, at which they
applauded, much to my amusement. Professor Masson gave
a very good address upon the arrangements of education
in Scotland."

" Hodgson says he is going to give up his professorship
certainly ; but I do not think Edinburgh would suit us,
though Scotch professors have a nice position here."

To the May number of the Fortnightly Review Mr.
Jevons contributed an article on " Cruelty to Animals, a Study
in Sociology." In June he published his Primer of Logic as
one of the series of Macmillan's Science Primers. It was
designed as a guide to sound reasoning in the ordinary
affairs of daily life for those \\ho would not pursue the study
of logic further, and as an introduction to the science for
those who would pass on to the Elementary Lessons in Logic.

To R. O. Williams, Esq.

WlTHINCJTON,
M ANCHKSThR, 2y/// June 1876.

" Thanks for your letter of 2d May. I am sorry I have
not been able to reply to it sooner, having been obliged by
considerations of health to give up all work as far as
possible.

^T. 40. REVISITS NORWAY. 353

" I quite agree with you that symbolical statements are
calculated to deter ordinary readers from proceeding further,
but it is necessary that the mathematical nature of a science
should be stated nevertheless.

" I contemplate undertaking, as soon as possible, a new
work on political economy generally, in which a more
broad and popular view of the theory will be given, and
then 1 can, in any future edition of the Theory, give the sym-
bolical and purely mathematical view more fully.

" I took the liberty of sending you a copy of my Logic
Primer just published.

" I am going abroad to-morrow for a tour of some
length."

The following day Mr. Jevons started for a tour in
Norway accompanied by his friend Professor Barker.

To/m Wife.

LlLLKH \MMLR, 6/// fitly 1876.

" We have got so far quite well, and with delightful
weather. We left Christiania by the afternoon train, very
crowded and hot ; but at Eidswold had a beautiful evening,
with only a few people, and I had a good play on the piano.
The next day the steamboat was very crowded with people
returning from the timber fair, and the Lillehammcr hotels
were nearly full. . . . We hope to go on about the middle of
the day, and in the meantime Barker and I are strolling up
by the waterfall, Barker botanising vigorously. He evidently
knows botany very accurately, in addition to his special
knowledge of mosses, and is collecting any special Norsk
plants. It suits me very well to loaf about with him and look
for plants. Barker seems quite at home in Norway, and is
rapidly picking up the language, which he often finds like
Scotch. He will soon talk as well as I do.

44 1 have been a little troubled by my neck the last day
or two, but feel well to-day, and hope to be very different in
a week or two. Although very sorry to be away from you
and the little one, I am quite sure it was the proper thing to
do. Give the little fellow a kiss for me. It is a great
pleasure to think of him, and he must be a great comfort
and a good companion to you.

2 A

354 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AST. 40.

" There were two or three mosquitoes in the room last
night, and I fear we shall have them in this fine warm
weather ; but we must push on to the Dovre. There is a
young American, who amused me much, being utterly fresh,
and reading out of Bennet's Phrases, of which there is a new
and improved edition. I have had a good deal of conversa-
tion in English with an old gentleman named Tornon, who
says he is the largest maker of the Norsk preserved meats
which you know. It was a good idea to bring music, and I
have played it nearly all through already. It sounded nicely
in the large wooden room at Eidswold."

To his Wife.

DOM HAAS, DOVRE, ythjiily 1876.

"... We arc getting on very comfortably and easily,
and there is no fear of my overdoing myself. You will
probably have received my letter from Listad, which I
delivered to the postman with my own hands. Since then
we have slept at Moen, a small station, which we missed by
going off to Vaage and coming back by a different road.
We got dinner at Toftemoen, and I saw both Tofte himself
and his brother. It seems that Toftc lives up at a farm on
the hillside, where he has a good house ; but in the absence
of his son he comes down now every day to look after the
station. He was a stout old man anything but a dignified
descendant of Harald Ilaarfagcr. But I am rather glad to
have seen him. There are said to be more travellers going
along the road than were ever known before, but they are
mostly Norsk, and we have met very few English travellers
since leaving Lillchammer only, indeed, one party of a
clergyman and some ladies.

" We have had no difficulty about quarters, nevertheless,
and have usually had the stations to ourselves. Here we are
spending Sunday very comfortably, and Dombaas proves, as
I expected it to be, a desirable resting-place.

" I feel immensely better for the few days 1 carioling we
have had. I intend to be extremely prudent about over-
exertion ; and, in spite of my somewhat wretched state of
nerves during the last few months, hope to be better than
ever before returning."

JBT. 40. ON THE DOVRE FJELD. 355

To his Wife.
KONGSWOLD, Sunday, i6thjiily 1876.

" I have been lazy about writing lately, and cannot say
much this morning, as ' Frokost ' will soon be ready. We
have got on very slowly, partly owing to my inclinations,
partly to Barker's botanising expeditions. Since I tele-
graphed to you at Dombaas we have been on the plateau of
the Dovre Fjcld, two days at Fogstuen the first small
station, one day at Jerkin, and nearly three days here. I
have found this a very pleasant station, nice, pretty rooms,
attentive * pigc,' a good-toned piano ; and so between music,
fishing, walks, and a drive yesterday down to Drivstuen, I
have got on very well. Here I have only succeeded in
catching one fish. The river looks a good one, but for some
reason or other the fish will not rise. At Jerkin 1 had an
afternoon's fishing, with some little success, getting seven
trout.

44 Jerkin is also a good station, but is far from being so
nice as this. It is in a dreary, exposed position far from the
river, whereas this is just at the top of Drivdal, sheltered
among the hills, and in front of a pretty river. After some
inquiry we have decided on changing our route, and giving
up the round by Trondhjem. We have heard poor accounts
of the hcencry and accommodation on the road from Trond-
hjem to Moldc ; nor does there seem to be anything very
beautiful between here and Trondhjem I am, therefore,
writing for any letters which may be there, and we go back
to-day over the Dovrc, and then down the Romsdal. . . .

u I think I am better in health than ever I was in Nor-
way before. I sleep perfectly, and can do more without
fatigue. What a pleasure it will be to get back to you and
the little one."

To his Wife.

AAK, ROMSDALLN, ztfhjuly 1876.

" Since I last wrote to you on our arrival here, I have
been very lazy, doing nothing but reading novels and sitting
in a boat fishing. We have, as usual, found it rather difficult
to leave Aak. Yesterday, with fine weathei, it was very
delightful, and the Englands, a young man Sidgwick, the

356 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 40.

cousin of Henry Sidgwick, and a Scotchman, Mr. Milne,
formerly an engineer in the Admiralty, make agreeable
society.

"Yesterday Barker and Sidgwick clambered up the
fjcld immediately behind the hotel, and Barker came down
late in the evening with considerably increased respect for
Norwegian mountains. He took my barometer, and found
that the height was about 4000 feet. Most of the other
mountains about, including the central one, arc of similar
height. The Romsdalhorn appears to be about 5000 feet,
and the wild Vsengctindcrne, which lie behind, TOGO feet
higher still.

"I have been out three times here to fish, but only
caught fish the first time, namely, four river trout, of which
one was about a pound in weight, and looked a beautiful
fish. The salmon, unfortunately, have quite disappeared
perhaps because they have begun to net the river after Mr.
Davenport's departure. . . .

" I was greatly pleased to hear of baby continuing well
and lively. I long to sec the little fellow again. I cannot
think now how we did without a child. I hope you will
keep visitors and the servants from playing with him, and
exciting him too much. He cannot be better occupied than
with amusing himself when he will do so. I like to see
some of the little Norsk children, as they remind me of
baby.

"... 1 will write again to Tom soon ; but it is too
much like work to write often. The hardest work I have
done of late is reading Trollopc's The Way we Live New.
. . No doubt Trollope has written too much, and many
inferior tales, but his power of lifelike invention is unrivalled,
in my opinion."

To his Wife.

SOJIOI/T, STOR FJORD,

Thursday, 17 th July 1876.

" I was very glad to get two letters from you yesterday,
when we arrived at this pretty place.

" In leaving Aak I carried out a wish I had felt to take
the land and water route to Molde. We left Aak at 8 A.M.,
crossed from Veblungsnacs to Torvick, and then had a most

XT. 40. FROM AAK TO MOLDE. 357

beautiful drive to Alfarnaes, on another branch of the Roms-
dal Fiord. We passed a lake surrounded with pine-covered
hills, and with the Romsdal Mountains towering up in the
background ; this was one of the most excellent pieces of
scenery I ever saw. There were two more short boat stages
and two more land stages before reaching Molde. The last
was a one Norsk mile drive along the north shore of the
Romsdal Fiord, with a fine view of the mountains in the
distance, and very pretty houses, trees, and fields in the fore-
ground. Along this road a number of well-to-do Norwegians
have built villas like those in the neighbourhood of Chris-
tiania, and it is difficult to imagine a more delightful position
for them. We got to Molde about 7 P.M., and as the fiord
seemed very smooth, I suggested to Barker that we should
at onco t'ike a boat, have tea (and cocoa), and row over to
Vcstnacs, thus avoiding the chance of rough water next
morning. But this was one of those suggestions which,
whether wise or not originally, proved unlucky. Buck, who
kept the hotel, and never sent our letters on, has retired
into private life in his own hotel, having apparently made his
fortune. Another hotel has been opened by a Madame
Wilkens, of whom we had heard no favourable accounts.
When we went to her, and asked for * aftcnspise/ and then a
boat, she declined to let us have ' spisc strax,' and said a
boat could not be had under two hours. She evidently
wanted to keep us for the night, or two nights, till the
steamer started. We therefore walked out of her house. 1
went and got my meal from an old woman who had a coffee-
stall on the pier, and then, after much trouble, succeeded in
getting a boat, but not before nine o'clock. Madame Wil-
kens could readily have done everything in half an hour or
an hour. We got to Vestnacs all right about midnight,
having been sixteen hours travelling four land and four
water stages. We got beds at the inn, which is now open
at Vestnacs, and came on yesterday to Soholt.

" We go on by the steamboat at i o A.M. on Saturday
morning. It will take us up the Geiranger and back the
same evening, and land us at Hellcsylt, and we shall, if
possible, go on the next day (Sunday) to Falcidet."

358 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. */r. 40.

To his Wife.

HOTEL SCANDINAVI,
BERGEN, $th August 1876.

"... We are in misfortune just at present, the weather
being dreadfully bad. We have had rain almost constantly
for a week, and much wind. At Falcidet we were obliged to
give up the expedition to the glaciers, which I have long
intended to make. Tonning station has unfortunately been
given up, and a journey of sixteen hours in rain and
wind was not to be thought of. For the same reason I
thought it best to give up the overland journey to Vadheim,
and we took the Nord Fiord steamboat direct to Bergen. On
the whole, we were well pleased with our journey. A little
way down the fiord above Sandene the scenery began to
grow very fine, and at last we came in full view of one of
the most extraordinary fosses I ever saw, called the Oxen-
elven Foss, not mentioned in the books. It consisted of two
great fosses and a number of small ones, and the larger ones
were both divided into innumerable small falls from ledge to
ledge of the rock, something like the Tvinde or one of the
Laatefossc, but on a much larger scale Owing to the rain
these fosses happened to be very full of water, and presented
a really wonderful sight, accompanied with a loud roaring
noise as the steamer passed near them. The fosses were
from 700 to 1000 feet high, though there was no single leap
of more than perhaps 200 feet. Above the fosses were
some gigantic mountains and rocks of very unusual form
one of them a great square mass with a precipitous side
several thousand feet high. As the boat gradually steamed
down a long broad reach of the fiord the view of these rocks
and fosses was very fine, and quite unique in my experience.
Excepting for the rain, we had an agreeable passage, as
there were not more than about a dozen passengers at any
time. . . . Bergen is the same as ever, except, indeed, that they
have made a much-needed quay or pier just below this hotel,
so that you can embark or disembark from the steamboats
without small boats. I think that we shall go on to-morrow
morning early by the Hardangcr boat, and stay a few days
at Odde, till the steamboat calls again.

". . . Although I hope I am slowly recovering from my

,ET. 40. ODDE, HARDANGER FIORD. 359

last breakdown, it is evident that for some time to come I
must not work so hard again as I did last winter ; and if I
am to go on at all with my books for the present, I must be
relieved of nearly all other work, in some way or other."

To his Wife.

ODDE, HARDANGER,
Friday, \\th August 1876.

" Our tour seems to draw rapidly to a close, and in
leaving to-day at 1.30 P.M. by the steamboat for Eide, we may
be said to begin our homeward journey. We want to get
to Lacrdal by Sunday, but it will be rather a hard push to
get through, if there are many other travellers.

" We came from Bergen by the Hardangcrcn y and had a
pleasant passage with fine weather, but too many passengers,
as the Argo had just arrived from Hull. We went ashore
for a few hours to sleep at Eidc, in a new station inn close
to the pier ; then, without stopping for the Voring Foss,
we came on here, where we have spent four nights. I have
been again to the glacier, which seems much increased, and
is very beautiful and remarkable. The next day being fine,
1 drove up to Seljcstad, as we did before, except that a
capital new road is now made from Odde up to the Sandven
Lake, and then along its left bank all the way to Hildal.
I had a good horse and comfortable /y'cr/vr, and liked the
trip well. I climbed up a rock just above Seljestad, and
had a good view of the Folgcfond. Barker went the same
day with sonic other people to the Skjrcggedal Foss, and
came back after fifteen hours there having been some
ladies in the party much pleased. I have been amusing
myself here with fishing in the fiord near to the inn, and
caught about eighteen whiting and another fish. Last even-
ing I tried the river here, after paying one mark for the
privilege, but met with only one little trout.

" By carefully avoiding any considerable exertion I keep
pretty well, and I daresay I may feel still better after getting
home."

LINDSTROM'S HOTEL, LAERDAL,
Sunday ', itf/i August 1876.

14 Since writing the enclosed from Odde we have made a

3 6o IV. STANLEY JEVONS. *r. 41-

rapid movement, and succeeded in travelling from Oddc to
Laerdal in thirty-two or thirty-three hours. We left by the
steamboat at 1.30 P.M., reached Eide about 6 r.M., chanced
upon horses returning to Ornseim, which we engaged to
Vossevangen, and drove straight off, and in spite of a delay
of half an hour at that wretched intermediate station, got to
Vossevangen at 9.30 P.M. Fleischer is very flourishing and
was quite full, but made us up beds in the sitting-room.
There were thirty-one travellers in the house. At 8 A.M. on
Saturday we went off with one horse for Gudvangen : beau-
tiful fine sunny weather. On the way we struck up acquaint-
ance with a young man from Oxford and his wife, travelling
with ' tolk ' and maid, and they asked us to go with them in a
small steamer which they had specially ordered for their own
convenience from Gudvangen to Laerdal, for no apparent
reason. In this way we got to Laerdal before 10 r.M. last
night. We had a fine drive to Gudvangen, with little or no
delay in changing horses. At Vossevangen I was disappointed
in finding no letters, though it had occurred to me that there
was not enough time for you to answer since my telegram.
Here I found your long and very pleasant letter. ... 1
shall probably do nothing but play with baby when I get
home.

u The sale of the Logic Primer is very satisfactory. I
should doubt whether any publication on logic ever sold so
rapidly before.

" To-morrow we go to Hacg, and then, with occasional
stoppages, over the Fille Fjeld, and probably down the
Spirellen Lake."

On the i st September he wrote to his sister Lucy :

" . . . I got home on Monday evening. . . . My journey
was on the whole very enjoyable, and I never got the least
tired of Norway. I should like to tell you all about it, but
the story would be too long. . . . The labour of moving
and entering on a new life and work weighs very much
upon me, but perhaps I shall take a brighter view of things
in a little time. Everything at home here is most happy ;
Harriet seems remarkably well, the little fellow all life and
fun."

JET. 41. HIS NEW HOME. 361

To his sister Lucy.

21 WOBURN SQUARE, W.C.,
I 5/7; September 1876.

"... You will be glad to hear that we have found and
taken a house on a three years' agreement, with option to
make it a lease for seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years.

" It is in many respects a charming house, semi-detached
unfortunately, but that cannot be helped. ... It is on the
edge of the heath, quite high up, with glimpses of Windsor
Castle and other distant views from the upper windows. A
few yards from the door there is the full view from the heath.
... In a sanitary point of view it seems to be perfect.
Of course there arc objections to it ; the garden being very
small, and the position rather inaccessible six or eight
minutes' walk from the Ilampstead omnibuses, and almost
half an hour from the trains. ISut I think it will suit us
capitally, and be for us quite a rus in nrbc\ I could not
sleep last night for thinking of it. More when I see you."

It was not without much regret that Mr. Jcvons had
resigned his position at Owens College. lie had been on
terms of warm friendship with his colleagues, and had much
enjoyed the friendly social intercourse which had always
been customary amongst the professors. Though he could
not always coincide in opinion with them, there was never
more than a friendly disagreement, as, for instance, \vhen it
was first desired to make Owens College into a university.
Mr. Jcvons was opposed to the idea, fearing that an increase
in the number of universities would tend to lower the value
of a degree. Even when he found that the scheme was
supported by every one in the College except himself, he
could not be shaken in his opinion ; he would only go so
far as to say that if there was to be a new university, it
should not be Owens College alone, but a university com-
prised of Owens College and all the local colleges who wished,
and were qualified by their teaching powers, to enter it a
plan closely corresponding to that which was ultimately
adopted. lie had a strong influence for good over his
students, all the more perhaps because he was so uncon-
scious of it. One of them has since written of him : " To

362 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JBI\ 41-

me and to many others Professor Jevons was the embodi-
ment of all that was high and just." And another has
written : " No one could help loving him ; there were men
in my year at college who would have thought it heaven to
serve him. I was one of them. We found in him always
much more than a teacher. I never knew a man that it
did me more good to be in the presence of."

Of his method of teaching the same gentleman has
written : " He was not content with merely delivering his
lectures, but was careful to ascertain whether his students
understood what he was aiming at. I never knew a pro-
fessor more conscientious, more diligent, and more sym-
pathetic. I owe a great deal to him. He taught us how
to think all about and in and out of a subject."

He watched the future career of his students with much
interest, and was always ready to give advice to those who
sought it from him, or any other help that lay in his power,
even when his own work pressed most heavily upon him ;
and he used to regret that his bad memory for faces, added
to the change which a few years often caused in a young
man's appearance, prevented him sometimes from recognising
his former students if lie accidentally met them, and thus
made him appear less cordial than he really felt. But if they
recalled their names to him, they always found that, though
for the moment at a loss, he had not really forgotten them.

On the 2d October Mr. Jevons went to London to give
the introductory lecture to his class on political economy ;
the subject he had chosen was " The Future of Political
Economy." The lecture was afterwards printed in the Fort-
nightly Review.

He wrote to his wife from University College on
3d October :

14 1 have managed to get through the lecture without any
conspicuous failure. The attendance was poor, and there
was no liveliness worth speaking of, and no other speeches,
simply a lecture. The humorous attempts answered very
well, except that about the dog's idea of property, which
failed. I am glad the affair is over and not worse.

" I saw the house yesterday, and was charmed with its
position again, and with most other things relating to it."

T. 41. PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE. 363

He returned to Manchester on the 5th, and in the
middle of the following week he removed with his family to
Hampstcad.

Though Mr. Jevons left Owens College with regret, it
was with much pleasure that he commenced his duties as
professor at University College. He had always retained an
affection for the place since his student days, and felt at
home there at once. The duties of the professorship con-
sisted of a course of lectures on political economy, beginning
in October and ending at Easter ; one lecture only was
given each week, but during the first session Mr. Jevons
gave two lectures a week.

Mr. Jevons had also this year been appointed examiner
in logic to the University of London an appointment
which he held for five years. He began his duties this
month.

His increased leisure was most welcome for his literary
work, which seemed continually to grow upon him, as, in
addition to new work, he had the preparation of second
editions of the Principles of Science and the Tlieory of
Political Economy in prospect. As soon as he was settled in
London he began to prepare the second edition of the
former, and it was published in 1877 in one volume, instead
of two, that it might be more within the means of students
who desired to use it as a text-book.

To E. /. Broadficld, Esq.

HAMPSILAD, i9/// October 1876.

" 1 was much concerned to sec in the papers the an-
nouncement of the death of your father, of which I received
further notice two or three days ago in the card which you
kindly had sent. You must have known that you would be
sure to have my warm sympathy in this loss. At his age
it must of course have been looked for ; but I can imagine
that it is hardly less bitter when the separation actually
comes. It is now more than twenty years since I lost my
father, and thirty years since I lost my mother.

" I am sorry that I had not the opportunity of becoming
better acquainted with your father. Knowing what his son
is so well, I feel sure I must have found a great deal to

364 W. STANLEY yEVONS. *r. 41-

esteem in him. Please send me a copy of the portrait when
it is ready.

" We are now living in our London house, which, I hope,
may be our home for many years to come ; but it is as yet
in a state of the greatest confusion, as we have only just
chairs to sit down on. The situation, overlooking Hampstcad
Heath, is, to my mind and eye, very quaint and charming.
My study looks to the back on old trees and gardens, and
is, so far, delightfully quiet. 1 am oppressed with things
which I ought to do, and so will not say more at present.''

To his sister Lucy.

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON,

BURUNDI ON GARDENS, \V.,

271/1 October 1876.

"... Our house is still in a good deal of confusion, and
I do not see how I can do much at it now for a week, as T
have a large number, some 180 papers, to read for the
B.A. examination, which is now going on. We continue to
be pleased with our house in most respects. The heath is
charming, and entices me out in a morning for a ramble in
a way quite different from Withington.

..." My books are selling pretty well, 8000 copies
of the Logic Primer in six months, and 3350 of the
Elementary Lessons in the year. We shall probably have a
new edition of the Principles of Science in the spring if I can
prepare it."

On the 2/th November he wrote to his sister :

. . . " I have come to the conclusion that my move to
London was a very wise thing, as far as we can see There is
so much more to interest one here and keep one active, with-
out overworking one's head. My health is now better than
it has been probably for ten years back."

To John Mills, Esq.

2 THK CHESTNUTS,
1 1 AM i\s'i KAI >, $d January 1 877.

" My paper on f Sun Spots and the Price of Corn ' has not
been published, and in fact withdrawn, because I found, with
subsequent calculations, that the same data would give

41. SUN SPOTS AND THE PRICE OF CORN. 365

other periods of variation equally well. The method of
averages adopted seems delusive in this case, and I hardly
see any way of settling the matter conclusively. That the
inquiry is far from being an absurd one is, however, shown
by the remarkable fact since brought to view, that Sir
William Herschel, at the beginning of the century, tried to
explain the variations in the price of corn by the sun spots.
1 send you the MS. as it was read at the British Association
and partially reported. Please, however, do not allude to it,
except you add that I regard the conclusions as neither
proved nor disproved.

"The organ has been quite successfully re-established,
and seems to sound much better in this than in the former
house. The tone comes out more and resounds about the
house

" I think we shall be charmed with llampstead in the
spring and summer ; but the recent weather has not been
such as to develop the pleasures of the heath.

" . . . The summer holiday and comparative relief from
college work have been very beneficial to me, and I am now
in pretty good working order I am just engaged upon a
new edition of the Principles of Science ^ and also upon a
Political Economy Primer, to serve as a companion to my
Logic Primer. I have not heard any concerts yet to compare
with Halle's as a whole ; but I have been repeatedly to the
St. James' Hall popular concerts, where the chamber music
is delightful.

To his sister Lncy.

IlAMPSTKAD, i$th January 1877.

" . . A new edition of the Principles is coming out in a
few months. It will probably cost only half as much as the
first. I have been a good deal occupied in preparing it.

" Our little fellow seems quite well, but gets on slowly
with his teeth. I often think what it would be to lose him.
He has charming little ways of amusing himself and others.
He calls me * dada ' now, when he hears me come in, and is
making various attempts to speak. Jane whistled to him
one day when he saw a bird, so now he makes a curious
gurgling in his throat whenever he sees a bird."

366 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *:r. 41.

To Professor Leon Walras.

HAMPSTEAD, 28/7* February 1877.

" I thank you much for sending me the copy of your
four memoirs, which I have safely received. I am glad to
see that you are proceeding with your inquiries, and have
now found a theory of capitalisation. This appears to dis-
play all the originality and ingenuity which were so con-
spicuous in your previous memoirs. I am not myself much
engaged at present upon political economy, being just now
very busy in revising my book on the Principles of Science
for a second edition, the first edition having been sold out.
This work almost entirely prevents me from reading any-
thing at present. After it is done 1 propose to complete
my examination of John Stuart Mill's philosophy, in which
I shall show that the logical value of Mill's writings has
been much misunderstood, and that he is really a bad
logician.

" I have the pleasure of sending you, by post, a copy of a
small elementary work on Logic for Schools Books of this
sort arc sold in large numbers in England and America. I
am intending to prepare also an elementary book on political
economy for Messrs. Macmillan. My introductory lecture,
printed in the Fortnightly Rcvici^ is about to be republishcd
as a translation into French by M. tic Fortpertius, in the
Journal dcs Rconomistes for March, where you will no doubt
.sec it This, at least, is what I arn informed.

" Some weeks ago I took the opportunity of reading
Uupuit's Mcmoirc dc la Mcsitre de futilitd dcs Travaux
Publics, Annales dcs Ponts ct Chaussees, 1844, which I had
not previously seen. It is impossible not to allow that
Dupuit had a very profound comprehension of the subject,
and anticipated us as regards the fundamental ideas of utility.
But he did not work his subject out, and did not reach a
theory of exchange. It is extraordinary, too, what a small
effect his publication had upon economists, most of whom
were ignorant of its existence.

" I hope that your health is now re-established, and that
you are able to avoid excessive exertion. I am now com-
fortably situated at Hampstead, and having only few lectures

;ET. 41. TO GEORGE H. DARWIN, ESQ. 367

at University College or other occupations, am able to give
my time to repose or to literary work, as seems fit.

" If you are ever coming to London, it would give me
great pleasure to receive a visit from you here. If you have
not been in England, there is something of interest here. I
speak French very badly \ but perhaps you speak English. In
any case we would manage to discuss matters of common
interest. At the end of June, however, I go to Norway, and
may not return till the end of August/'

To the April number of Mind Mr. Jevons contributed an
article on "Cram," which was a defence of the system of com-
petitive examinations, against those opponents who con-
sidered that examinations led only to cram.

At Easter he took a few days' holiday with his brother,
visiting Canterbury for a second time, and then going on to
Sandwich and Dover

To George H. Darwin, Esq.

HAMPSTKAD, 30/7* April 1877.

" Thanks for your paper on the ' Nebular Hypothesis.' It
is a very interesting and important one, and though you call
it speculation, yet there is a basib of mathematical reasoning
throughout, which makes it very different from ordinary
speculation.

44 1 do not think Manns is at all conclusive against the
theory, but the question evidently depends upon Mercury
and Venus, which, if very oblique, lend much probability. I
do not know whether your attention has been given to the
curious difference between the planets referred to on p. 357,
vol. ii. of my Principles, quoting from Chambers' Astronomy,
1st cd., p. 23. The marked differences between the
exterior and interior group seem to show that , there must
have been some difference of origin.

" Would it be possible to account for the more rapid
axial rotation of the outer planets by one nebula in a partial
state of condensation encountering another of much less
mass? Might not such a planetary nebula revolve for a
time as a separate body, and only after a time be broken up
into distinct planets with satellites? Can you approach,
mathematically, the results of one nebula revolving round

3 68 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 41.

another? There intervenes, however, the question whether
a nebula is to be treated as gas, or as a swarm of meteoric
stones ; or possibly both at the same time."

During this spring Mr. Jcvons was working at his
Primer of Political Economy^ which he was preparing for
Macmillan's scries of Science Primers ; but the novelty of
his life in London induced him also to go about more than
he had done in Manchester, and more than he found himself
able to do in subsequent years. During part of May his
wife and little boy were absent from home. On the i 3th
May he wrote to his wife, after hearing a concert at the
Albert Hall : " 1 had a pleasant day yesterday ; the Wagner
performance, in some parts, was very fine, and I believe
he is a great musician. But much of the music is quite
unsuitcd to so large a hall, and would require scenery to
make it effective. The loud orchestral parts were magnifi-
cent." And again on the T 8th : " Yesterday, after writing
in the morning, 1 went to the Academy for an hour, then
to dine with the University of London Club, and afterwards
to the Royal Society, where 1 rather luckily heard Tyndall
describe his long series of experiments on spontaneous
generation, etc.

" I have now begun to write the finished copy of the
Primer, and am getting on with it very easily. I do not
know whether I can finish it all before going to Norway, as
the examinations interfere and the paper I propose to write
for America."

The paper for America which he refers to, was on the
"Silver Question;" it was read at the American Social
Science Association, and was afterwards published in the
Bankers' Magazine for December of the same year.

To John Mills, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, 3o/// May 1877.

" Can I trouble you to let me have back the MS. of my
paper at the British Association, on ' Commercial Crises and
Solar Spots? 1 I am working at the subject again, and am
more convinced than ever that there is some connection ;
but it is a treacherous subject, and requires much care. I
am not sure whether I have not found out the relation

JKt. 41. COPENHAGEN. 369

between the sun spots and the price of corn ; but at present
it is little more than a surmise.

" I have been having a great feast of music lately, be-
tween Rubinstein, Wagner, and minor performances. Several
hearings of Rubinstein quite confirm the first impression
that I gathered when I heard him in Manchester some years
ago, namely, that he is one of the most extraordinary per-
formers who ever lived perhaps the most extraordinary.
He realises one's ideal of musical creation more than I ever
thought possible. I heard the Sonata, Op. 1 1 1 , a few
clays ago. Wagner also has given me some new sensations.

" We discuss the subject of periodic crises next Friday
at the Political Economy Club."

As soon as the University of London examinations were
over, Mr. Jevons went abroad for a tour with his brother,
whom he joined at Hamburg, as Mr. T. E. Jevons had been
staying with his family in the Tyrol.

To his Wife.

HO JET- D'ANGI,ETERRE,
COPENHAGEN, Tuesday ^ sdjufy 1877.

" It seems now a long time since I left England, and we
have seen a great deal. So far, our tour has succeeded well
in spite of an unfavourable beginning.

" We went by rail to Lubeck, and were interested by the
quaint old town. Then at 4 P.M. \vc took the steamboat
for Copenhagen, bleeping on board, and getting in about
7 A.M. We have been much pleased with Copenhagen,
\vhich is a most lively, interesting town. We have been
about twice a day to the museums, and that of old northern
antiquities is altogether excellent.

11 Soon after breakfast on Saturday we went to find Falbe
Hanscn, but he was not at his office, and we only saw him
later on for a few minutes. On Sunday morning he came
with a friend, Herr Madson, and took us to Thorwaldsen's
Museum and some other places, and then to dine at a place
some miles down the coast. There was a little misadventure,
as the Danes were so busy talking that they forgot to land
at the right place, and the steamboat appeared to be making
off for Sweden. However, a few miles farther on, it called

2 B

370 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *r. 41.

at another dining-place, and we had a good dinner with
them, partly walking and partly driving home. It seems
that on Sundays almost every one who can goes out to
dine and amuse himself in the suburbs, where there are
numberless cafes and hotels and music saloons. Every
night, too, we have spent at Tivoli, which is a great pleasure-
garden, something like that we visited at Gothenburg, but
much larger. There are concerts with good music every
evening, pantomimes, ballets, a great two-storied merry-go-
round, many times as large as that at Hampstead, etc. etc.
All the people of the town go there, and on Sunday night
there were 10,000 or 15,000 there.

" As the time is short, we have decided to go to Sweden
instead [of Norway], and our address will be the Grand Hotel,
Stockholm.

"... There is much I might tell you, but time is too
short. 1 think it would have been a great mistake to take
Tom on a hurried visit to Norway, and of course I shall
like the novelty of Stockholm/'

To his Wife

JUNKUPINO, LAKE WETTIRN,
SWF DEN, yhjuly 1877.

44 We have now got nearly half-way to Stockholm, but,
not wishing to travel day and night, have stopped at this
town for a day.

" . . . I did not get your telegram until some forty
hours after mine was sent, and it delayed us a day in Copen-
hagen, which was, however, a matter of no regret, as we were
able to visit again the northern antiquities and spend our
fourth night at Tivoli, where we had good music of Wagner
and others, besides pantomimes, ballets, etc.

" We came from Copenhagen by Malmo and Lund and
the usual railway route, the journey occupying twelve hours.
Here we found a fine large hotel in fact, a grand hotel
very clean and nicely kept in the Swedish style. . . .

" This town is celebrated for its manufactories of lucifcr
matches (Jonkoping Tandstickor), paper, etc., and it is also
a kind of internal port of some consequence. We are going
by boat from here to-night at 1 1.30, by the lakes and canals,

JET. 41. STOCKHOLM. 371

to Stockholm, arriving after a journey of twenty hours. The
lake is broad and the banks rise somewhat, but the scenery
is not nearly so good even as Mjoscn. This evening, after
table d'hote at four, we are going to a garden to drink our
coffee to music. There is also a music-garden just under
our windows at the hotel.

" I am remarkably well, and up to a good deal of exer-
tion. I have given up all ideas of ill health, and drink
coffee and live like other people. I need not say anything
more about health, as it is becoming humbug. Tom seems
much pleased with our lively travels, and I think it lucky
that we gave up Norway. I sometimes regret the fiords
and fjclde, but quite think it was best to come here instead."

To his Wife.

GRAND HOTEL, STOCKHOLM,
7 *uc r/foy , i oth July 1877.

" We have not cared for Stockholm quite as much as
might have been expected. We hardly like it so much as
Copenhagen, though so much more beautiful a town in posi-
tion. The gallery of pictures is very poor on the whole,
and the palace, though large, is not interesting. The
museum is almost next door, but the best part, the Anti-
quarian Museum, was not open till to-day, when I had a
i(ood look at it for nearly three hours. This hotel is very
large and fine, and our rooms arc very comfortable, but we
scarcely like the place so much as the Hotel d'Angleterre
at Copenhagen. They have a curious way of making every
one pay for the meals on the spot, which perhaps is wise on
the whole, though rather troublesome.

u . . I shall look forward very much to the time
when I can bring you to these parts, of which we have
hardly seen anything. The museums will admit of many
visits, and there are man)'' things we have not attempted
to sec.

" I am pleased to hear of the little fellow being so happy;
I fear he will inks his playfellows when they go, but I must
blow some bubbles for him.

4< We are thinking of going to Upsala to-morrow for one
or two nights, and then perhaps taking a steamer to the

372 W. STANLE Y JE VONS. AST. 41

island of Gothland, where the town of Wisby is said to be
worth seeing."

To his Wife.

GRAND HOTLL, STOCKHOLM,
Friday, i^thjuly 1877-

" I am writing to-day to Gothenburg to take a berth for
this day week, so that our journey is rapidly drawing to a
close. I rather want to get home and see you again in
fact, I am a little homesick, and neither Tom nor I wish to
prolong our journey. The Gothenburg boats are so much
the best that I naturally prefer that route. . . .

" . . . Our trip to Upsala answered well, though we did
not find much to detain us. The architecture of the churches
both there and at Gamla Upsala, two or three miles off, is
very curious. We walked to Old Upsala, where arc three
large mounds said to be the graves of Odin, Thor, and Frey.
At a cottage near by we had the pleasure of drinking real
mead, which hat> been drunk there for centuries back. It
was very sweet and tasted of hone}', but nevertheless agree-
able, something between very good ginger beer and very
sweet champagne. It is drunk out of a horn. We found
the hotel at Upsala remarkably pleasant and cheap \Ve
had two beautiful bedrooms looking on the old church.
This Grand Hotel still fails to give us a pleasant impression."

To his Wife.

Wins HOTLL, KALAIVR,
SWEDLN, i^thjnly 1877, 3 P.M.

" We arrived here an hour or two ago after an eventful
visit to Wisby. I will tell you, when I get home, what a
queer old place it is ; anything but pleasant for a chance
visitor, but very interesting. The walls of the town arc
nearly perfect, and a magnificent specimen of the fortifica-
tions of the twelfth century, probably larger and finer in
some respects than those of Avignon which we saw. The
churches also are very curious, being, with one exception, of
the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries, unaltered ex-
cept by partial destruction. All the hotels in the town were
* staengt,' i.c. closed, with one wretched exception, and that
was full. We slept out at a nice little house, and ate partly

;ET. 41. RETURN HOME. 373

at the hotel, partly at the Pavilion, where, as usual in
Sweden, a brass band was playing most of the day. We
had nice steamboats and very smooth passages both to and
from Wisby. We are going this afternoon to visit Kalmar
Castle with a very strange old Englishman living in Sweden,
whom we take to be the Wandering Jew.

" I have written to Gothenburg to take my passage for
the 2Oth. We go to-morrow en route to Lund, in the south
of Sweden, where there is a university and a cathedral."

To his Wife.

HADSHUSLI HOTEL, WEXIO,
SWLDKN, 1 8/// /w#'i 877.

" Since 1 wrote a few lines yesterday from Kalmar we
have advanced one stage, and in an hour or two Tom and I
must part at Alvestad Junction. . . .

" The old gentleman whom I described in my last as
the Wandering Jew turned out a remarkable man, namely,
Professor George Stephens, a well-known Englishman who
settled in Copenhagen as Professor of English there. He is
very much like Professor Blackie of Edinburgh, and during
a walk at Kalmar and the journey thence he gave us his
opinions on all kinds of subjects, and enlightened us much
on Scandinavian topics."

Mr. T. E. Jcvons returned to the Tyrol, and Mr. Jcvons
crossed from Gothenburg to Hull. About a month after his
return a little daughter was born on the 26th August, who
was named " Harriet Winefrid," her father thinking that the
old-fashioned way of spelling the second name was the more
correct form of it. In the latter part of September he was
not well, and, needing a little change, he paid a week's visit
to Lyndhurst, in the New Forest, where his sister, Mrs.
Hutton, was staying. On the 27th September, the day
after his return home, he wrote to his sister : " I got on well
yesterday and had a pleasant time at Winchester, where I
saw the old hall formerly in Winchester Castle, the Cathe-
dral, and the Church of St. Cross again. They are all well
worth seeing, besides other things in the town. ... I liked
my visit to Lyndhurst very much, so far as health would
allow. Herbert seemed very pleased to see me last night ;

374 '. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 42

he showed it very prettily, and I could sec an improvement
in him, especially in speaking, since I went away."

At the beginning of October his wife went, with the
children, to pay a visit to her sister at Birkenhead. On the
4th Mr. Jevons wrote to her : " I have been rather busy
attending the Librarians' Conference, last night from 7 to
10 r.M., and this morning from 10 to 1.30. It is interest-
ing and amusing without being exciting. I do not think I
shall be able to carry out any of the suggestions in my own
library."

To his Wife.

HAMPSTEAD, 8/7* October 1877

" Thanks for your letter received this morning. I enclose
Herbert's first letter. I daresay you can make him pretend
to read it.

"... I feel quite well again, and have begun a little bit
of writing at the Primer. Last night I went to the evening
service at the Church of St. Bartholomew the Great, Smith-
field, which I remembered seeing some twenty-five years ago
It is an interesting old piece of Norman architecture, the
only one left in London after the great fire. Afterwards I
heard the concluding voluntary at St. Sepulchre's.

" . . . I begin my class this afternoon."

On the pth he wrote to his wife : " My class came off
rather well yesterday. The room was nearly full of students,
including a good many ladies several from last year's class.
If they all really join the class it will be a decidedly good
one, but I cannot know at present. I gave a rather good
lecture, although 1 felt much disinclined for it."

This autumn Mr. Jevons became one of the secretaries
of the Statistical Society, and a member of the council.
He took much interest in the work of the Society, and
attended the meetings as frequently as possible.

It will be remembered that in 1868 Mr. Jevons had pre-
pared three articles criticising various points in Mill's System
of Logic. As the articles were declined by the magazine
to which he offered them, he had no opportunity of making
use of them before Mr. Mill's unexpected death took place
Mr. Jevons much regretted this ; he would rather have pub-

^ET. 42. CRITICISM OF MILLS PHILOSOPHY. 375

lished them during Mr. Mill's lifetime, but as that had not
been done, he felt that he must keep them back for some
time. Meanwhile his conviction that there were many errors
and inconsistencies in various parts of Mr. Mill's writings
deepened with continued study, and he determined to pre-
pare a volume as A Criticism of Mill's Philosophy.

He had made some progress with it by this date, but
having so much other work in hand, he felt that the publica-
tion would be delayed for some time longer, and he therefore
readily accepted Mr. Strahan's invitation to publish portions
of the book as articles in the Contemporary Review. The
first appeared in December of this year.

To his brother Tom.

HAMPSTEAD, i6/7/ December 1877.

u Excuse economy of paper ; I never waste a sheet.

" I was pleased to get your letter last night, and this
being Sunday evening (my letter-writing time), I answer at
once.

l< Have you seen the Contemporary Review ^ with my first
attack on Mill ? 1 am this evening finishing the proofs ot
the second article, which will be stronger in evidence, though
rather stiffer. It is a good thing bringing them out at in-
tenals in a magazine and then republishing them. I am
determined to go through with the matter, and upset Mill's
logic altogether.

" I have not been going much to amusements of late,
but took a holiday on Friday to visit the Cattle Show and
Temple Bar before it is pulled down.

" Rather more than a week ago I had an interesting night
at the Political Economy Club, where I happened to sit next
to an empty chair, and presently Gladstone came in and sat
down next me. I reminded him of my name, when he at
once talked about the Principles ; and all through dinner,
for some two hours, I had a long discussion with him, partly
about Owens College, concerning which he made minute
inquiries, but principally about legislative matters. He
seemed desirous to discuss vaccination, and I am sorry to
say he sticks to his idea that its value is not sufficiently
proved to warrant making it compulsory. At any rate he

376 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 42.

considers the matter open to doubt. He argued that the
vaccinators have changed their ground, and now think re-
vaccination needful ; and on my saying I would agree to com-
pulsory rcvaccination if necessary, he held that that would
be absurd, and reduced the thing to an absurdity. When I
mentioned his speech at the Adam Smith Centennial, when
he spoke against extending government, he rather gave in
to some slight objections I made, and he would not object
at all to compulsory vaccination if there were no doubt of its
efficacy.

44 1 was naturally much interested in an opportunity of
judging of the style of reasoning of such a man as Gladstone
in discussion. He was awfully wideawake, and picked you
up quickly enough if you made the least slip, but I always
regret that he had not a more scientific education.

" Lord Granville was just opposite, and Lowe not far off,
but I did not speak to them. Mundclla opened the debate
on the causes of depression of trade, and made some rather
pointed references to the Coal Question, which he seems to
admire. The discussion turned chiefly to trades' unions, but
I did not say anything. By the by, Gladstone spoke of a
tax on coal, and was quite clear that if there were any such
it should be on all coal raised, not merely exports, but he
would no doubt oppose any tax at all."

To Hcrr W. Visscring.

HAMPSTEAU, 8/// February 1878.

41 1 have sent you, by book post, a copy of the Journal of
the London Statistical Society for December 1877, at p. 664
of which you will find a brief notice of your important book
on ' Chinese Currency.' As this journal is in the possession
of all the leading statisticians and economists, and is carefully
indexed, it will, I hope, make your work somewhat known,
as it deserves. I hope to have other occasions of bringing
your valuable inquiries under the notice of English readers,
though I am not just at present engaged in any writing in
which it could be fitly done.

" It has occurred to me to ask whether you could render
me assistance in an inquiry of much importance, regarding the
periodical recurrence of monetary crises during the eighteenth

AST. 42. THEORY OF COMMERCIAL CRISES. 377

century. I find that considerable crises occurred in England
in the years 1763, 1772, 1782 or 1783, and 1793, an ^ I
have discovered some indications of a crisis in 1753. These
crises were simultaneous with like events in Holland, and it
is of course Holland which was the leading commercial
nation at the time. Now, in regard to the theory of crises,
it becomes most important to ascertain whether there were
in Holland, in or about the years 1731-32 and 1741-42, any
events at all corresponding to commercial crises or difficulties.
This is the more interesting inasmuch as the great bubble of
the South Sea Company occurred in the year 1720, so that
I am not without hope of showing that from 1720 to the
present time there has been a constant tendency to the
periodical recurrence of these events.

" Being unacquainted with the history of commercial
affairs in Holland at the time, and being unable also to read
Dutch, I feel great difficulty in pursuing the inquiry. If,
however, you or M. d'Aulnis dc Bourouill could point out
to me any information on the subject, or indicate the works
in which it might be found, you would render me the most
important assistance.

" Please give my sincere compliments to M. d'Aulnis de
Bourouill when you have an opportunity.

" I\S. I write at a time of intense political anxiety.
As you will learn from the newspapers, the House of Com-
mons, this morning at i A.M., passed a vote of ^6,000,000
for war purposes, after an excited debate of remarkable
character. If the Russians should really occupy Constan-
tinople the war party here will have it all their own way,
and it is impossible to foresee the results. There is an uneasy
feeling in England that we may be on the brink of a great,
in fact a European, war.

" I am entirely opposed to the war party here ; but there
can be no doubt that if once involved in war there would be
no difference of opinion as to the necessity of carrying it to
a successful conclusion.

" If Russia and Germany are determined upon aggres-
sion, then England will have to fight, as she has fought
before.

" We may have made many mistakes in diplomacy in

378 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *r. 42.

past years, but it has been done in the sincere love of peace.
There is a horror in most people here of spending blood or
money in the defence of Turkey, or in a wretched conflict
like that in the Crimea, but of course Russia cannot be
allowed to paralyse Europe as she has paralysed so large a
part of Asia. I do not believe in the civilisation of Russia.
It is a barbarous system of despotism, and it is surely incon-
sistent with the interests of humanity that such a Power
should be permitted to extend herself much farther."

To John Mills, Esq.

HAMI'STKAT), i ith February 1878.

" In a few weeks my Political Economy Primer will be
out. 1 give a long chapter to Credit Cycles, which it occur^
to me you may like to see before it is printed off. I there-
fore send proof by book post. In a day or two the first
proofs will have to be returned.

u I thought it a good opportunity to disseminate your
and my various ideas on the subject The nature of the
book does not admit of particular reference or discussion,
but I hope you do not object to my introducing your name
in a way which docs not make you responsible for the state-
ments. If you have any remarks to make, they would be
much valued if received in a clay or two. I hope that the
Primer will have a large circulation, say fifteen or twenty
thousand copies a year. I have now and then been going
into the past history of crises with care, and am becoming
more and more confident about the ten years' period. The
matter is one difficult to establish from the paucity of infor-
mation, but I believe I can detect an almost unbroken series
of expansions of credit pressures or crises at approximate ten
years' intervals since the South Sea Bubble of 1720, if not
before. The physicists now reduce the sun-spot period to
10*23 years, so that the coincidence is as close as could be
desired."

To John Milk) Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, 14/7* Febntary 1878.

" Thanks for your letters, also for the proofs and pamphlet
The latter seems very interesting as regards the letters of

ALT. 42. CK/SES OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. 379

Gibbs, because he lets one a little into the arcana of the
bank parlours. . . I am quite aware that you insisted on
the recurrence of these panics in spite of all kinds of casual
incidents of the currency, etc. When I write more at freedom
in the matter I shall bring it out clearly.

" What I want to do now is to prove the matter empirically,
by actual history of last century occurrences. Formerly I
thought, judging from various statistics, that the interval
1720-63 was a blank ; but it is not so. I have now got an
important link in the year 1732, when there was a bubble,
or at least what they called stock-jobbing. It was so bad
that an Act to prevent its recurrence, if possible, was passed
in 1734 ; and a contemporary writer compared the bubble
with that of 1720, no doubt an exaggeration, but a signi-
ficant one.

"My impression is that the collapse of 1720 was pre-
mature, like that of 1873, and that about 1722 was the
due time.

"My evidence concerning 1742 is yet very slight, as
also 1753, but I hope to find plenty of evidence in a little
time.

" 1763 was a great crisis, as you no doubt know, and
1772, 1782, and 1793 were very distinct events."

To Professor J. d'Aiilms etc l>oitromll.

HAMPSTEAD, iWi February 1878.

" I am very much pleased to hear of your appointment
by the King as Professor of Political Economy at the Uni-
versity of Utrecht. I feel sure that the choice is a wise one,
and that you arc determined to advance the science of which
you have made a study to so good a purpose. It will always
give me great pleasure to hear of your success, and I hope
that we may have, in due time, various economical works from
your hand.

" Since I wrote to M. Visscring I have been engaged in
following out the inquiry I mentioned to him, as regards
recurrent commercial excitement, periods of activity, and
depression of trade during the eighteenth century. The in-
formation is very scanty, and I cannot make more than
surmises at present, but I am inclined to believe that there

380 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. ^ET. 42.

were small or great crises in or about the years 1701, 1711,
1720, 1732, 1743, 1753, 1763, 1772, 1782, 1793, 1805,
1815, 1825, 1836, 1847, 1857, and 1866. The period-
icity is remarkable, and the average length of the period
is somewhere about 10*3 years, so nearly the same as
the .sun-spot period which is variously estimated at 10*45
or 10*23 years that there can hardly be a doubt about the
connection of cause and effect.

" About most of the crises there can be no doubt, but
the earlier ones underlined are doubtful, and I am eagerly
seeking information.

" If they could be shown to extend to Holland, the fact
would be most interesting."

To John Mills, Esq.

HAMPSIKAD, 20 th February 1878.

u T now return the correspondence to Northwold. I have
read Gibbs' letters with much interest. . . . No doubt a
judicious raising of the bank rate in good time would do
much to mitigate panics ; but it would be requisite that
bankers generally should learn to look ahead Even the
bank directors arc now beginning to allow that there arc
tides in their accounts a fact which Langton so clearly put
twenty years ago. It is only quite recently, I believe, that
the idea has been recognised in the bank, and I believe we
may look for a more intelligent treatment of such matters in
future. Gibbs is, I suppose, one of the best.

" I find it exceedingly difficult to procure information
about the state of trade in the early part of last century ; but
I am gradually getting slight indications. The price of
copper seems likely to be the best indication of the condition
of credit, just as the price of iron is now the most subject to
variation. I suspect that the periods of collapse arc about as
follows: 1711, 1720, 1732, 1743, 1753,1763, 1772, 1782,
1793, 1805, 1815, 1825, 1836, 1847, 1857, 1866,1873-77-
The average interval is about 10*3 years. The sun-spot period
is variously estimated, but cither 10*23 or 10*45 seems the
favourite number now. You sec that the South Sea Bubble
was one of the series, but it broke somewhat prematurely."

AST. 42. DECENNIAL SERIES OF CRISES. 381

To Hcrr W. Vissering.

HAMPSTKAD, ^d March 1878.

u I cannot enough thank you for your kindness in pro-
curing the work on the Amsterdam Exchange, as also the
pamphlet on the crisis of 1720. They contain exactly the
kind of information which I need ; and I expect to derive
guidance from them, though I do not know Dutch. My
English, joined to a slight knowledge of German and a few
words of Danish, enable me to read a sentence here and
there, and I have procured a dictionary to assist me.

" The references arc invaluable. 1 do not yet despair of
finding some distinct information about depressions of trade
intervening between 1721 and 1763, so as to complete the
decennial scries. In London there was said to be stock-
jobbing in 1732 comparable with that of 1720, though this
is obviously an exaggeration.

" I am interested to perceive that the pamphlet on 1721
is by your father, so that by good fortune I have the
assistance of those perhaps the best qualified in any country
to inform me.

" I am interested in your remarks on the Chinese labour,
and should like to discuss it with you, if you happen to visit
London. It is too important and difficult a question to be
answered in a few words.

" We have a large Chinese library at University College,
some 10,000 tracts collected by the Rev. Robert Morrison.
I suppose nobody ever looks at them. Indeed, in the close
neighbourhood of the British Museum it is of little use.

" I shall have the pleasure of sending you a copy of my
new little book on Political Economy?

To John Mills, Esq.

HAMPSTLAD, 241/1 March 1878.

" The evidence of bubbles and crises in the eighteenth
century is apparently of a slight and fragmentary character,
but when put together will have much circumstantial strength.
I have nothing but fragmentary notes as yet, and much
searching will be necessary.

" Only an hour or two ago I got valuable indications

382 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 42.

of the earliest bubble yet connected with the series from Mr.
Cornelius Walford, being the number of insurance companies
started in the undermentioned years :

1704 . . 2 1712 . 20

1706 2 1714 . 6

1707 i 1715 - I

1708 . 2 I7l6 . . 2

1709 8 1717 . 4

1710 37 1719 . 6

1711 35 1720 . . 52

This is very important, as it clearly puts the South Sea
Bubble in the series, and puts one before it which I had
previously suspected.

"Then there was a bubble in 1732 which, in the Gentle-
man's Magazine, is compared to that of 1 720 (or rather 1721).

"In 1743 there was a general and great rise in the
price of wool, attributed to stock-jobbing.

"In 1753-54 there was a foreign drain and great scarcity
of money ; but I must search for more information. In
1763 there was a well-known Continental crisis, as also
in 1773- About 1782 I have not much evidence yet ; but
1792-93 was a great collapse, as you know. The difficulty
of finding reliable information is very great."

In March the Primer of Political Economy was published.
Mr. Jevons' long experience in teaching the class of pupil
teachers in Owens College had peculiarly fitted him for the
task of explaining clearly and simply those parts of Political
Economy which can be taught to young people. At the
same time, he " hoped that this little treatise may also serve
as a stepping-stone to a knowledge of the science among
readers of a maturer age who have hitherto neglected the
study of political economy." No one, judging from the size
of the book, could be aware of the time and labour that it
cost him to prepare it. He was most anxious to make the
best possible use of the limited space at his command.

To the Rev. Harold Rylett.

HAMPSTKAD, 24^/1 March 1878.
" I thank you very warmly for writing out so much of

,ET. 42. PRIMER OF POLITICAL ECONOMY. 383

my lectures and sending them to me. It is interesting to
read what purports to be a verbatim report, but which has, I
fear, undergone some improvement in the process. It is
well known how much of the oratory we read is due to the
reporters.

" As regards Shaw Lcfevre's address, I cannot under-
stand so large a reduction of cattle and sheep, because there
has been no fall in price of meat or other cause to make the
holding less profitable ; and rise in wages of labourers would
not much affect stock-farming. Decrease of corn-land is
easy to understand. . . .

" I fear the transcription of the whole of the lectures will
be a very long and tedious work, which I cannot venture to
ask of you.

" Excuse my delay in answering your letter ; but I have
had a good deal to do, and cannot work long at a time, so
that when pressed I have to leave letters for a time.

" I have been busy about the bringing out of the Primer,
of which I think I sent you a copy."

To IT. PL Brewer, Esq., II.M. Inspector of Schools.

2 THE CHLSTNUTS, HAMPSTEAD,
24//r MarJi 1878.

ki I have now actually got a second edition of my Tlicory
cf Political Economy in hand, and want to have it out next
October, few copies now remaining. In addition to a
general revision, I wish to add a bibliography of books
relating to the mathematical treatment of political economy.
I have your letter, written some years since, in reference to
certain books, and shall find the trouble you then took valu-
able for my object. But it would greatly oblige me if you
would just look over the books again at your leisure ; and,
after carefully writing down the title of each bibliographically,
add a few remarks as to the contents and value, the note to
vary from a single line to a page or two, according to your
caprice or your estimate of the value of the book.

" I suppose Macmillan has sent you a copy of my Primer^
with the disinterested idea that you would immediately use
your tyrannical powers to force it on the wretched pedagogues
who tremble at your approach.

384 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 42.

" Seriously speaking, would there be any way of bringing
the need of elementary teaching of political economy forward
again ? or would it not be better to leave Dr. Watts and
others to do that ? Some people do not believe in primary
teaching of political economy. ... No one is more likely to
judge well than yourself. What do you think ? I feel both
the great need and the difficulty, and have not committed
myself to any strong opinion in the preface, but rather
quoted the opinions of the authorities."

To W. H. Brewer, Esq.

2 THE CHESTNUTS, 3^ April 1878.

" I now enclose your former letters, which contain many
notes, but it would be a great convenience for me to have a
brief account of each of the books you have in your posses-
sion. I enclose a paper which shows the form of entry in
my bibliography. The subject grows upon me as I pro-
ceed. There arc more books than you would suppose, and
I find that the Memoirs of Dupuit in the Aunalcs ties Pouts
et Chausccs are most luminous and valuable. Though he
chiefly applied his ideas to the tolls, bridges, etc., he had a
perfectly correct notion of the theory of value. It is curious
how such writings come to be forgotten."

In the April number of the Contemporary Review, the
second article, " John Stuart Mill's Philosophy Tested," was
published. During the year of his residence at Hampstcad
Mr. Jevons had renewed his experiments on microscopic
particles ; and in the April number of the Quarterly Journal
of Science he published an article " On the Movement of
Microscopic Particles suspended in Liquid," which he had
written early in 1877.

To E. J. Btoadfidd, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, 7th April 1878.

" I was very sorry to hear from your last letter that you
have so soon again had to bear another loss, and one less to
be looked for. Sometimes I think that I am wanting in
the imagination which alone can enable us to enter into
other people's feelings so far, perhaps, but only so far I
may not feel with you so acutely as I should do. If

ET. 42. REASONS FOR CRITICISM OF MILL. 385

indeed for your sorrows to remind me of my own is
sympathy, then no one could feel more. . . . Not long since,
too, I lost a brother in New Zealand, who died suddenly and
all alone of another hopeless disease, under peculiarly touch-
ing circumstances. If any one has had cause to doubt the
benevolent government of human affairs, it is I and my
brothers and sisters ; and yet nothing can eradicate from my
mind the belief that there must be a brighter side to things,
and that we do not see all. It may be very unscientific, and
1 exact thinkers ' like Mill may have proved the opposite. In
that case I must consent to remain among the unscientific.

" But to come to business. I should like to spend a night
with you at Prestwich. I could go next Monday and be
with you some time in the evening, if you should be dis-
engaged and not disinclined for a perfectly quiet visit. I
should probably go first to Birkenhcad. Please let me know
exactly what you wish. I might put off my visit for a week,
or even till after Easter ; but I should like nothing better
than to have a few hours' talk with you when I do go.

" I am much pleased with your few remarks on the Mill
article. Some people seem to think that I am doing myself
much harm by the articles ; and I almost suspect some of
them to mean that I have no straightforward purpose in
writing as I do in the Contemporary. But the fact is my
attack on Mill is as much a matter of the heart as the head ;
and I feel sure that, if I can succeed in convincing people of
the groundless character of much of Mill's writings, the ser-
vice to truth must be of an important character. Moreover,
it is one so difficult to accomplish that I was warranted in
accepting Strahan's offer, to insert some articles in the Con-
temporary Rcvici\}. I do not always like the company I am
in there ; and yet, on the whole, their company is more con-
genial than that of the Comtists who reign in the Fortnightly.
Mallock's article is an extraordinary production.

" I have three or four books of different sorts on hand,
especially a new edition of the Theory of Political Economy,
and I have worked myself a little below par, perhaps more
than a little, so that a few days' rest will do me good."

Mr. Jevons had been working very hard during the
spring, and he now felt the effects of it on his health ; he

2 c

3 86 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. .ET. 42.

therefore determined to take a few weeks' holiday on the
continent in May and June, returning home in time for his
duties as examiner. His cousin, Mr. W. E. Jevons, was his
companion.

Of his visit to Aix-la-Chapelle he wrote to his wife :

" I am glad to have seen the cathedral there, the older
octagonal part of which was built by Charlemagne about
the year 800. It is somewhat on the model of St. Vitalis
at Ravenna, and I was pleased to be reminded of our stay
there. It contains a number of beautiful columns of marble
and granite, some of which were brought from Rome and
Ravenna. The choir, too, is very beautiful, like the Saintc
Chapellc at Paris."

And of Cologne :

" Although I had seen it before, the cathedral surprised
me by its beauty and splendour ; and I think it is almost the
nc plus -ultra of Gothic architecture. The outside has been
greatly restored, and the spires are getting on towards com-
pletion, though they must take some years yet. We visited
a number of other churches, most of which were fine Roman-
esque specimens "

From Lucerne he wrote :

" Our time on the Rhine was a bright jolly time, and I
seldom enjoyed travelling more than between Aix and
Baden.

u . . . We had a most beautiful journey from Baden to
Constance, through the heart of the Black Forest, by a line
quite recently finished, which winds about among the valleys
of the Black Forest in an extraordinary manner, rising 2000
feet, reminding me of the railway through the Apennines.
The views were often lovely, and we could also see the in-
habitants, with their large quaint houses with overhanging
roofs."

The weather was so bad that they could do little in
Switzerland. He was much amused at going up the Rigi
by railway. Afterwards they went on to Brienz and Inter-
laken, and then began their homeward journey.

He returned home to a solitary house. His wife, with
the children, had been spending the time of his absence
with her sisters ; and she had not gone back because some

AST. 42. PAPER ON COMMERCIAL CRISES. 387

of the children in the adjoining house at Hampstead had an
attack of diphtheria. He could not join his family until the
University of London examination was over, and he felt the
enforced absence from his children very much ; for as their
intelligence began to develop they were an ever-increasing
source of pleasure to him. He ended a note to his wife
with these words "When shall I see Boy again. Give
them both a kiss for me."

To his brother Tom.

MANOR HOUSE, EASTBOURNE,
list August 1878.

" When your last letter arrived, I had just written to you,
and our letters crossed. Another letter is now, however,
due, and I write after spending a very pleasant week in
comfortable quarters at Mr. Russell Scott's country house at
Eastbourne. It has suited us all very well, the boy being
newly introduced to the beach with spade and bucket, and
instructed in wading and paddling by myself. Harriet
always enjoys the sea, and we have had some pleasant drives
to Beachy Head, Pevensey Castle, etc.

u After some ten days at home, we go for three weeks in
September, to Derbyshire, where we have taken lodgings
near Matlock, at a breezy farmhouse called Castle Top Farm,
near Cromford. The hot weather which we have had lately
has not agreed with me, and I have made up my mind to
spend my summers in Norway as much as possible.

" I did not feel well enough to go to the British Asso-
ciation at Dublin, but I sent a paper on the periodic recur-
rence of commercial crises, and their connection with the
sun-spot period. I do not know what they will do with it.
Within the last few days I have had rather a disagreeable
incident in the discovery, by Adamson of Owens College, of
an unknown German book, by a man called Gosscn, contain-
ing a theory of political economy apparently much like
mine. There are, in fact, a whole series of books, hitherto
quite unknown, even on the Continent, in which the prin-
cipal ideas of my theory have been foreshadowed. I am,
therefore, in the unfortunate position that the greater number
of people think the theory nonsense, and do not understand

388 ir. STANLEY JEVONS. - /FT. 42

it, and the rest discover that it is not new. 1 am getting on
but 'slowly with the new edition, and altogether am rather at
a standstill."

The full title of the paper sent to section F of the
British Association was " The Periodicity of Commercial
Crises and their Physical Explanation." As will be seen from
many of his letters, Mr. Jevons had given much attention to
the subject during this year, and each fresh confirmation of
his theory was a source of great gratification to him.

When he was preparing the second diagram for his paper,
which gave the annual value of exports, from England to
India, from 1710 to 1810, in three year averages propor-
tionally represented, his wife can never forget how eagerly
he called her to the study, that she might see how strongly
the decimal variation was marked in most parts of the curve.

To John Mills, Esq.

2 THE CHKSTNUTS, WEST HFATII,

1 1 \MpsTiAD, N.W., 30/7* August 1878.

"Arc we to have a crisis and collapse next October or not?

" Accounts which are sent me show a large increase of
bankruptcies in the first half of '78 compared with '77, and
the recent unexpected pressure in the money market is very
curious, and might seem to foreshadow a greater pressure in
October and November ; in fact I think there must be such.

" But, on the other hand, the occurrence of such numer-
ous bankruptcies is what often follows a collapse, so that the
real crisis might be placed in the autumn of 1877. The
sun-spot theory, on the other hand, would lead me to expect
the collapse in 1878. My paper on the subject was, as you
perhaps heard, read at the British Association at Dublin, but
it has not yet been printed in full. I contemplate writing
further on the subject soon."

To H. S. Foxivcll, Esq.

2 THE CHESTNUTS, \st September 1878.

" Thanks for your suggestion about DC Quincey's book,
which I will look into. I always thought it was not worth
reading, but I daresay it was from a groundless prejudice
against the writer.

-ET. 43- ARTICLE ON PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS. 389

u A remarkable book has been discovered by Adamson.
It is by Gossen of Brunswick, published in 1854, and in a
remarkable manner anticipates the principal results of Walras
and me. No one seems ever to have heard of the book, and,
not reading German, I was of course quite ignorant of its
existence. The theory in question has in fact been independ-
ently discovered three or four times over, and must be true."

To E. /. Broadficld, Esq.

CASTLF TOP, CROMFORD,
DKKUVSHIKE, $th September 1878.

4k We arc now just settled in this quiet spot, and one of
our first thoughts is, when will you come ? We expect to
stay till the 2 1st, and shall be happy if you will come at the
time best suiting yourself. I am writing an article on Eng-
lish Public Amusements for the Contemporary, and shall
probably send it off at the end of next week. If you could
read and criticise it, your corrections would be of the utmost
value ; but you must, of course, not inconvenience yourself
on that or any other account. I have got the main sub-
stance of it ready now, so that we could discuss it at any
time in the next week.

" We like Castle Top and the people very much, but are
not at present favoured with the best weather. It is too
dull and dark and damp to render life very spirited up here,
but it is a capital place for a little quiet work.

" The children are very well, and Herbert is delighted
with the trains, which he watches with ever-renewed interest
The Cromford railway also receives hib attention, and yester-
day he gravely informed his mamma, * The train goes up
\\ith a rope. It is a very old line.' This is information I
had given him shortly before."

To Professor L&m Walras.

HAMPSTEAP, 2o/// September 1878.

" I shall pay careful attention to your remarks on my list
of works on political economy. If I mention those which
use only the geometrical method, I must be careful to point
out the difference. I am sorry that my want of knowledge
of German will prevent me from properly treating the German

390 W. STANLEY JEVONS. IT. 43

economists. I am now informed that there is an almost
unknown work by Hermann Heinrich Gossan, published at
Braunschweig in 1854, which to a great extent anticipates
my theory. Of this work, however, a friend promises me an
abstract for my new edition."

At the beginning of October he attended the meeting of
the Library Association at Oxford.

To his Wife.

CLAKLM>ON Horn.,

OXFORD, id October 18/8

u . . We arc having a pleasant meeting on the whole,
and I find some friends among the librarians. . . . Mr Coxe,
the Bodleian librarian, is a very pleasant old man, and we
had rather a good meeting last night, after the dinner At
the Rector's dinner I sat next to Professor Max Midler,
whom I was glad to get acquainted uith To-night I am
to dine with Professor Rollcston. I think, when I get home,
I will begin to consider the question of a catalogue of my
books. If we had cards printed, I think you could gradually
get on with it, and ultimately there would be great use in it.

" Oxford decidedly surpasses Cambridge in the number
and beauty of the colleges The new buildings, too, in some
cases arc very fine, especially Waterhousc's Balliol College,
which I admired very much before knowing what it was. . . .

" I shall make a point of being at Paris on the night of
the 4th.

" Does the ' boy ' miss me ?"

To his Wife

OXFORD, $d Ottobcr 1878.

" We had a decidedly pleasant day here yesterday, the
members of the Association becoming better acquainted with
each other, as far as I am concerned. We had a very lively
dinner at Professor Rollcston's, both he and Rogers, who
took the other end of the table, being good hosts. The
soirfr afterwards in the museum was also pleasing, owing to
the beauty of the building, which, however, was only very
partially lighted up. In the afternoon we visited Balliol
College, Dr. Jowett showing us over the new hall and

ET. 43- LIBRARY ASSOCIA TION. 39!

chapel, and the new reading-room established in the old
dining-hall, in addition to the old library. In the reading-
room I was naturally pleased to find two copies of the first
edition of the Principles placed side by side. It is not often
a library has two identical copies of a book of that sort.

" . . Two of the booksellers here have the second
edition in their windows. Mill's reputation is said to be
rapidly declining in Oxford in fact, they say he is almost
overlooked in the examinations.

" After Balliol we went to All Souls, where there are fine
libraries, and where they gave us old ale and very good tea.

" I am going to breakfast this morning with one of the
secretaries of the Association, and must therefore close. I
think I shall go to Dover this afternoon, but have not yet
looked out the trains.

" I have some prospect of making important price-list
discoveries in the Bodleian."

lie went to Paris, for a few days only, to sec the Paris
Exposition before beginning the work of the session.

To his brother Tom.

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON,

BURLINGTON GARDENS, W.,

3U/ October 1878.

"As usual, I seize a vacant hour in the B.A. examina-
tion to answer your last letter. I have been much pleased to
hear about your country retreat in the Adirondacks. ... It
must much resemble my Norwegian life, barring the shoot-
ing, and barring also the interest and variety that attends
the travelling from inn to inn in Norway We must go
there on the next opportunity. As to my visiting America,
the expense, length of voyage, heat of the climate, etc.,
render such a trip scarcely practicable.

" I have now published my article on the Amusements of
the People in the Contemporary Review. It is partly the out-
come of our investigations in Denmark and elsewhere. I have
not seen much notice of it in the press, though there have
been several articles, I believe. Various friends have expressed
themselves much pleased with it. The Spectator remarks that
it is trite, which, perhaps, is a somewhat fair criticism.

392 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *:T. 43.

" I have, as usual, got a series of books and articles on
hand, all of which want writing immediately, and I sometimes
feel desperate about ever getting them done. But the sale
of the books is certainly encouraging ; the Principles is soon
to be in the third edition, and is adopted as a text-book at
two or more universities.

" I hope your family are all well and flourishing as much
as ever. It is a blessing to have such fine healthy children.
Ours arc in capital health, so far, and both get on very well,
except that they will quarrel and fight, even at their tender
age.

14 We have now got into the thick of the normal sun-spot
crisis, and when this is over, there will, I hope, be a rapid
recovery of trade. I trust you will have a harvest these next
few years.

To liis brother Tom.

UNIVERSITY ot LONDON,

BURLINGTON ( GARDENS,

J4/// November 1878.

" I was much pleased with your last cheerful letter, as it
seems to show that you are all well and fairly prosperous.
I hope business is better in New York than England, and
that you have not suffered from the late great fall in corn
and cotton. In any case, I trust that there is a good time
coming now that the normal crisis is past.

" I have just written an article on crises, for Nature, and
if I can, will send you a copy ; but the American post office
is so badly managed that there is little inducement to send
papers or books. I have never received the Evening Post
you sent.

" My theory of crises has the appearance of being a little
too ingenious, and it requires some boldness to publish it
without more evidence. But I have great confidence in its
substantial truth, and when I have worked the thing out
more, shall perhaps write an article for the Princeton Review
on the subject, though when I can do it must remain
uncertain.

" I am glad you approve my Amusements article. I
intend, in the course of time, to treat a whole series of similar
social subjects, but each article requires much consideration

,ET. 43. IN A FOG ABOUT POLITICS. 393

and reading, and I can only get on slowly. The press has
not noticed the article much here, but I have heard of
numbers of persons privately who read it with approbation.

"About politics, I confess myself in a fog. Sometimes I
think Beaconsfield deserves hanging, and at other times I
rather admire his cool and daring assertion of British power.
Hut I prefer to leave la liautc pohtiquc alone, as a subject
which admits of no scientific treatment. I have enough to
think and write about which I can somewhat understand,
without troubling myself about things which I cannot
understand.

" I have just had a pleasant lunch at my little club in
Savilc Row with Harry Roscoc and Huggins the astronomer.
They are agitated by the supposed discovery of Lockyer
that the elements can be decomposed. Harry has been
going over the experiments with Lockyer at South Ken-
sington, but is going to investigate the matter more at
Manchester. My impression is, it is a mistake, and that
Lockyer will have to draw in his horns, mats nous vcrrous"

In the Contemporary Review for January Mr. Jevons
published an article on " A State Parcel Post."

To E. J. Broadfidd) Esq.

HAMPSTLAD, id January 1879.

"It seems an age since I heard from you ; indeed it was,
I think, last year, and that is too far pa^t to allow of my
waiting longer before asking how you arc. 1 see you now
and then reported at the school board meetings, and I dare-
say the school work occupies you a good deal. 1 suspect
that they will gradually put more and more work upon
you.

" The main point, however, is, when will you come and
pay the long-promised visit? Choose your own time, so
that when you come we can have a good round of amuse-
ments. I am rather in want of diversion, having been stick-
ing rather close to work for some months back. My health
has been so remarkably better this autumn that I have taken
to working double shifts, evening as well as morning.

" How do you like my Parcel Post article ? It was
rather hastily finished, and contains a few stupid blunders ;

394 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 43.

but I think it is mainly unanswerable. I have plenty more
articles to come, if Strahan does not tire of them.

u . . . But the burden of my letter is come as soon as
you can, and pay us a good visit, and in the meantime, write
a line to say that the New Year promises well and happily for
you, as it does for us."

To M. A. de Fovillc, Chef du Bureau dc Statistique
dn Ministere dcs Finances, Paris.

HAMPSTEAD, ist February 1879.

" I am much indebted to you for your very kind letter
on the subject of Commercial Crises, which I have been
thinking over for a week or more. As regards the book of
M. Juglar, I have had a copy for some time, though I have
not read the whole of it with the care which it deserves. His
information about the crisis of 1804-5 is valuable, in addition
to others I have since gained, but it does not satisfy me,
inasmuch as the crisis of 1809-10 was in any case a much
greater one, and is the only great exception to the decennial
periodicity.

" I have a good deal of information about the sun-spots
and other physical fluctuations, but am yet far from fully
acquainted with the facts of this complex subject. I shall
have an opportunity of consulting the Annuaire dn Bureau
des Longitudes dc 1878, in London, and expect to get from
it the latest information.

" I cannot easily explain the greater regularity of the
commercial series as compared with the physical scries of
events. The proper working out of so complex a subject
must be a matter of time, and what I have printed is only
the first germ of what I hope to publish in the course of
some years. Other engagements will prevent me from
following the matter up as rapidly and fully as I should like,
but when I write anything more on the subject (in an
American review or elsewhere) I shall have the pleasure of
sending you a copy. In the meantime I will take the
liberty of assuring yon, wit fi great confidence, that tlie theory is
a true one, and will ultimately be proved to be so. But this
must be a matter of time and labour.

" P. S. The apparent irregularity of the sun-spot curve

43. THE SUN-SPOT CURVE.

395

at the beginning of the century 1779, 1788, 1805, 1816
has been carefully discussed in England, and Mr. J. A.
Brown has shown (Transactions of the Royal Society of Edin-
burgh, 1876, vol. xxvii., p. 563) that Wolf was probably wrong.
For Wolf's minimum in 1776 he substitutes a maximum,
and he thinks that there was a small maximum in 1797
overlooked by Wolf. Brown is a very able meteorologist,
and he throws great doubt on the accuracy of some of Wolf's
numbers, lie conclusively proves, too, that the average
period is not the in years of Wolf, but 10-45. Eventually
it may be found that the physical fluctuations are more
rcgulai than is supposed, but the facts are numerous and
complicated."

On the same day he wrote to his brother :
"... I doubt if any one really remembers a better
skating season than we have just had some six or seven
weeks of frost, with only slight intermissions. Of late, I
have been some four or five times to the great reservoir at
the Welsh Harp, near Hendon, which I can reach in three-
quarters of an hour by the Midland Railway. There we
have enjoyed a run of one and a quarter mile straight on
end, over fair, perfectly safe ice. In all, there is an unbroken
space of 350 acres. Yesterday I did the mile and a quarter,
with the wind in rny favour, in five minutes fifteen seconds.
Against the wind it was a different matter."

To John Mills, Esq.

2 THE CHESTNUTS, WEST HEATH,

HAMPSTEAD, N.W., \-2th March 1879.

" It is very kind of you to ask me to go to Manchester
for the silver debate, and to stay with you at the same time.
I should like much to see you again at Northwold, and will
hope for some opportunity of doing so. But the silver ques-
tion would interfere with my class, which is held on Wednes-
days ; and as there is only just time before the end of the
term to finish my promised course, it would create some
inconvenience. After two weeks more of lectures I shall be
free for the summer. As regards silver, I do not think there
is much if any good in discussing it. The matter must be
left to take its course. Nothing can be done, and it is beating

396 JF. STANLEY JEVONS. ,ET. 43-

the winds to talk as if we could set everything right as we
like. Above all, the Indian currency problem is one which
admits of no solution except that of laisscr faire ct laisser
passer. In fact, any attempt to tinker it up would inevitably
fail, and if a gold currency could be introduced there, which
I do not believe, it would only intensify the comparative
superfluity of silver and scarcity of gold, which is, or rather
has been, at the bottom of some of our troubles here."

To his sister Lucy.

ATHENAEUM CLUB, iS/7* March 1879.

" On the occasion of my first visit to my new club I
think I had better use a little notcpapcr in writing you a
few words, though I have nothing special to say. The
Athenruum is a very fine place, and it required courage this
afternoon to walk in and announce myself as a new member.
However, the porters did not seem at all surprised, and I
daresay 1 shall soon learn to enjoy the easy-chairs and sofas
and the fine library, and numberless comforts and conveni-
ences of the place, not to speak of the society. It is also
pleasant to know that I was elected through the support of
a philosopher for whom I have a great regard and admira-
tion. 1 . ."

To his brother Tom.

ATHLN/KUM CLUIS, 3isf March 1879.

u Since last I wrote to you I have become, as you sec,
quite a swell, having been elected to this club under the rule
allowing a limited number to be elected specially by the
committee. It is a most luxurious place, with all kinds of
swells about. I daresay I shall like it more and more as I
become accustomed to it.

" I have been very busy of late with many things, but
have rather run myself down, and need a few days' holiday.
Just lately I have fortunately found the required keystone to
my commercial crisis theory, in the prices of corn in India,
which in a large part of the last century show a wonderful
periodicity. I have got tired of my proposed Princeton article,
but I must try what I can do soon.

1 Mr. Herbert Spencer.

>ET. 43. ELECTION TO ATHENsEUM CLUB. 397

" We are all well at home, the children very lively, and
Wincfrid becoming very winning and pretty. Yesterday I
began a little lesson to ' boy J on the making of bread, and
told him it was made of flour. * Do you mean cauliflower,
papa?' was what the little fellow asked, after some reflection

"jP.S. I am the more pleased at my election to the
club, inasmuch as it was Herbert Spencer who moved and
managed it ; and as he is a constant frequenter of the club,
it will give me an opportunity of becoming well acquainted
with him."

In the first week in April Mr. Jcvons and his wife paid
a brief visit to his cousin Mr. Arthur Jcvons, in the New
Forest ; and when she returned home to the children he
remained away a few days longer by himself, being in need
of a rest from work.

To hi* U'tfc.

THE THREE SWANS,

SALISBURY, S/// April 1879.

" I have just received your letter, and am glad to find
that all is right at home. 1 have decided to stay here the
rest of my visit, only making excursions in the neighbour-
hood.

" This afternoon I shall probably go to Romsey, as the
church there is said to be very well worth seeing.

" I like Salisbury very much ; and it fortunately happens
that they arc having special musical services in the evening
8 to 9 P.M. at the cathedral, which occupy the time very
pleasingly. They have a fine new organ, with a good
organist, and very careful singers, and with the cathedral
lighted up by gas, the effect is very beautiful. Two nights
they are going to have portions of Bach's Passion music.

"... I have done a great stroke in book-buying, having
bought a remarkable collection of nearly five hundred econo-
mical and political pamphlets at about a halfpenny each.
Some of them are evidently valuable and rare. One of them
contains copperplate diagrams of prices for some centuries.
One or two are by Robert Owen. 1 also got a carefully-
written list of them all, as good as a catalogue.

" The cathedral has been elaborately restored, and looks
much better than when we saw it."

398 W. STANLEY JEVQNS. ^-r. 43-

Among these pamphlets Mr. Jevons afterwards found
one Observations upon the present state of our Gold and
Silver Coins, 1730, by the late John Conduitt, Esq., Member
for Southampton and Master of His Majesty's Mint, which
proved of rare interest to him. He made a special reference
to it in the article on u Sir Isaac Newton and Bimetallism,"
which was published in his volume of Investigations on
Currency and Finance.

To his Wife.

SALISBURY, yth April 1879.

" . . . Yesterday afternoon I saw Romsey Church, one
of the best specimens of late Norman beautiful and inter-
esting. Dined there. Not having you to look things out,
I made a mistake about the train, and had to wait one and
a quarter hour at Romsey station. After getting back saw a
little of the entertainment of the Yokes Family, whom I some-
what like. This morning I went to the cathedral again, and
afterwards to the Blackmore Museum, which I found a very
excellent little museum, and am pleased I did not miss it. This
afternoon I have been by rail to Wilton, where I was about
half an hour in the Wilton House that of the Sydneys and
Herberts. Superb but of course small collection of Greek
and Roman antiquities, like a very small Vatican. Many
excellent pictures and portraits, especially Vandykes, one an
enormous but good family group, filling the side of a room.

" I saw many of the family rooms, some of them delight-
ful, especially the library. Saw the lock of hair which Queen
Elizabeth gave Sir Philip Sydney, and had a glimpse of the
beautiful park where he wrote poems, etc. etc. Then went
to the beautiful and remarkable Wilton Church, a modern
imitation of a basilica, built and decorated at a cost of
;S 0,000. The detached campanile is one of the most
beautiful towers I ever saw.

". . . In the evening there is the Bach music at the
cathedral."

On the 24th April he published in Nature a second
article on " Commercial Crises and Sun spots." The second
edition of the Theory of Political Economy was completed
this spring ; besides revising it, he wrote a new preface of

.KF. 43- HIS INTEREST IN IRELAND. 399

considerable length, and it was otherwise enlarged ; a list of
mathematico-economic books and memoirs being given as
an appendix.

To the Rev. Harold Rylctt.

HAMPSTEAP, 25/7* April 1879.

" . . . My interest in Ireland is rapidly increasing, and
when I had a run of a week through some parts, I re-
solved to come again. I think that when you have had
time to become thoroughly acquainted with your part of the
country I should much like to spend a few days with you,
and see the state of things with my own eyes. My impres-
sion is increasing to the effect that landlordism is a terrible
burden on the country, and that the just laws of England
are rather a myth. In the middle of the summer I shall
have to go to Norway for the benefit of my health, and
perhaps it is too soon to suggest any definite time yet. The
climate of Ireland in the middle of the summer would, I
fear, be too relaxing for me, and I need bracing up a good

deal."

To his sister Lucy.

BUXTON, i8/// May 1879.

" . . . I have had rather a nice little tour, visiting Ely,
Norwich, Peterborough, and Nottingham. At Ely I was
specially pleased, and by great good luck went there the very
night on which there was a performance of the Messiah by
gas-light in the cathedral, which looked remarkably fine.
Peterborough was also very pleasing. Norwich is an in-
teresting old town. Besides the cathedral there, the Nott-
ingham Castle Museum was well worth seeing. . . .

" This hotel (The Palace) is a very pleasant place after
some of the commercial places I have been in ; and I find a
friend here, Mr. Hecht, the musician of Manchester, whom I
always like to sec. To-morrow morning I go to Manchester,
and then in the evening home."

And again on 2 1 st May, he wrote :

"... If you are in Epsom during the Derby week, I
should certainly wish to visit you and sec the races. I am
thinking of rcpublishing my article on Amusements in a
much enlarged and improved form, and should like to make
some references to the Derby. . . ."

400 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /EX. 43.

To his brother Tom.

CHESTNUTS, HAMPSTEAD HEATH,
iWiJitne 1879.

" I have been much pleased to get your recent letters,
especially as they give one a cheerful idea of your family
and business. I think trade must revive now by degrees, and
probably more in the United States than here, where there
has been a considerable stock to credit. The extract about
scccas in Brazil may prove to be of great importance, and I
will try to follow it up as soon as possible, but I am engaged
in so many things that, like the six omnibuses abreast
through Temple Bar, they block each other's way.

44 On Qth July I sail to Norway with Arthur Jevons, and
hope to have a healthy, pleasant tour of five weeks. Until
then I shall be almost taken up with examinations, as, in
addition to the University of London, I am to examine this
summer for the Indian Civil Service in logic and political
economy, for which I shall get 40.

44 I am thinking of bringing out my essay on the Amuse-
ments of the People as a popular Mudic book, and have just
written to Macmillan proposing it. The subject is being a
good deal taken up in England (though, perhaps, not in con-
sequence of my article) and 1 hit the right moment to write
upon it. Although we were neither of us very well, T always
think our Dano-Swcdish tour was a most instructive and
interesting one.

41 ... Our children progress rapidly. The 4 boy' is very
wide-awake. 'Oh, silly papa/ he remarked the other day,
when I ran his kite into the middle of a fir-tree, and dragged
it out with the loss of half the tail. lie shows considerable
musical taste, and conducts a band consisting of his own self,
by the hour together, singing very melodiously to his own
tunes.

" Wincfrid is a shy little thing, but is for all the world
like some of Reynolds' pictures. She is just beginning
to talk."

To his Wife.

LALRDAL, NORWAY, Friday, 26th July 1879.
"... Arthur is altogether delighted with Norway, except,

JET 43. VISIT TO THE SKJEGGEDALS FOSS. 401

indeed, as regards the fishing, which is disappointing. He
is one of the few who thoroughly appreciate the scenery and
the people.

" We have had so far a most pleasant tour, visiting, how-
ever, for the most part, places familiar to me. Christiansand
to Egersund by a pleasant steamboat ; thence by a new
railway to Stavanger. Then by the * Folgcfonden ' (steam-
boat) to Utne, where we landed and slept then Odde.
Here I ventured to undertake the Skjcggedals foss expe-
dition, and was rewarded by a most beautiful and glorious
sight of the foss. But the work was just about as much as
I could stand, beginning (after a row down the fiord) by four
hours' walking, or rather scrambling, over rocks and rough
stones, up and down rough ladders and nasty places,

" Then to Eide, and after bleeping at * Moellands,' over the
fjcld to Ulvik by a road which presented no particular
difficulty, a stollkacre taking our luggage, while Arthur and
I walked. About half-way we came on a beautiful little
lake, where we stayed to fish, sending the boy on with the
luggage, and to bring back beer and supper : which he did.
The weather being very fine, we had an enjoyable day. At
Ulvik we spent part of Sunday in the middle of a very social
party of Norwegians, and in the afternoon went by steam to
Vik. We had thought of visiting the Voring Foss, but
abandoned it in favour of a day's fishing in the river, paying
4s. each for the privilege, but catching little or nothing.
The road to the Voring Foss docs not seem much better
than that to the other, and is not really safe for horses. One
lady in a large party fell off her horse and narrowly escaped
falling into a river, her shawl actually going. I have felt
glad I did not venture with you in former years, as in my then
state of health, my nerves could never have stood taking
you along such roads.

" At Vik we became intimate with a Norsk lady and her
accomplished daughter, who played and sang to us, and
lightened the hours which were not employed in fishing.
We parted on the best terms at Ulvik. Returning to Eide
by steamer, we drove the same evening to Vossevangen,
where Flcisher and his Frue and the Froken welcomed us
as pleasantly as ever. They inquired after you, as have

402 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. ^r. 43-

done also several people, so I showed them the photographs
of the children. The house was, as usual, full of a medley of
travellers from all parts.

" Our journey from Voss to Gudvangen was spoilt by a
very rainy day, and from Stalheim we could barely see any-
thing. I had a difference with two odious Englishmen,
shopkeepers in the city, who were trying to get past us, and
one of whom actually forced his cariole past mine, when, in
a heedless moment, I left a little room.

" 27///. My letter was broken off by Arthur coming in
to say that the road was broken by a flood in the river,
somewhere between Ilusum and Blaaflaten. For some hours
there was great anxiety in our party lest the odious English-
men should not be able to pass and should return. . . . We
have met with a most agreeable American party, consisting
of two well-travelled ladies. They travel with a quiet
brother.

"We hear this morning that the road is passable again,
and Arthur, having found that the fishing is not free here,
wants to push on to where we can do something.

" We have now the road to Christiania straight before us,
and all is plain sailing. We shall just linger at Maristuen
or elsewhere, as we feel inclined. My health is benefiting
immensely, and I go through long days of sixteen or
eighteen hours without any sensible fatigue. ... I long to
get back, however, and only stay here because I feel sure it
does my health lasting good. I am often amused to hear
travellers here quoting to me my own insertions in Bennett,
especially what I said about our climb at Nystuen. The
English and Americans are all wanting to go up."

To his sister Lucy.

MARISTUEN, VALUERS,

about \ it August 1879.

"... Arthur and I have had a most pleasant, and
indeed glorious tour, so far, and though the ground gone
over is almost as familiar to me as Hampstcad, yet I enjoy
it hardly the less. Arthur is charmed with Norge, and
appreciates the scenery and life thoroughly. He fishes some-
times the whole morning, but is not satisfied with the trout

AST. 43. ASCENT OF SULETIND. 403

he gets. Although our route is mostly old to me, I have
been able to do some new things, such as visiting the great
Skjcggedals foss in the Hardanger Fiord. This is difficult
to reach, as it lies among high mountains, and requires first a
row in the fiord, then a scramble of three hours over rocks,
and then a long row on a grand lake. As you pass round a
turn in the lake you sec the great foss falling down in a great
leap 1000 feet a river pouring off the top of a mountain.
It was an exceedingly beautiful sight, and with
exception of Niagara I have seen nothing more
impressive in that way. The whole excursion took us eleven
hours ; but two Swedish ladies did it the same day, and
beat four men in the party. Yesterday evening I had again
a great treat in a very successful ascent of the mountain
Suletind, which lies above here. The air was so clear and
the weather was so favourable that I determined yesterday
to ascend without delay, and taking a native boy as guide,
started at 4.15 P.M.; and after three hours' heavy walking,
got to the top, which is 3200 feet above this place, and
between 5000 and 6000 feet above the sea. The air was
perfectly clear, and I saw to great distances. On the north
there is a great range of craggy peaks of fantastic shapes,
with glaciers on their sides. In the distance were two great
snow-fields, and in every other direction were great moun-
tains, and a desolate expanse of fjclds, with patches of snow
and many lakes It was a splendid sight. . . . This morn-
ing we have had a very amusing scene here, as the king
travelled past about I P.M. His journey has been long
looked forward to ; but we are here so much among the
mountains that only about a score of men and as many
women could be got together at the station, where he
changed horses the farmers around being obliged by law
to send sixteen horses for his use. I spent the morning
agreeably with two young Norsk ladies, who are staying in
another house which has recently been built for the old
father and mother of the station. The * froken ' (young
ladies) induced the men to cut a lot of birch trees and
decorate the road with two arches, in which I assisted them,
sacrificing some old sea-lines for the purpose. It was
altogether an amusing morning. When the king was so

404

W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 43-

long in coming the ' froken ' induced the young men and girls
to go into the house and have a dance, and I saw a very
pretty dance of two, a young man and girl beginning rather
solemnly and ending in a rapid valsc. Then the king's
approach was announced by the boys on the top of the hill,
and they all ran out, the women grouping themselves very
prettily on the door-step (as seems to be the etiquette) with
the young ladies in front, and also the old lady of the place
in a very formal, white-winged cap. As soon as the king's
horses were taken out they made straight for the decorations
and began to eat them. A young Swede and myself were
the only men strangers present, and the king gave us a nod
and a smile. The horses were changed in solemn silence,
the king and the prince with him sitting in their small,
open carriage all the time. The station-master had pre-
viously tried to train the people to give an ' hurra/ and once
during the morning 1 heard some curious sounds, and going
out, I found all the people grouped ready and practising
'hurraying;' but the effect was so poor that the idea was
abandoned. About an hour after the king was gone, and
while I was having dinner, the king's baggage unexpectedly
came up, with women, men, and servants. Some mistake had
been made, and the horses for these people had been sent
away. A long piece of work ensued, of which I only imper-
fectly gathered' the drift ; but the king's men, who were very
polite/ improved the delay by drinking beer."

To his Wife.

NY.SIULN, NORWAY, \*t August 1879.

" We are kept in the house this morning by a very cold
windy day, with clouds and threatening rain, which does not
suit the mountains. We intended to have gone up to the
parts you know so well and fish the lakes there, but what we
shall do now I cannot say. I have written some account of
my ascent of Suletind in my letter to Lucy, and also of the
king's journey through the Fille Fjeld. We hear that the
king stayed three or four hours at Nystuen, and fished on
the lake, while the prince, who was with him, went up the
mountain which you know.

"We have had the usual succession of amusing little

*5T. 43. AT MARISTUEN. 405

incidents. At Maristucn we were uncommonly comfortable,
having the place nearly to ourselves, with a good waiting-
girl and plenty to eat. The old lady you probably remember
has gone to live in a new house, built for the parents, opposite,
and the son and his wife now occupy the old house as
station-holders The old lady came to shake hands with me,
and was very friendly, and we were offered port wine and
corn brandy as a mark of favour. We have some interesting
fellow-travellers. In the house here just now is Ole Bull, the
celebrated Norsk musician a venerable-looking old man
with a daughter. At Maristuen we had what seemed to be
an English working-man making a tour, partly on foot a
short, strong man of some intelligence, for whom I acted as
interpreter. . . .

" There is said to be a bear, with four little bears, going
about this neighbourhood ; it was seen at the other side of
the lake, and also at the Sactcrs on the road, but we have
not been able to catch sight of it. They arc said to be
harmless animals as long as not interfered with. You need
not fear my falling into its clutches, for I shall not post this
till I have gone on to the next station, where there is a post
and no bears.

" I have had rather good fishing the last day or two in
the river on this side of Maristuen, catching some eight or
ten nice trout of a half or three-quarter pound each."

F \GERNAES,

" We are now within one week of the end of our journey,
as I have written to engage a berth for the Angclo of the
I 5th August. I have been very lazy of late, and you must
excuse my not having written oftener. I think you told me
not to write much. I do not know when you will get this,
as there is no post, but I am sending it by diligence, that is,
the diligence which now runs on the Fille Fjcld road, to
Odnaes to be posted."

To his little Son.

STATION HOTEL, HULL,

Sunday ) ijth August 1879.

" You will be pleased to hear that papa has got back
from Norway, and is coming home to Hampstead the day

406 W. STANLEY JEVONS* */r. 43-

vvhcn you get this, about four or five o'clock in the afternoon.
Papa will like very much to see again mamma and you and
baby. I hope that you are all quite well.

" Papa has come a long way over the sea, like the sea
you saw at Eastbourne, and now he is coming by a railway
train, and then in a cab up the hill at Hampstead.

" Papa is quite well, and has a great deal to tell you
about Norway.

" Give mamma and baby some kisses for me, and tell
them I am coming."

To R. 0. Williams, Esq.

HAMPSTEAP, 29/7* August 1879.

" I beg leave to thank you for your kindness in informing
me of the adoption of my Political Economy Primer in
Oakland.

" I believe I shall receive a certain royalty on the copies
or editions sold by Messrs. Applcton and Company, though
the profit on the American sale is usually not half that on
copies sold in England.

"Among those who consider the subject dispassionately,
there can be but one opinion about the justice and expe-
diency of international copyright, and I quite expect that the
American nation will presently feel this. It is only the in-
terests of a limited number which lead them to persuade the
people to the contrary.

" I do not pretend that the income from my books is a
matter of indifference to me, as it makes a convenient and
increasing addition to a very limited income. But I must
also say that were there no profit as there practically is
not upon certain translations, it is always pleasing to hear
that the books are in use and are liked. I believe that
school-books are one of the most important departments of
literature, and I hope to be able to produce several others in
logic or political economy.

" I am at present engaged rather arduously upon a Logical
Exercises^ designed for college use, and intended to exercise
students in accurate thinking/ 1

44- STUDIES IN DEDUCTIVE LOGIC. 407

To E. /. Broadficld, Esq.

CUFF HOUSE, BULVKRHYTHE,

NEAR HASTINGS, i$th September 1879.

" We have moved into pleasant healthy lodgings here for
some weeks, and your letter has come on from Hampstead.
In spite of the kindness of your invitation, 1 have not the
least intention of visiting the Social Science Congress. In
the first place, I must stay here and take care of the family ;
and, in the second place, I cannot endure the idea of being
shut up with crowds of people talking social science. If I
came at all I should prefer the Library Association, but even
that is quite out of the question.

"... I find this is a capital place for work, and after
my Norsk tour I am in good trim. The house is close to
the sea, about two miles west of the end of St. Leonards,
and is exceedingly quiet in position. But I walk into
Hastings now and then for a little music and variety. The
children enjoy themselves greatly, and are in high spirits.

On the Oth October he wrote to his sister Lucy from
Bulverhythe : " We are now within the last few hours of
the end of our visit here, and are leaving this pleasant spot
in beautiful sunny weather. We have, indeed, been very
fortunate almost the whole of the four weeks, having had few
days' rain. This is a capital place for children, being only
a few minutes' walk from a beautiful quiet shore, where at
low-water are sands to dig in. It has been an admirable
place also for writing. On the pier at Hastings there is a
capital string-band which gives three concerts a day, and I
have often walked in, in the afternoon, stopping the evening
sometimes. The little ones are wild with health and spirits.
Herbert, although hardly four, is becoming a capital little
walker."

The writing to which he refers was the Studies in Deduc-
tive Logic) with which he made considerable progress during
this month. To his friend Mr. James Sully he had written
a few days previously : " My work on my Deductive Exer-
cises in Logic gets on well, but it is like constantly setting
oneself difficult papers and then answering them, and after
four weeks' continuous examination of this sort every morn-

408 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 44.

ing, working up the subject occasionally in the evening as
well, I find my digestion slightly disordered."

To H. S. Foxwcll) Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, itfh November 1879.

" Your last letter was one of great interest to me, as I
much value any such opportunity of getting to know what
people think at Cambridge. As regards Macleod, I do not
wish to enter into any dispute. I have said the most civil
things I can of his books, and I see no need to dwell upon
his errors, because they arc not likely to do any harm.

" I regret leaving out Mr. Thornton's name as regards
the wage-fund theory. It was an oversight. Cairnes pro-
fessedly supports the theory, but his arguments really tend
against it in a deadly manner He cannot stop at any
definite non-competing groups, and his ideas followed out lead
to entire rejection of the theory.

" T daresay Sargant's book might have been mentioned
also, but 1 forgot it You will observe that my bibliography
only extended to mathematical writers, and I certainly never
intended, in a few pac^es, to sketch the history of political
economy generally in a complete way.

"As regards the analogy of laws of wages and rents, of
course J do not know what Marshall gave in his lectures in
1869, as I neither attended them nor have seen notes, unless,
indeed, the answers of some candidates. But I do not
remember that they said anything on the matter. My ideas
on the subject have been gathered perhaps most clearly from
Cournot's Rcc/urchcs, which suggests the general method of
attacking the subject. However, if I am ever able to get
through my large book on Economics, I shall take such a
very different line of general treatment that there will not be
much room for dispute. Many different lines of argument,
including that of Cairnes, converge to something quite oppo-
site to Ricardian doctrines.

" As regards Marshall's originality, I never called it in
question in the slightest degree, having neither the wish nor
the grounds. On the other hand, you seem to forget that
the essential points of my theory were fully indicated as far
back as 1862, at the Cambridge Meeting of the British

JET. 44. PRESSURE OF EXAMINATIONS. 409

Association. I have no reason to suppose that Marshall saw
any printed report of my first brief paper ; but of course, on
the other hand, in my book of 1871 (Theory of Political
Economy) I could not possibly have borrowed anything from
Marshall. But these questions are really of little or no im-
portance now that we have found such earlier books as those
of Gossen, Cournot, Dupuit, etc. We are all shelved on the
matter of priority, except, of course, as regards details and
general method of exposition, etc.

" I have, of course, got Marshall's book, but have really
not been able to read it with care, having my head full of
Mill and DC Morgan's logic, with some 150 London candi-
dates as well. Now I have got 19 honour candidates in
a two days' examination, some of them writing four books
a piece in three hours ! From what I gathered, in a cursory
reading of the Economics, together with reliance on Marshall's
scientific powers and the careful revision it had undergone, I
welcomed the book a* getting me out of a difficulty in regard
to the Bankers' Institute examinations, for which I have
proposed it as the first text-book. I hope, however, the
Atlicnaum is not right in claiming the book as written on
the lines of Mill exclusively. 1 thought there was much
divergence. However, from considerations which it is diffi-
cult to describe briefly, I have suggested Mill's Political
Economy for the Bankers' Institute, and I even use it in my
own class still. Thus, however violent my attacks on the
logic of Mill, I cannot be accused of one-sidedness. Nor am
I inconsistent ; for it is one thing to put forward views for
rational judgment of competent readers, it is another thing
to force those views upon young men by means of examina-
tions. The Mill faction never scrupled at putting their
lecturers and examiners wherever they could, but I believe it
only requires a little clear logic and a little time to overthrow
them."

In the December number of the Contemporary Review he
published his third article on "John Stuart Mill's Philosophy
Tested."

CHAPTER XII.

1880 1882.

IN the February number of the Contemporary Review y 1880,
Mr. Jevons published an article on " Experimental Legislation
and the Drink Traffic." On the 24th February he wrote to
his sister Lucy :

"... I have got so much on my mind just at present, that I
hardly feel equal to all I have to undertake my nerves some-
times appear quite unfit for the burden of a family, many ac-
quaintances, lectures, business, etc., in addition to two or three
books, and many articles which are always in my head. . . ."

And again on the I2th March 1880 .

"... We all walked on the Heath yesterday, and Winn
afterwards expressed her satisfaction at walking with ' my
Papa/ ... I had a pleasant tour for a few days to Rochester,
Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgatc, and Canterbury. At Ro-
chester I stayed at the Bull Inn, where the Pickwickians began
their tour, and there was much to remind me of Dickens.
Broadstairs, Dickens 1 favourite watering-place, is a pretty little
place, and I spent a quiet evening there. Canterbury I liked
as much as ever, perhaps rather more "

Mr. Jevons not unfrcqucntly took two or three days'
tour from home for the sake of a change of thought and rest
from the ever-increasing burden of work, which he could not
turn his mind from at home.

To E. J. Broadficld, E*

ATHKNA:UM CLUB, PALI. MALL,
6th April 1880.

" I shall be much pleased if you can meet my brother

JET. 44. PARL1AMENTAR Y ELECTIONS. 41 1

in New York, and I am sure that he too will be much
pleased. . . .

" I congratulate you on the result of your labours in
Manchester. I found evidence of your activity now and then
in the Guardian. As for myself, I feel I can again be proud
of the name of Englishman.

"I have just been at the declaration of the poll at the Uni-
versity of London. Of course Lowe was very well received, but
he made an unfortunate speech, if speech it could be called
He appeared to labour under difficulties the whole time, and
was excessively nervous ; indeed, he appeared to be breaking
down once. I fear that age is telling upon him seriously,
and 1 think he would do well to go to the House of Lords.
I hope the papers will not report what he said about the
Government doing as much as possible in the first year or
two, as they might soon disagree. Too true, no doubt, but not
a prof us. In fact, Lowe was about as happy in his probably
final appearance at the University of London as I should be
if 1 went on the stump. Sir John Lubbock, too, appears to
like speechifying about as much as I do, and added nothing
to the liveliness of the meeting.

" We had quite an exciting time on Saturday at Hamp-
stcad, and ' Boy ' was delighted with the brilliant display of
flags in High Street, and the continual procession of cabs
and omnibuses along the Finchley Road. We did our best,
but failed. It is said that the city people arc too much
interested in maintaining the status qito^ and they live so
much in the suburbs now as to make an altogether prepon-
derating vote with the aristocrats and various other foolish
people.

"All well at home. Our little one, 'Winn,' would
please you now, I think.

" By the by, I should add that my brother is leaving
New York for England towards the end of April or begin-
ning of May, but I hope you will find him still there."

On the 8th of April a second little daughter was born, for
whom he chose the name of Lucy Cecilia.

During the spring months Mr. Jevons was not at all well,
continually feeling tired and overworked. In May a sum-
mons to serve on the grand jury unfortunately kept him at

412 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *n. 44-

home when his wife and family were away. Feeling that
he must lessen his engagements, he resigned his office as one
of the secretaries of the Statistical Society, and was appointed
a vice-president instead.

To the July number of the Contemporary Review he
contributed an article on " Postal Notes, Money Orders, and
Bank Cheques."

Early in July Mr. Jevons went to Norway with his
brother for a few weeks ; he had long looked forward to the
pleasure of showing some of his favourite parts of Norway
to his brother, and they hoped also to visit some parts of
Jotunhcim, which would be new to them both. They landed
at Christiania.

To his Wife.

OLKEN, SLIDRE.

(l We arc now taking an easy day at this pleasant little
inn, which you will remember our visiting . . . and intend
waiting a day for better weather. From Fagcrnaes we made
an attempt to reach Jotunheim by the valley of Ostre Slidre,
where we went up once or twice to get a view of the moun-
tains. We went three long stages with horses from Fager-
naes, and then put up at the small house of Gulbrand Beito
of Beito. It then came on to rain, and we waited nearly
three days. Beito and his family were very primitive and
amusing, and used to come and sit with us and talk at great
length. I could almost always understand Beito, who was
a great rough -looking man, like a Viking, but his wife
chattered so fast I could hardly catch a word. One morn-
ing a girl came in and played us a number of tunes on the
Langcleg or ancient Norse Zither, some of which were very
pretty. We fished in the river and trolled in the Oiangcn
Fiord near by, but caught little, and the young men who
went with us were equally unsuccessful with their nets ; but
I learned how to fish with the otter, which has ten or more
flies on the line.

"... Yesterday Beito and another man brought us
here in two frightfully shaky stoldkjcurres. The first part
of the way was over rough stones and rocks, and the
latter part right over the mountain behind Olken. This
part we walked. It was wet more or less all day, but at

*r. 44- IN JOTUNHE1M. 413

Nordthorp a fine old landsman gave us cognac and a
good dinner, and dried our clothes, and to-day we are both
very well. . . . To-morrow we shall probably go to Skog-
stad, and we may perhaps make an excursion up the Tyen
Vand, but we have given up all ideas of going far into Jot-
unheim. Afterwards we shall probably go north among the
fiords you know well."

To his Wife.

HOLDT'S HOTEL, BERGKN,
ist August 1880.

"... After our retreat from Beito to Olken the weather
began to mend, and finally became very fine and settled.
We drove up to Skogstad, and leaving most of our luggage
there, set off at once for Tvindehaugcn on the Tyen Vand.
We had a beautiful calm row of two and a half hours over
this grand lake. On reaching Tvindehaugcn we fortunately
found that few or no people \\cre going to stay the night,
and getting a fair dinner we determined to ascend Skincggen
at once, in order to secure a clear view. There is no diffi-
culty about this, as the height above Tvindchaugen is only
1600 feet. We enjoyed a glorious view of the Jotun Moun-
tains close at hand on the north and west, and a distant
view to the south and south-cast. Tyen Vand looked very
beautiful too, with its islands and snow-patched mountains.
Staying up until 9 P.M. we had some fine sunset effects, and
then easily reached the hut again at TO P.M. . . .

" Next morning we went on to the hut at Eidsbugarden
at the head of Lake Bygdin, where, however, the view was
not equal to that at Tvindehaugen, although still very fine.
There T was taken quite ill. ... I nevertheless went out
with the idea of climbing a hill to get a view, but soon
found the air exceedingly chilly and had to retreat to bed.
By great good fortune there were beds for us ; each hut
consists of three small rooms, the middle one with beds for
men, and table for eating, etc. The inner room with beds
only assigned to ladies when there arc any, and kitchen. . . .
During the night two parties of students had arrived from
the mountains ; one party having lost themselves at 10 P.M. on
the previous night, and actually slept four hours on the open
fjeld at a great elevation. As the place would probably be

4H W. STANLEY JEVONS. /KT. 44.

full in the evening, and was most unsuited to me, Tom
and I abandoned all other schemes about Jotunhcim and
resolved to retreat at once while the weather admitted
of it. After some delay we got a packhorse for our luggage
at noon, and reached Tvindehaugen walking at half-past one,
whence, without dinner, we took the boat which was waiting,
and after a slightly rough row got across the Styx again, as
we called Tyen. ... I managed to walk down to Opcdals
Sceter, where was a small bedroom with windows that would
not open, and beds, etc., just painted ; as it was impossible
to stay here, we got a little open cart, with a packing-case
in it as a seat, and drove down to Skogstad, where I went
to bed thoroughly knocked up. We had to stay here two
or three days while I recovered. . . . The landlord was very
kind and attentive, and then sent us on in his best carioles
to Nystuen.

Monday, 2ti August, s.s. Olaf Trygvcsson, off Holmen.
We are now making for the Romsdal on board this new
steamboat. . . . After two days* stay in Bergen we are
both quite well. 1 am very homesick and long to be back
with you again."

He returned from Norway in the middle of August,
and on the 1st September he went with his family to the
seaside for a month, and the following day wrote to his
sister Lucy:

" We have now settled down in our new house. . . .
Littlehampton is a very little place, but the sands are very
good, and there are plenty of places for excursions ; the whole
country round is new. ... I am sorry to say I have dis-
covered there is a parrot in the next house, which I did not
hear when I took the house, and I have spent a large part
of the morning hunting blue-bottle flies. Yesterday after-
noon there was a fearfully loud grinding organ which could
be heard all over Littlehampton ; nevertheless I hope to get
on pretty well with the proofs and other work at present
rather pressing on me."

To II. S. Foxwcll, Esq.

LITTLEHAMPTON, <)th September 1880.
"... I am now near the end of my arduous Stndic.

AT. 45- "STUDIES IN DEDUCTIVE LOGIC" COMPLETED. 415

in Deductive Logic, having sent off the preface and frontis-
piece. The printers have been very tedious over it, but I
hope the proofs will be done in a couple of weeks now. I
shall be curious to know what you think of it.

44 1 wish you would get on with your Adam Smith.
Macmillan, as you have perhaps noticed, is bringing out a
translation of Cossa's Guide to Political Economy, and I have
been reading some of the proofs. Cossa remarks on the
absence of any really good edition of A. Smith, or any real
attempt to treat his life and works as a whole.

" You are quite right in thinking that I hate examina-
tions, but I hate lecturing even more."

To this translation from the Italian of Professor Cossa's
Guide to Political Economy \ Mr Jevons, besides reading the
proofs, contributed a preface.

To his brother Tom*

LITILEHAMPTON, i\si September 1880.

" We have now got only a week of our stay here left, and
the weather has turned so uncertain that we shall not be sorry
to go home. We are, however, well satisfied with the place,
which, though apparently dull, is not nearly so dull as most
seaside watering-places Yesterday Harriet and I visited
Chichcster for the first time, and were fairly pleased with
the cathedral, markctcross, and a curious old hospital for
women, which has existed since TIOO or 1200. One
afternoon I took a walk through five parishes, most of the
churches very picturesque and antique Norman and early
English. The walk to Arundel again is beautiful, and the
Catholic Cathedral there a grand piece of modern archi-
tecture, seen from every part of the plain around.

" I have just finished the final revises of the text of
my Logical Studies^ but it still remains to put the final
touch to the preface, etc. Then I shall feel relieved of a
burden, and more fit to set to the Principles of Economics.
I have been working so much less, and walking so much
more, than at this time last year, that I daresay I shall feel
better for it during the winter."

Ii6 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^ET. 45-

To John Mills, Esq.

CAMDEN LODGF, LITTLEHAMFTON,
list September 1880.

"It was with much regret that I heard of our friend
Dr. Hodgson's sudden death at Brussels. He was so
intimate a friend of yours that I feel sure you must have
suffered from the loss. My acquaintance with and memory
of him was disjointed and occasional, but began a long time
ago, when he was head-master of the Liverpool Mechanics'
School, and I was a little boy there about ten or twelve
years old ; but his teaching made a great impression upon
me, and I have never forgotten it.

" We have been spending three weeks in this quiet but in
some respects very agreeable watering-place. There is a good
sea-beach for the children, who are in terribly good health,
and capital excursions to Arundel, Chichester, and other
places of interest and beauty.

" The state of trade now interests me very much. I be-
lieve we are on the eve of a great though, I hope, a gradual
revival. The iron and consequently the coal trade must
have a great expansion soon. . . . The coal trade is said to
be very much depressed in Yorkshire and elsewhere ; but
between ourselves I believe that this is just the last of the
ebb, and that a few months will sec a different state of
things begin. My only fear is of too violent an expansion,
as in 1871-73, leading too soon to reaction.

" Have you ever read Thomas Corbet's book, An Inquiry
into the Causes and Modes of the Wealth of Individuals in
the Principles of Trade and Speculation Explained (London,
1841 ; Smith and Elder)? Though badly written, it shows
a greater insight into the conditions of safe speculation than
any book I ever met with, though he was not aware of the
decennial variation of trade. His advice is, buy before a rise
and sell before a Jail. He also points out that a successful
speculator must act contrary to the general opinion, as, if
he buys that which people arc generally buying, it will be
already above the chance of safe profit. Sir I. Newton
bought South Sea stock when it was nearly at the highest
point !

;KT. 45. INTEREST IN ARCHITECTURE. 417

"I hope to set fairly to work on my Principles of
Economics in a week or two, having just completed my
laborious Logical Exercises?

To John Mills, Esq.

LITTLER AMPTON, z^d September 1880.

"My previous letter, which crossed yours of the 2Oth,
will have told you that I sympathise with you in your loss
of so old a friend as Dr. Hodgson. I regret that I had not
more frequent opportunity of meeting him, but I remember
with much pleasure my visit to his house when I went to
Edinburgh for my LL.D. degree. My impression is that
Hodgson had great powers, and that his failing was in not
making an adequate use of them. I know probably all his
acknowledged wiitings, and they are all good, but sadly too
few and limited.

"... I am not a candidate for anything, except for a
study where organ-grinders and other nuisances arc in-
audible. I wish Bell, instead of making such wonderful
discoveries as to the conveyance of sound, would turn his
attention to the production of sound-proof houses."

On the 27th September he wrote to his brother :

<c . . . On Saturday I had an interesting walk, going to
Worthing by train and walking thence to Sompting, where
the church, having a real Saxon tower, gave me a new
sensation. 1 never saw anything like it before. Then I
walked to New Shorcham, where I also inspected the church,
celebrated for its peculiar Norman and early English archi-
tecture. I also saw a third fine church at Broadwater,
finishing up at the Swiss Gardens, a place of recreation
originally started at Shorcham in 1838, and lately resusci-
tated ; but there was hardly any one there."

To John Mills, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD HEATH, 3^ October 1880.

"I return the extract made in Hodgson's hand. It is
interesting as showing what he was thinking of, but I have
no great opinion of Baden Powell's understanding of any
such subject.

2 K

4 i 8 IV. STANLEY JEVOMS. AT. 45-

" Our removal from Littlehampton and work for examina-
tions, etc., have prevented my answering your last letter
sooner, and the reasons for a rise in coal and iron arc too
numerous to be easily stated in a letter. The considerable
fall which has taken place since I bought a few weeks since
is no doubt disagreeable, but they say it is always darkest
before the dawn.

"I should have liked you to hear our boy Herbert's
singing. He has a sweet voice, and sings all kinds of little
songs of his own composition, sometimes quite musical and
in form, but hitherto we have not been able to get him to
learn a note of the piano or of any regular song. He has
even no idea yet of singing with the piano, yet I cannot
help thinking he has considerable musical tendency; and
the question is whether to leave him to educate himself at
present."

In October the Studies in Deductive Logic, a Manual
for Studcfits, was published. The book was intended for
the use of those students who, having gone through the
Elementary Lessons in Logic y desiicd facilities for a more
thorough course of logical training. In the answers supplied
to many of the questions it contains much original matter ;
but a large part of it consists of exercises and examples
requiring answers. In the preface Mr. Jcvons explains why
he adopted this plan. " The great point in education," he
.says, "is to throw the mind of the learner into an active
instead of a passive state. It is of no use to listen to a
lecture or to read a lesson unless the mind appropriates
and digests the ideas and principles put before it. The
working of problems and the answering of definite ques-
tions is the best if not almost the only means of ensur-
ing this active exercise of thought. ... In spite of much
popular clamour against examinations, I maintain that to
give a clear, concise, and complete written answer to a
definite question or problem is not only the best exercise of
mind, but also the best test of ability and training which can
be generally applied."

Mr. Jevons had not returned from the seaside as much
improved in health as he expected to be, and this was
the more disappointing because he had derived less benefit

45. RESIGNATION OF PROFESSORSHIP. 419

from his tour in Norway than in previous years. After
resuming his full work for a week or two, it was plain
that he could not continue it through the winter, and this
led him reluctantly to decide to resign his professorship at
University College, and also to ask leave from the Council
to find a substitute to lecture for him during the current
session. Only those, perhaps, whose nerves are exhausted
from overwork as his were, can understand the burden that
a fixed engagement was to him a burden which to others
would appear quite disproportionate to the amount of work
involved. But his health was so variable that whilst he
could get through a fair amount of work in the quiet of his
own study, working at the times which suited him best, he
often felt quite unfit to meet his class at the appointed hour.
The subject, too, upon which lie happened to be writing
engrossed his thoughts so much that he felt it an effort to
turn his mind to his lectures ; he could not, he said, pass
from one subject to another with the same facility as in
his younger days.

He wrote to his brother Tom, who was on the point of
returning to New York with his family :

"... I have been a good deal upset the last few days
about the professorship. It is impossible to relinquish the
employment of eighteen years without some perturbation of
spirits, and when 1 introduced my deputy to a well-filled class-
room I had some pangs of regret. .But I am nevertheless sure
that the step was not only wise but indispensable. It is
quite impossible for me to go on with trying fixed duties
when I have so much literary work on my mind. People in
general are probably quite unaware that you cannot control
or moderate work on a large book, because the contents arc
in your head, and cannot be got rid of except by writing
them out. Thus every obstruction to the delivery aggravates
the burden. However, in the course of two or three years I
hope to have ready a very novel and complete treatise on
Political Economy, which will elucidate most of the ins and
outs of trade and industry.

" As my London examinership terminates practically in
six weeks' time, I hope to be vastly more free for the future.
... I fully intend to go about a good deal, and shall

420 W. STANLEY JEVONS, m. 45-

often go to the Crystal Palace for the Saturday afternoon

concerts."

To the Rev. Robert Harlcy.

HAMPSTEAD, \$th November 1880.

" Thanks for your suggestion about the possible infinite
number of exceptions. You arc obviously correct, and I
will introduce your remarks if we ever come to a second
edition, which I fancy we shall do in a little time.

" I am very sorry to hear that M'Coll is so ill. I fear
his lot is not a prosperous one. As regards my resignation,
you will perhaps feel it difficult to understand what a mill-
stone upon my health and spirits the work of lecturing has
been. Sometimes I have enjoyed lecturing, especially on
logic, but for years past I have never entered the lecture-
room without a feeling probably like that of going to the
pillory. Now that I have been able to get rid of the burden
I shall probably be much better. I shall never lecture,
speechify, or do anything of that sort again if I can possibly
help it. Apart from special reasons, too, I find that the
pressure of literary work leaves me no spare energy what-
ever. Besides the Logical Exercises just finished, I have a
large treatise in political economy in full progress, a biblio-
graphy of logic in hand, the analysis of Miirs Pldlosopliy
on my mind, a student's edition of the Wealth of Nations in
preparation, besides a new edition or two, and various minor
articles and things of that sort. It may seem impossible
and absurd to attempt so much at a time with any advan-
tage, but the fact is, it is difficult if not impossible to help
it. You will easily see that under the circumstances it is
much the most wise thing to throw up all interfering engage-
ments as far as possible. Of course I suffer a loss of in-
come, though less than might be supposed, as the professor-
ship only yielded about 70 a year. This will perhaps, too,
be made up to me in time, as my books occasionally pay
some profit, though little compared with the labour they
cost.

" By the by, I had intended to introduce, with your per-
mission [in the Studies in Deductive Logic], Stanhope's syl-
logistic table as a kind of logical puzzle, but it was eventually
crowded out with other matter, which I am keeping either

45- HfS HEALTH INJURED BY OVERWORK. 421

for a future new edition or for the bibliography. I intend
the latter to form a kind of guide to the materials for a
history of logic in recent times."

To PL S. Foxivcll, Esq.

ATHENA.UM CLUK, yoth November 1880.

" I ought to have answered your previous interesting
letter, but unfortunately I have not yet overcome the pres-
sure of examinations and other matters, and I find I cannot
undertake anything like prompt and regular correspondence ;
my health has been so distinctly worse during the summer
and autumn that I thought it best to take a decided step
about the professorship. With the doctor's help, and freedom
from harassing engagements, I hope soon to be more up to
par, though I can never again be really strong as I was ten
01 twelve years ago.

"... I am glad to hear you arc getting on with the
Adam Smith. I have just got rather over head and ears in
the history of Political Economy in the eighteenth century,
and hope to have an article soon ready, which may interest
you, upon the Mr. Cantillon who is quoted by Smith."

To his brother Tom.

HAMPSTKAD, 5/// December 1880.

44 It is excessively kind of you to have rushed in at the
right moment and bought me those interesting old notes,
which are a most important addition to my collection. They
must be an almost if not quite unique lot, and added to the
previous American and other notes make such a collection
as probably hardly any one else has. I was much pleased also
to hear that you were comfortably and prosperously settled.

" I have not been very happily engaged of late ; my
resignation of my long-accustomed work of lecturing being a
thing which could not be effected without some regret and
dejection of spirits. Moreover, I have come unwillingly to
the conclusion that my health is really suffering. ... I am
now quite up to the writing point, and I have nearly com-
pleted the series of heavy examinations which oppress me
at this time of year.

44 My Deductive Logic has been decidedly successful,

422 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 45-

I think, 572 copies having been sold in the first month,
whereas only 800 or 900 copies of the Elementary Lessons
were sold in the first two months, though at nearly half the
price. The book has been rather favourably reviewed by the
Athenanim, but I have not yet seen any other notice of im-
portance. However, I find myself pretty well independent
of Reviews.

11 Of late I have been completing an article for the Con-
temporary of January, on a curious point in the history of
Political Economy. Now that I am fairly launched on a
purely literary life, I hope I shall get into a method of
steady but moderate work. I fancy that the excitement and
pressure of lecturing and other engagements often did me
great harm.

"Our children arc very well and happy. We had a
fine run on the Heath this afternoon."

Now that Mr. Jevons had fewer engagements in town he
was able more frequently to indulge in country walks, in
which his little son was his constant companion. There never
was a stronger friendship between father and son. The boy
loved nothing so much as to be with his father, who had
been his kindest playfellow in infancy, and was now the
wisest and best of teachers. I le gave no set lessons, but
during their walks he was always ready to answer hij> boy's
questions, and by pointing out to him anything of interest
on the road that the child could understand he greatly
quickened his powers of observation.

To ff. S. Foxivcll, Esq.

HA MPS IE AD, 5/// Dei ember 1880.

" Would it be giving you too much trouble if I were to
ask you to look into the Cambridge University Library and
examine whether they have got the following books :
Philip Cantillon, Analysis of Trade, London, i/59 8vo
Essai sur la Nature dn Commerce en General, Tradnit dt
I' Anglais, London (Paris), 1755, I2mo (ascribed to Can
tillon)?

" I am writing an article on them for the Contemporary
which will, I hope, give you a high idea of their interest
and as Cantillon is one of the few quoted by A. Smith, th<

*T. 45. ARTICLE ON CANTILLON. 423

search will probably be well worth making with regard to
your own literary work.

" I have copies of the books, but so far do not know of
any other copies in the country ; and if they are in Cam-
bridge I should like to mention the fact. ... If there arc
any other entries in the catalogue connected with the name of
Cantillon, or Philippe de Cantillon, they might be of interest ;
but I have already searched out almost every available item
referring to him."

To Ids brother Tom.

ATHKNA.UM CLUU, Wi January 1881.

" Thanks for your letter recommending me to read the
article of Dr. Brunton, which I will do as soon as I have
found the periodical. T believe it is in the London Library.

" We are pretty straight now at home, baby having quite
recovered from a rather sharp attack, which made us uneasy
for a day or two.

" In the January number of the Contemporary you will
find a rather long article of mine on a point in the history
of Political Kconomy. I am now hard at work on an article
on ' Free Libraries ' for the next Contemporary.

" About 800 copies of my Studies in Deductive Logic
were sold to the end of the year, which is more than half
the edition of 1500. About 260 of these went to America.

u . . . I had a very pleasant run about the Heath with
Herbert and Winn for about an hour this afternoon, and
then came to dine here and go to the Damnation of Fanst,
which Halle is giving over and over again at St. James 1
Hall with much success. Dinner ready!"

To K. J. ttroadjield, Esq

HAMrsTEAD, 27/7* February 1881.

"Just a few words to say that my wife and I went last
night to hear Halle's performance of Berlioz's Childhood of
Jcsns, and were much charmed with it The shepherds'
hymn is one of the most exquisite things I have heard for a
long time, and all through the work there arc marvellous
touches of musical fancy and skill. I heard the Faust some
weeks since, and was much excited and surprised by it much

424 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 45-

more so than by any music I had previously heard. His
music is evidently somewhat inspired by such works as
Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, the Engcdi, and other early
programme music ; but for my part I never felt any
objection to programme music. The Pastoral Symphony
especially, has been a source of ever new pleasure to me for
a quarter of a century, so old are we now growing. The
Faust is certainly a daring composition ; but still I venture
to think it is music, and the melody is every now and then
delicious. I hope to hear more of Berlioz's music by
degrees. I am now so comparatively free that I hope to
hear a large part of the novelties in the way of music.

"We should be much pleased if you would visit us on
your next journey to town and stay a few nights. 'Boy' is
constantly pleased with your book, as he calls it ; and I
should like you to see our bonny little ones, the third quite
promising as well as the other two.

"Mrs. Jcvons and 1 are probably going away for the
next ten clays for a little relaxation after the fatigues of the
winter, and before the coming exertions of the spring.

" I am deep in my large treatise and various other
inquiries."

To his brother Tom.

ATHEN/KUM CLUH, \7th March 1881.

" I was much pleased to get your recent letter, and learn
that you were so cheerfully and pleasantly employed.

" It was a mistake not to tell you that I had heard
Berlioz's Damnation dc Faust. It not simply pleased me,
but surprised and excited me more than any music I had
previously heard. It was a complete revelation of new
musical power. The Sylph's ballad I had previously heard
at the Crystal Palace, and I considered it to be, especially in
the few last notes, almost magical. The Amatory duct is
the most intensely -feeling piece of vocal music I know.
Lately Halle brought out the Childhood of Christ at St.
James' Hall, and I took Harriet to hear it. Though
not nearly so striking as Faust, it has passages of great
beauty, and the ' Adieu des Bergers ' is permanently running
in my head.

-ET. 45. PRESSURE OF LITERARY WORK. 425

" Two nights ago I went to a concert of Lamoureux,
the late conductor of the Grand Opera, Paris. We had
three hours of almost entirely new music, some of it fine and
delightful. A duet of Berlioz, a nocturn, struck me as
exquisite and original in a high degree ; the orchestra keep-
ing up a low humming and chirping to represent the sound
in the woods at night, in apparent independence of the
melody. A man who could strike out such original ideas
must have been a great musical and poetical genius ; but
his history was a sad one on the whole. I am thinking of
getting some of his books to read. . . .

" We are in a state of prolonged crisis in England and
Europe at present. To-day it is reported that an attempt
was made to blow up the Mansion House last night, and the
nerves of the old gentlemen of the Athenaeum seem to be
slightly shaken by the news. I am busily engaged in various
inquiries. This morning I went to Somerset House and
finished my search for the wills of the Cantillon family. I
have found those of both Richard and Philip. I have an
article on hand about * Museums ' for the Contemporary, and
am thinking of printing a volume of collected essays before
the end of the year. I have also engaged to write a book
on Trades Unions for a scries of Macmillan's.

" Harriet and I recently took a week's tour to Brighton,
I -ewes, Canterbury, and Tunbridge Wells. I think Harriet
enjoyed it much, especially Canterbury; but the weather
was very unfortunate, and I was not very well. While we
were away, John and Lucy came to Hampstead and took
care of the children. They like the opportunity of seeing
them by themselves, I think, and ' Boy ' and Winn took to
them greatly. The children are getting on very well, and
' Boy ' is much engaged in making boxes."

To Ins brother Tom.

HAMPSTKAD, i8/// April 1 88 1.

" I was much pleased to get your letter a few days ago,
and to learn that all was well with you. We are getting on
fairly well. ... I am myself, indeed, far from being so well
as I could wish, but I propose to take life very quietly for
the future, and with care in diet hope to improve. I have

426 W. STANLh Y JEVONS. JET. 45-

just written this morning the first few pages of the finished
draft of my treatise on Economics, but the main part of the
book is hardly more than sketched out, and I hardly like
to think of the years of work it must yet take before being
completed.

" On Saturday I am going to take Harriet to hear
Berlioz's Faust her first visit. I shall be curious to know
whether it strikes me as much as at first. About a week
ago we went to hear his Romeo and Jnhct, and there was
much beauty in it, as well as in the rest of the very long
concert. But neither Romeo nor the Childhood of Christ have
the startling power of Faust. I hope to hear a good deal
of Wagner this spring under Richter's conducting. . . .

" Many bubbles are now being put forth in England, and
they will probably increase very much in the next few
months, but I do not think there is any ground for a crisis
just yet. It will take a year or two for the investment in
their companies to tell upon the abundant free capital of the
country.

u We have now apparently got safely through the Fenian
plots and other difficulties, and I hope that Gladstone has
succeeded in steering into smoother waters. His spirit in
making peace with the Boers was wonderful.' 1

To J. L. Shadivcll) Esq.

HAMFSTKAD, 26/7* April 1881

" I have read your impressions of Italy with much in-
terest. It is curious how much you were able to understand
and appreciate of what you could not sec. It is a matter
of regret, however, that you clo not appreciate music. To
speak of instrumental music as noise is extraordinary to me.
The world of sound is almost more enjoyable to me than
the world of sight, and the loudest orchestra, if only it be
harmonious and play good music, has a kind of constant
organic pleasurable effect. The only drawback with music
to me is that, when very good, it produces so much interest
and excitement as to pass from a recreation to a cause of
exhaustion. I wonder what you would think of Berlioz's
Faust ? a wonderful work."

MT. 45. LOVE OF MUSIC. 427

To J. L. Shadwcll, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, 6th May 1881.

"... I cannot think Bach's Passion Music well adapted
for pleasing a person supposed to be non-musical. It con-
tains, no doubt, music of a very high type, but such as only
recently has begun to be appreciated. La Favorita is at the
other end of the scale, at least so I should suppose, never
having heard it (nor having any intention of hearing it). I
should fancy that ball ad -con certs, or miscellaneous concerts,
would suit you best, and I can hardly doubt that if you fre-
quently attended such concerts for a year or two, you would
eventually derive great pleasure from them. The love of
music is a thing which can be cultivated and indefinitely in-
creased from a very small germ, and though I suppose there
really are people devoid of that germ, 1 can hardly believe
that you are one of them."

To Ids sister Lucy.

HAMPSTKAD, 14/7* May 1881.

u I must write a few lines to wish you many happy returns
of to-morrow. My memory for birthdays is indeed so bad that
1 should hardly have been likely to remember it had not the
children been so very busy preparing you surprises. I hope
that Herbert's remarkable letter will reach you safely. It
has been the result of very anxious care on his part and of
some little trouble on my part.

44 1 ' have been on duty now with the children for three
days, while Harriet was away, but am thinking of dissipating
a little in town now. 1 have not even seen the Academy.
I sent you a day or two ago a copy of the Contemporary r ,
with my article on * Bimetallism. 1 After you have quite done
with it I shall be glad if you will post it back, as 1 like to
have a spare copy of articles. I also sent you a copy of the
Bwgraph^ with my c Life ' in it. The article is little more
than a reprint of what appeared in the Owens College Maga-
zine shortly after I left Manchester, having been written, I
believe, by my successor Adamson. Please keep this. I am
writing pretty steadily at my large book on Political Economy,
and it absorbs all my strength and almost all my thoughts
just at present. . . ."

428 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 45.

To }L S. Foxwcll) Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, rjth May 1881.

" I only heard yesterday at college that the Council had
finally appointed you my successor. ... I have now the
pleasure to hand you the key of office, being the key of a
drawer in the professor's room, marked No. 6, where you may
keep any papers or other articles you need. . . . There is
in the professor's room a large roll of diagrams, chiefly con-
sisting of illustrations of my statistical papers. They arc of
no further use to me, and if not preserved by you must go
as * waste.' Before they are destroyed you may as well look
at them and sec if they are ever likely to be of use to you.
Considerable use might be made of diagrams in political
economy, but I never had energy enough to carry the use far.
Now lecturing is a thing of the past with me, I regret in
some ways the laborious and sometimes exciting and pleas-
ing hours I have had ; but my nervous framework was not
made for the platform.

" I am making nice progress with my large work on
Political Economy, as Air as my health will allow. I was
sorry not to be at home when you called. I hear of you at
the booksellers' occasionally, and fancy you must be getting
a good collection of economic books.

" I have given up all hope of cataloguing my books, and
truht to my memory and sight, but if I could work for longer
hours I should much like to make a card catalogue."

By " the booksellers " referred to in the preceding letter
Mr. Jcvons meant two or three second-hand book shops which
he often visited, for the improvement of his library was one
of his greatest pleasures. When he removed from Manchester
he took with him a great many books ; but, with the increased
facilities for procuring them in London, they rapidly increased
in number until they amounted to several thousand volumes,
including some very rare and curious old works on economic
and other subjects. On a leisure afternoon he thoroughly en-
joyed making a round of several old book shops, and his kindly,
courteous manners as courteous always to his inferiors in
position as to those of his own station were fully appre-
ciated by the owners. At two at least of the shops which

MT. 45- BIMETALLISM. 429

he most frequented he was regarded as a friend, and the
booksellers took a pleasure in looking out at the sales they
attended for the books they thought might suit him, reserving
them from their other customers until he had seen them.

To John Mills, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, IQ//; May 1881.

"Thanks for the copy of your letter on Bimetallism,
which I have read with much interest. It is a strong and
pointed argument against Ccrnuschi and his school. I had
not seen the letter before, and if you sent me an Examiner I
must have accidentally failed to notice the letter.

" Grenfell's extract is probably quoted from Giffen's paper
in the Statistical Journal, March 1879, vol. xiii. pp. 36-68,
an important paper, but I have not found the precise passage.

" I do not think the subject of Bimetallism is worth much
powder and shot. The \\holc thing will collapse at the
next meeting of a conference. My own impression is, that
the French Government are heartily sick of their double
standard, and are putting up Cernuschi that they may con-
veniently recede under cover of his absurdities.

" As to coal, I certainly made a mistake of six months,
and 1 have had some unhappy half- hours over some of
my shares, but I do not plead guilty to more than six
months' error as yet. There is a great future coming.
Moreover, the Coal Question is going to be verified in a
manner which no one would have believed. With coal so
cheap, and pits working half time, the output is only some
twelve millions behind the calculated amounts, or about 8
per cent, which will readily be made up in a single brisk
year!"

During this year Mr. Jcvons had contributed three articles
to the Contemporary Review. To the January number,
" Richard Cantillon and the Nationality of Political Econ-
omy." To the March number, "The Rationale of Free
Public Libraries." To the May number, "Bimetallism."

In July he also contributed an article on "Symbolic
Logic" to Nature.

Feeling more than ever that his private work was
as much as his strength could bear, he had resigned his

430 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *T. 45-

post as vice-president of the Statistical Society during this

spring.

To his brother Tom.

BULVERHYTHK, HASTINGS, Wl Jttly 1 88 1.

" I was pleased to get your cheerful letter some weeks
since. 1 was so much below par, and so occupied with
examinations and other matters, that I could not well answer
before. We are having a quiet holiday here, and for the
first four days of our visit enjoyed delightful weather. Then
came a heavy thunder-storm, lasting the greater part of the
night, and now we have cool winds. The children are very
well, and enjoy grubbing about the shore very much. Harriet
is also enjoying herself fairly, but seems to feel maternal
cares. I am in an extraordinary weak state, and was quite
knocked up the other day by walking to St Leonards and
back, two miles each way. I sleep quite twelve hours out of
the twenty-four, which seems to do me more good than any-
thing else at present. I have now written to take passage
by the Domino to Bergen on the 26th July. Will will be
my companion for a part of the trip. . . .

" After my holidays I have to write a brief popular book-
on Labour for Macmillan, and then I hope to have a clear
fling at my large Political Economy. The attempted assas-
sination of the President created a great sensation in England
We have, of course, all particulars here in the papers, besides
telegrams in the St. Leonards News-room when I can get
there. One can imagine the Emperor of Russia saying to
himself, * Ah, it is not only we autocrats that get shot ! . . .'

" The census reports in England, together with the coal
statistics, are wonderfully bearing out my Coal Question, and
my opponent, Price Williams, finds the ground entirely cut
from under him. Possibly I may next write to you from
some retreat in Norway."

On the 2Oth July he wrote to his sister Lucy :

" We leave here early on Friday morning, so that our
address will now be Hampstcad.

" I have taken a passage for Norway in a boat leaving
on Tuesday 26th. Will accompanies me a part of the
time, and I shall probably go and stay with Arthur and
Kate, but have formed no definite plans.

.*T. 45- PROGRESS OF TREATISE ON ECONOMICS. 431

" We have enjoyed our visit here very much, the weather
being so splendid and the long evenings enjoyable. The
children are in a high state of health, especially Herbert,
who is the picture of health. Winefrid was a little upset
with the heat one day, but is quite well now, and looks very
pretty running about the sands with her bare feet. Every-
body has bathed more or less, but the children have very
peculiar ideas on the subject.

" 1 think I am a good deal better, but need plenty of
rest yet before I am really well."

To Professor Leon Walras.

2oth July 1 88 1.

" I have received with much pleasure the copies of your
two memoirs which you have been so kind as to send me.
The) both treat of subjects interesting to me, and I hope in
a little time to study them carefully. I am at present, how-
ever, taking relaxation for the improvement of my health,
and in a few days 1 leave home for Norway, to spend five or
six weeks there perhaps. My recent application to study
has a good deal injured my health, and I have on this account
resigned my professorship of political economy at University
College. . . .

44 1 have been making considerable progress with my
large treatise on Economics, which will go over the whole
11 eld of the subject. I have also promised to write a small
popular treatise on the subject of Labour.

" In a former letter you told me you had learned some
particulars of the life of Gossen. 1 wish that you would
either publish these yourself, or send me the facts that I may
publish them, in your name, in some English journal.

" I regret that I am so bad a correspondent, but my
strength is over-taxed by the work I have on hand.

" 1 am glad to say I think the mathematical view of
economics is making much progress in England, and is fully
recognised by those competent to judge."

To his Wife.

SWEUY'S HOTEL, BERGEN,

Sunday Morning^ "$\st July*

" . . . We have not been very lucky since leaving Lon-

432 W. STANLEY JEVONS. *:T. 45.

don. The delay of the steamer for twelve hours was not
only vexatious in itself, but has caused us to stay forty-eight
hours in Bergen, where the pressure of travellers obliged us
to go to a hotel which I should call very second-rate, were it
not that it is about as comfortable as the supposed first-rate
ones. It is kept by an intelligent Norse captain of a
steamer. Then the passage itself was a miserable one.
Everybody agreed about that ; although the sea was not
very rough, the ship pitched so that every passenger, with a
single exception, was seasick, and many of them dreadfully
so. ...

" We got into Stavanger about 1 2 at night, and stayed
there seven hours. I landed with Will and walked about
the town for a time, and then slept as well as I could with
the steam crane going. . . .

" It seems that this is a rainy season in Bergen and the
west coast. It has been raining for some six weeks here,
and still continues to do so at intervals in a sort of steady
dreary way which docs not suggest leaving off. However,
we go aboard the Kong Karl for Moldc this evening. . . .

" Yesterday was a very busy day in Bcrgcn, and I never
saw the fish market so full or the Strand Gade so lively.

4t I have been in four of the churches of Bergen this
morning, including the Roman Catholic and the Baptist. 1
do not think the Lutheran Church need be afraid of the
Dissenters. I have also been to the band in the park, which
played in spite of the steady rain. Tell Herbert and Winn
that there were a great many little boys and girls listening
to the band all in the rain, without umbrellas, and the girls
without hats or bonnets. They listened very quietly, and
not like the children at the Hampstcad band " .

On the 2d August he wrote again to his wife from
Moldc :

" We have now got on a stage since I posted my last
The voyage from Bergen, however, has been a dreadfully wet
one almost continual rain sometimes pouring, and in the
latter part a gale of wind. ... I had hoped to get into
Molde at 2 A.M. this morning, but we were rather late in
reaching Aalesund, and when the ship was ready to proceed,
in the middle of the night, it was blowing and raining so

*ST. 45. A CUR/OUS DISCOVERY. 433

hard that the captain seems to have delayed departure, and
we did not finally get to this hotel till between 7 and 8 A.M.

4< . . . Will continues to be ' creditably jolly/ but so far
I can hardly claim the like.

" I hope to hear this evening that you and the children
are quite well. I want sadly to be back with you again,
and though, I suppose, I must undergo three or four weeks
more of this travelling, I cannot pretend to enjoy it as I
foimerly did when travelling with you.

"... Hearing that two Englishmen had been drowned
at Molde, I thought you might possibly meet the statement
in an English paper and be alarmed lest it should be Will
and 1, as the time nearly corresponded, I therefore telegraphed
from Naes instead of Bergen as I had intended."

After writing the preceding letter Mr. Jevons went on to
Stueflaatcn in the Romsdal to join his cousins, Mr. and Mrs.
Arthur Jevons ; he spent about a week with them, and then
took the Gudbransdal route to Christiania by himself, return-
ing home somewhat sooner than he had intended. Norway
had by this time lost its novelty for him, and the weather
having been so bad during the first part of his tour, and his
health having made him unfit for much exertion, he had not
enjoyed his holiday there as he formerly did. After a few
weeks at home he took his wife and family to Malvcrn Wells.

To his sister Lucy.

STONELEIGH, MALVERN WELLS,

Monday, 26th September 1881.

" We got here in pouring rain on Saturday, but yester-
day it turned out fine, and we had a beautiful view from
part of the hills, which we all, excepting baby, ascended
without difficulty.

"... A curious discovery which I recently made among
my books will perhaps interest you. In looking over a
series of volumes of pamphlets which I bought a year or
two ago, I discovered that the first few volumes were col-
lected by my grandfather Roscoe, and had lists in his hand-
writing ; two or more subsequent owners had continued the
series, and one had made a note about * Roscoe,' which first
drew my attention to the fact. I have only, however, got a

2 F

434 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 46.

portion of the scries, other volumes having been sold before
I met with the set. The volumes include copies of some of
W. Roscoe's own pamphlets. One of the subsequent owners
was named Benson.

"... Yesterday we saw some of the Welsh mountains
in the extreme distance, and I fancy we could almost see as
far as Rhayader. The Clee hills were quite plain."

To his brother Tom.

MALVERN WKLLS, 2<t October 1881.

" It is quite time I wrote an answer to your and Isabel's
pleasant letter of 28th August. Please thank Isabel very
much for her addition to your letter.

44 We have got moderately pleasant lodgings here, and
the strolls over the hills in fine weather are very enjoyable.
The children are in high feather, and find endless amuse-
ment with blackberries, wells, streams, and other peculiarities
of the place. ' Boy ' has walked with me to the top both of
the Worcestershire and Herefordshire Beacons, which are at
nearly equal distance, without showing signs of fatigue. .

" My health is, I hope, steadily improving after its long
depression, and I have been able to write steadily for a few
days at my new book on Labour, but I have to bear up as
well as I can against depressing influences.

"... In England there is no fear of a real crisis for
many years to come. There will probably be ups and
downs, but for the present a decided up is in progress. It
is possible that, as in 1873, there may be an intermediate
check rather than real collapse in 1883 or 1884, but there
is no present prospect of any such thing. If peace be main-
tained there will probably be an unprecedented period of
prosperity for the next seven years. I do not say that the
same will be the course of events in the United States, for
you move so fast that there may be an earlier check. But
remember that the same causes which acted in 1873-74,
namely, a breakdown of prices and rents inflated by the
previous influence of paper money, docs not now exist. I
do not like the excited and violent tone of American
politics, and the prevalence of * corner* and extravagant
speculation."

46. ELECTRIC EXHIBITION A T PARIS. 435

To his brother Tom.

HOTEL DE NORMANDIE, RUE ST. HONORE,

PARIS, 30^ October 1881.

" You will perhaps like to hear a little about the visit
which Harriet and I have managed to pay here, leaving the
children in the care of John and Lucy, who have kindly
taken our places at home. We have now been here nearly
two weeks, staying one night in Boulogne where I wished
to see a brother logician, an English tutor there resident
and another night in Amiens. We were very much pleased
with the cathedral at the latter town. It is a charming work
of architecture perhaps the most beautiful church, on the
whole, that I ever saw.

" Then after buying a few very cheap and valuable
French books we came on to Paris, where we have enjoyed
ourselves ever since. We have not been to the theatre at
all, as I never succeed in finding the way into a French
theatre, but we have had concerts, grand dinners, and above
all, the Electric Exhibition. The latter alone was worth
coming from London to sec, being indeed the most beautiful
and enjoyable exhibition I have ever seen and I have seen
nearly all the great exhibitions in London and Paris in and
bince 1851. The various rooms, lighted by different species
of electric light, and the innumerable applications of elec-
tricity in all modes, arc most interesting. We have spent
four evenings in the building (the Palais de I'lndustrie), and
have by no means exhausted it. Yet it is an exhibition of
moderate dimensions, and does not exhaust the visitors.
They arc going to try to repeat it at the Crystal Palace, but
I do not think they can equal what the French have had the
genius to originate. On three evenings we have dined at
the Grand Hotel, which you probably know. It is rather
expensive work, but they are the most enjoyable dinners I
have ever had, resembling first-class banquets, without any of
the worry of speechifying or the ridiculous twaddle and eti-
quette of dinner parties. Properly speaking, I believe we ought
(that is to say, musical people) always to dine to the sound of
music ; it produces a placid and exhilarated tone of body and
mind, highly conducive to digestion and general wellbeing.

436 Jf r . STANLEY JEVONS. AT. 46.

"A large part of my time has been taken up in book-
hunting on the banks of the Seine. 1 have .secured almost
a trunk full of books on economics, of much scientific and
historic value, but often at ridiculously low prices. I am
going, by degrees, rather fully into the history of Political
Economy in France during the eighteenth century, and book-
hunting is in the end the easiest and cheapest way of acquir-
ing the means. We return home on 1st November. Do
you remember our changing money at Piccadilly Circus at
the rate of 24 fr. = 1 ? 1 \\ent there and changed some at
25-20 the full rate!"

On the 3d November he wrote to his friend Mr. Fox-
well :

" I have just been on a book-hunting visit to Paris, and
have returned with more than a hundred French economic
works. I have met with the original editions- of Van ban's
Dixmc Royali\ Boisguillcbcrt's Detail dt la Fraiut\ Le
Trosnc's works, and a few others, besides plenty of recent
economic publications "

To Rci\ Harold Rylctt.

HAMPSILXD, 6/// November iSSi

"... Though there may have been much to sym-
pathise with in the earlier efforts of the League, all my
sympathy with the League ceased as soon as the}- began
to work against the new Land Act I look upon that Act
as the greatest concession that could be made, and one
which is a sufficient step to\\ards setting Irish affairs right
Every real friend of Ireland will be found as a supporter of
the action of that Act, and the new Court created by it. I
do not mean to say that no further reforms are needed.
There may be plenty to be subsequently done the repeal
of the Whiteboy Acts, the Consolidation of the Irish Kail-
ways, and a good many minor reforms. Ihit these will
follow, and they will not be hastened by the intense ingrati-
tude to Mr. Gladstone sho\\n by those who ought to have been
his truest followers.

" There can be no doubt that for many years past the
fondest hope of Mr. Gladstone has been to redress the wrongs
of Ireland, and to restore her to all possible prosperity. If

**. 46. THE IRISH LAND ACT. 437

he has made any mistake, it was in the decision of his
Cabinet to endeavour to govern Ireland without any extra-
ordinary powers. If I recollect aright, he allowed the
Coercion Act of the Tory Government to lapse when he
might have insisted on its re-enactment

" The milder policy would probably have succeeded had
good harvests occurred in the subsequent years. But the
failure of harvests, and the rejection of the Eviction Bill,
frustrated his efforts to maintain the milder course.

44 1 am sure that no one can possibly regret more than
Mr. Gladstone the necessity of reverting to coercion ; but
coupled as it is with such a noble gift as the new Land Act
(not to speak of earlier reform, such as the disestablishment
of the Irish Church), I am quite unable to understand how
you can be found among his opponents.

44 Thanks for the copy of Henry George's pamphlet on
the 4 Irish Land Question/

II I have already got his book on Poverty"

To his brother Tom.

I-UMPSTRAD, i2th December 1881.

II 1 was much pleased with your last letter, written soon
after your return home. It showed you to be well and
happy, with plenty to do. The geological discovery was
well worth making, and in America there must be much
more field for such things than in this well-scanned country.

" . . . Our little ones arc all quite well at present, I am
glad to say, and ' Lucy Cecilia' has just begun to walk about
the room. She is a cheerful, happy little thing, and com-
pletes the trio nicely.

"... I have been working under pressure for a week
past, to finish an article for the Contemporary on c Married
Women in Factories. 1 It treats of infant mortality, and I
hope you will like the view it takes.

" I am getting towards the end of my book on the State
in Relation to Labour^ but it involves a great deal of reading
and thinking.

". . . I want to get on with my large book on
Economics, which will never be finished if I take up every
task offered.

43 W. STANLEY JEVONS. MT. 46.

" I am also intending to bring out a reprint of all my
principal articles and papers on Money, etc., under the title,
Investigations Concerning Currency and Finance. I hope
that it will make a nice volume. You see that I have plenty
on hand, but I often feel very unequal to it.

"... I am just going to buy a new piano, but am much
perplexed between the makers, who are all so good."

Mr. Foxwell having expressed a wish that Mr. Jevons
would visit him at Cambridge, he had thus written on the
4th December :

" As far as I can possibly tell at present, I think I could
be with you for one night, namely, that of the 1 9th December,
which, I understand, would suit you ; but please do not put
yourself out of the way ; a few hours' quiet chat with one or
two fellows is all my nerves can stand just now. I hope they
will some time or other be better."

Before his visit to Cambridge Mr. Jevons spent two
nights at Ely, and afterwards went on to Yarmouth to visit

Mr. Inglis Palgrave.

To his Wife.

LAMH HOTEL, ELY, \Wi December 1881.

" I had an easy journey down yesterday, and find every-
thing here comfortable and quiet. I wish I could get you
to come here. It is in many ways the most striking of all
the cathedrals. The weird-looking western tower and the
long solemn Norman nave contrast so finely with the central
octagon dome and the lovely chancel. However, it is no
good attempting to describe such things, and you must come
and see them.

" This morning they had an ordination service, beginning
with a sermon and ending so far as I was present with
the laying on of hands by the bishop. There was not much
music, excepting a nice introductory from Mendelssohn. But
I was interested in the ceremony of ordination until the
bishop began a long address, which I understood would last
till 2 P.M. Then I went to dinner, nearly all the congrega-
tion having gone previously.

" This evening at 4 P.M. we had a very pleasing intro-
ductory voluntary, probably by Handel, an anthem by
Purcell, as enclosed, which was exceedingly sweet in parts,

. 46. HIS THEORY OF CAPITAL.

439

with symphony interspersed, and then, after an altogether
sweetly-sounding service, the organist played the most beau-
tiful piece of Wagner, I rather think a part of the March
from Tannhauscr y which produced the best possible effect on
the organ.

"... There is an air of repose about these old places
which suits me exactly."

To F. Y. Edge^vorth, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, ibtk December 1881,

u . . . I have read your remarks on capital with care and
interest ; you will excuse my saying that you seem to be
still deep in the fallacies of Mill. I fear you have not yet
approached to a comprehension of my theory of capital as
involving solely the clement of time. I now see that the
whole theory of the matter is implied in the expression for
the rate of interest as given on p. 266 of my 2d edition
\Theory of Political Economy}. Some of my other expres-
sions may be misleading. Indeed, as long as you speak of
c capital ' instead of * capitalisation/ I think you are pretty
sure to go wrong. However, the matter is too difficult to
discuss in a letter, and I hope in a short time to try and
write it out more fully and satisfactorily."

To H. S. Foxivcll, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD HEATH, ist January 1882.

" I find that I have Playfair's book On the Decline of
Nations a good copy, also the Essai sur les Causes du Dcclin
du Commerce^ 1757. Entirely at your convenience you can
send the other books. . . .

" I enjoyed my visit to Cambridge as much as my weak
state of health will allow. Unfortunately I suffer from
neuralgic pains in the back, which generally come on when
they are least wanted. I am getting my book on Labour
nearly done. Then I have a collection of papers on Money
on hand, and my large Political Economy looming faintly in
the distance."

To the Contemporary Review for this month Mr. Jevons
contributed an article, " Married Women in Factories," his

440 W. STANLEY JEVONS. /ET. 46.

attention having been much drawn to the subject during the
preparation of his book, The State in relation to Labour.

To William Crookes, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, 24^ January 1882.

" I thank you much for sending me a copy of your beau-
tiful memoir on the viscosity of gases at high exhaustions.
I am glad to be able to add it to my collection of your
previous memoirs.

" You appear to make perfectly good your theory of the
ultra-gaseous state of matter. Although there seems to be
no absolute breach of continuity of the properties, yet ulti-
mately the ultra-gas is as widely different from gas, as is that
from solid.

" I am also interested in your logarithmic diagram."

To George Gore, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, nth April 1882.

" I thank you very much for the copy of your new book
on the Scientific Basts of National Progress, which you have
been so good as to send me. I have read it with much
interest. It develops, very conclusively, the view which you
had previously put forth more briefly, and it is impossible
not to agree with you for the most part.

" I have, however, never quite made up my mind how
far it would be practicable to extend direct endowment of
research. That it is desirable and successful, with certain
persons and in certain cases, there can be no doubt. But it is
a question how far it could be provided for, incidentally as
it were. However, it is too large a subject to discuss by
letter, and I certainly agree with you on the whole."

To his brother Tom.

HAMPSTEAD, 19/7* March 1882.

" I have now received the two little clocks, which I found
a few days ago at the Athenaeum Club. They keep their
rooms so hot in the winter that it does not suit my weakened
health, and I have been seldom going there of late. I will
give Josephine her clock the next time we go to Epsom,
probably in a week or ten days.

JET. 46. REMARKS ON IRISH AFFAIRS. 441

"Almost worse than the clocks was the fact that I
found a letter from the Prince of Wales, signed propriA
manu, inviting me to the meeting at St. James's Palace
about the Royal College of Music. Not having known of
the letter, I had neither gone nor returned the card nor
sent any answer. However, I have now sent a polite
explanation to the secretary, and a subscription of five
guineas.

" I am just finishing the proofs of my book on Labour
for the English Citizen Series. . . . The reprint of my
papers on Money is also proceeding satisfactorily ; but a
great deal of work is yet needed to complete the book
and introduction. I hope you will find it interesting when
done.

" I think the Bimetallists have received a final blow in
the sudden flood of gold from America. In fact almost all
the commercial writers have their theories shattered by the
sudden return of ease to the money market. I have never
had any fear of a real pressure for the present. In England
at least there is really no bad business worth speaking of,
and where prices of stocks are high it is from excess of
caution people not knowing what to invest in, and therefore
buying any safe railway stocks at whatever price they have
to pay. The coal trade is rather disappointing at present,
but it must mend by waiting ; and I am getting five per
cent on most of my investments. The iron trade promises
well.

" I am almost in despair about Ireland, and I fear that
coercion is a mistake. I told a member of the Government
last September that the Government ought to grant an
amnesty to the suspects on the day the Land Act came
into operation (ist October) I believe that if they had
taken some such course things would have gone very
differently. Although the passing of the Land Act was
a great feat of power, the management of Irish affairs has
otherwise been unfortunate, and with all his good in-
tentions I fear that Forstcr is hardly the kind of man
to govern Ireland. Lord Dufferin or some man of that
kind, with tact and geniality, is needed to influence the
Irish."

442 W. STANLEY JEVONS. m. 46.

To his brother-in-law John Hutton.

HAMPSTEAD, \tyh March 1882.

"... A few days ago we took both ' Boy ' and Winn
to the Tower, where they were much pleased with the
armour, jewels, etc. They were pleased also with the be-
heading axe, which did not seem to possess any disagreeable
ideas for them. I have come to the conclusion that horrors
of that sort have no existence for children."

To his brother Tom.

HAMPSTEAD, y*th March 1882.

"... I am feeling a little more free from work, having
finished the proofs of my book on the State in Relation to
Labour, and also sent to the printer the main part of the
copy of Investigations in Currency and Finance. I am now
going to make a new start with the large book on Political
Economy. I find that gentle work agrees with me better
than anything else, especially such interesting work as that
of the large book.

" I have just had an offer of an examinership under the
Civil Service Commissioners, worth 130 a year. I was
also asked to examine at Oxford, but declined that and one
or two other examinerships making nearly 200 for the
year. My health will not stand the wear and worry of such
work, and it does not even pay in the long run."

To his brother Tom.

HAMPbTEAD, ith May 1882.

" I have just heard to-day (Sunday), by rumour, of the
dreadful murder of Lord R Cavendish and another in
Dublin. I fear it will immensely complicate a situation
already nearly hopeless. I confess I doubt the wisdom of
the course of the Government for some time back. I believe
that conciliation should have been tried on the passing of
the Land Act. Forster's speech of explanation on his resigna-
tion is generally blamed. . . .

" We have been for three weeks at our seaside retreat,
' Galley Hill/ where, however, we had unsettled weather and
two severe storms. On the second occasion the sea was
nothing but wild surf as far as we could see.

46. BIMETALLISM. 443

"... I have completed the proofs of my small book
on Labour^ which is now left entirely in the hands of
the printer and publisher. I am nearly half through the
proofs of my reprint of papers on Money, but the amount
of new work acquired will take six months to accom-
plish."

In spite of the stormy weather the spring wild-flowers
were in their full beauty about Bulverhythe, and Mr. Jevons
during his stay there began to teach his little son the
elements of botany. Though want of time had prevented
his making a study of botany in his mature years, he had
always taken a pleasure in finding out the name of any
flower new to him that he met with in his holiday rambles,
and he now gave such clear and simple lessons as to excite
his boy's interest in the subject at once

To W. R. Grcnfcll, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, ;/// May 1882.

" I should like to say how sorry I was not to be able to
attend the meeting of the Political Econony Club when you
brought the subject of Bimetallism forward. I have been far
from well of late, and not able to go about to debates.
For the same reason I should not feel able to avail myself
of an invitation, even if you were to act upon the suggestion
you threw out on Friday evening.

" 1 have been following the controversies on the subject
with much interest, and am in fact busily engaged upon a
volume, partly consisting of reprints of former papers, with
a good deal of new matter, more or less bearing upon
Bimetallism. So much labour is, however, required in
completing the volume in the way I wish, and in seeing it
through the press, that I cannot undertake to answer the
numerous arguments put forward in the Rullionist and other
publications. My own impression is that this question can-
not be wholly ' laid, 1 and that it will recur from time to time
in the future as it has in the past. But it seems to me
requisite to draw a clear distinction between the speculative
aspects of Bimetallism and the practical conclusion applying
to us here and now in England." 1

1 Sec Appendix A.

444 W. STANLEY JEVONS. a?. 46.

At the beginning of June The State in Relation to Labour
was published as a volume of Macmillan's scries, " The English
Citizen his Rights and Responsibilities." This little book
was the result of his maturest thoughts upon the subject ;
and the conclusion to which he came was, that no hard and
fast rules could be laid down for the interference or non-
interference of the State with labour ; each case must be
treated in detail on its merits. " Specific experience is our
best guide, or even express experiment where possible, but
the real difficulty often consists in the interpretation of
experience. We are reduced to balance conflicting proba-
bilities of good and evil."

To the Rev. Harold Rylett.

HAMPSTEAD, N.W., zdjuly 1882.

" Not having read Davitt's speech in detail I cannot
speak of it, but I do not believe in nationalisation of the
land. I am strongly in favour of any scheme tending to-
wards peasant proprietorship, and would like to see the State
risk a good deal of money on the enterprise. But the
Government must not be the landlords. The people must
be their own landlords as soon and in proportion as they
can be made to be so ; but of course I am aware of the
great difficulties in the way. Anything is better than the
present state of things. I do not think you need trouble
yourself much about Bastiat's opinions in regard to land.
They are not, in my opinion, well founded. I have not read
George's pamphlet nor his book ; but from glancing over the
latter I am not inclined to take it up while so many better
books arc available.

" The remarks in the Economist on your letter were not
written by me. Having shown your letter to the Editor in
the course of discussion, he wished to print it as a text and
omitting your name I saw no reason to refuse.

" Being an economist and not a politician, I hardly like to
venture upon the wide and stormy field of the Irish Question.
There can, however, be little doubt that the progress of
events tends to justify your position more than it was
formerly easy to foresee. I never, indeed, believed in
Forster's coercion policy, which struck at the wrong parties,

AT. 46. THE IRISH QUESTJON. 445

and was calculated rather to irritate than suppress or amend
what was wrong.

" I may also ad,d, that though I was formerly of the oppo-
site opinion, both the course of events and the course of
my studies have tended to suggest grave doubts as to whether
the whole tendency of English agrarian law, policy, and
practice is not radically wrong.

" In England the immense wealth and social power of
the landowners has disguised the question, but it has broken
out in Ireland, and it will break out sooner or later else-
where. I have quite satisfied myself that whatever may be
the economic results, the social and political results of an
opposite agrarian policy arc infinitely superior to what we
experience. Some day I may perhaps try to write out
these opinions and support them, but it is too heavy a subject
to venture upon in a hurry."

To M. Luigi Bodio.

IlAMPSl'KAD, N.W., tfhjllly 1882.

41 I return my warm thanks for the beautiful volumes
and atlas of the Monograph of Rome and the Campagna,
which arrived safely a day or two ago. They will have a
place of honour in my library, and are full of interest for
me. Since the visit which I had the pleasure of paying to
Rome and Italy about ten years ago, 1 have not ceased to
feel a peculiar interest in everything relating to the places
visited.

"I thank you also for the Archwio di Statistica and
other publications safely received. I have found them very
valuable of late, in connection with a work on Money which
I am preparing, and of which I shall hope in a few months
to forward you a copy.

" I welcome especially the contributions to a history of
prices which I find in several places, including the article in
the Monograph.

" I had the honour to forward you, a few days ago, a
copy of my small book on The State in relation to Labour,
which, though small, has been the object of much thought
to me."

446 W. STANLEY JEVONS. JET. 46.

To his brother Tom.

GALLEY HILL, BULVERHYTHE,

NEAR HASTINGS, igt/ijuly 1882.

" I am very sorry indeed that so long a time has elapsed
since I wrote to you. The last two months, however, form
the most busy and distracting time of year to me, and
letter-writing is too much like my ordinary occupation to be
relaxation.

" You will be pleased to hear perhaps that one of the
distractions which took up much time this season was a full
course of Wagner's music, which both Harriet and I enjoyed
in a degree which we could not have anticipated. We sub-
scribed both for the German opera season and the Richter
concerts, and went out about three times a week. The con-
certs were good enough indeed. It was impossible that a
hundred of the best German musicians, led by such an incom-
parably skilful conductor as Richter, could produce anything
but the best music.

" Wagner's newer operas, however, produced as they were
at Drury Lane, produced a wholly new impression, such as
one will never forget. Having heard the Flying- Dutchman
much praised, I was a good deal disappointed with it, and
even Lohengrin became thin and weak compared with what
was to follow. Tannhauser, however, which we heard twice,
and would willingly hear a few times more, stands out as an
altogether striking and perfect composition. It is impossible
to forget either the ' Pilgrim's March ' or the * Siren Voices. 1
The Mcistcrsingcr proved to be a work of a totally different
character, and having never before been performed in London,
took the musical world there quite by surprise. On the
first time of hearing, I was rather wearied by parts which
are certainly long, however beautiful, but on a second and
third hearing I became reconciled to the whole. The third
act especially, in which the Guilds of Nurnberg assemble for
the prize song contest, is a beautiful sight, sustained as it is
by a continuous stream of music, such as Wagner only
could write.

" We also heard Tristan and Isolde once, a work of an
entirely different character again, being a kind of musical

JET. 46. WAGNER'S OPERAS. 447

tragedy, more, in fact, a kind of musical picture of the Ar-
thurian knight and the unfortunate bride whom he was sent
to fetch to the king. There are only some half-dozen
characters in the whole, and hardly any chorus ; but the
manner in which Madame Sucher and Herr Winkelmann
riveted your attention throughout a long evening was again
a wholly new thing. The music was in the highest degree
Wagnerian, and I have not retained a scrap of it in my
head ; nevertheless it was music which seemed to bind the
whole story together into one absorbing and beautiful whole.
Harriet says that she shall never forget the picture of the
noble and faithful knight, and I shall not forget the picture
of the love-torn maiden Isolde, as she sat upon the deck of
the ship.

" Madame Sucher is in fact an incomparable actress,
singer, and musician all three combined in an almost unique
manner. In the concert room she disappointed me, being
stiff and almost harsh in the power of her voice. But in
the theatre she was all life, and grace, and music such as one
will not perhaps hear again.

" These performances made a great sensation in London,
and I was glad to assist, at least by being present, at what
I consider the complete triumph of true music and art over
the wretched Italian opera. No doubt the English and
Italian opera will die hard ; 'and Tristan and Isolde was
clearly above the comprehension of the London public as a
general rule. But Tannhauser and the Meistcrsiugcr charmed
every hearer, and I think you may consider that the ' music
of the future ' has established its hold in England.

" . . . We have now got down to our quiet seaside
retreat, where we have a beautiful stretch of shore yet almost
our own, and pleasant quiet lanes, and fields and bits of
wood, where we can do as we like. At Hampstead you are
summoned if you touch a wild-flower.

" Unfortunately Winn caught cold in one eye at Hamp-
stead and has yet to be kept in the house, and the weather
is unsettled and windy. But we hope that the children will
be all as well as * Boy/ who is in high spirits racing about
the sands and constructing all kinds of edifices on the
shore.

448 IV. STANLEY JEVONS. ^ET. 46.

w I hope you got a copy of my State in Relation to Labour.
I have as usual much on hand, but intend to take things as
easily as possible for the future.

"We have the Times daily, and I am following the
tragic events in Egypt with horror combined with interest.
The Arab race are evidently preparing the way for their own
complete downfall and eventual extermination, and we
can only console ourselves that they arc opening the way to a
better civilisation.

" . . . I am going to overthrow my critics on the Em-
ploymcnt-of-Marricd-womcn question, having pretty surely
ascertained, by a comparison of the census and Register-
General's reports, that the mortality of children under five
years of age is proportional to the percentage of women
over twenty years employed in industrial occupations."

During the first week of his stay at Galley Hill Mr. Jevons
wrote a little paper on " Reflected Rainbows " for the August
number of the Field Naturalist, a small scientific journal
published in Manchester ; but the last paragraph of the pre-
ceding letter points out the subject upon which he was chiefly
engaged He was preparing a paper for the meeting of the
Social Science Association, upon the "Employment of Married
Women in Factories," and every morning, whilst at Galley
Hill, he spent two or three hours in examining with laborious
care the statistics of infant mortality in every county, and
comparing them with the statistics of women employed in
work from home The results obtained for several towns
of each county in England and Wales he copied out to be
exhibited to the Association. His opinion, as expressed in
the above letter to his brother, was " that the mortality of
children under five years of age is proportional to the per-
centage of women over twenty years employed in industrial
occupations," and he hoped to prove that his judgment had
not been lightly formed, but was the result of a thorough
investigation of the subject.

The sight of his own tenderly cared for little ones, whose
health and happiness he watched over with almost too
much anxiety, made him realise what the sufferings of these
neglected infants must be ; as he himself said that he never
could have done if he had not had children of his own ;

*ST. 46. VISIT TO BULVERHYTHE. 449

and he had their cause warmly at heart, but the very
thoroughness of his statistical inquiries entailed an amount
of labour which deferred the actual writing of the paper, so
that it was unable to be made use of at the meeting of the
Social Science Association.

Until this visit Mr. Jevons had always been particularly
fond of Galley Hill, the perfect quiet of the place giving
him that feeling of rest which he so much needed. But day
after day the wind blew direct from the sea, and this did not
suit his health. In little more than a week after the last
letter was written he returned home with his wife, partly to
see his doctor, and also to make arrangements for a tour in
Switzerland which they contemplated taking together as
soon as the children's sta> by the sea was over. At the end
of a week he felt better again, and home was so dull to him,
and so unlike itself without his children, that he preferred to
return to them. But after a few days the sea air seemed
to have the same bad effect upon him ; he looked far from
well, and said that he was not equal to work, an admission
which he seldom made.

In preceding summers Mr. Jevons had bathed frequently
whilst staying at Galley Hill ; he was a good swimmer, but
he was always cautious about venturing out of his depth.
This year he had refrained from bathing on account of his
health, but he was so fond of it that this was a great depriva-
tion to him. On the morning of the I2th August, two
or three days before the time fixed for their return home, he
said to his wife, when they were on the shore, that he thought
he might have one bathe before he left Not thinking him
well enough she dissuaded him, especially as the temperature
of the water seemed unusually cold for summer, and he did
not speak of it again. That afternoon he had a walk with his
wife and two elder children along the shore towards Bexhill,
returning by the fields, where he gathered bunches of honey-
suckle to please his little girl. In the evening, in answer
to his boy's questions, he talked to him for some time about
the stars, explaining to him some of those wonders of
the heavens that are within a child's comprehension. The
next morning, which was Sunday the 1 3th, he joined his
wife and children on the shore for some little time after

2 G

450 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^T. 46.

breakfast, and then returned to the house alone, not speak-
ing of what he intended to do. Galley Hill is a cliff which
stands out between two stretches of shore, and after being
in the house a short time he went down to the beach on
the side towards Bexhill, his family being on the opposite
side of the cliff. A man at a neighbouring cottage saw him
going down the cliff with a towel in his hand, and nothing
more was known until some little boys saw him floating
apparently lifeless on the water, and raised an alarm. A
young man bravely tried to reach him but failed, being
unable to swim, and a boat had to be procured. There
seems no doubt that the shock of the cold water was too
severe for his enfeebled health, and that it produced such an
effect upon the weak action of his heart as to cause syncope
and render him, after the first plunge, quite unconscious and
powerless to help himself.

Of his loss to science and the world at large it is not
for his wife to speak ; of his loss to herself and to his children
she cannot speak.

"Jevons," writes the Rev. Robert Harley, 1 "was a man
as remarkable for modesty of character and generous appre-
ciation of the labours of others as for unwearied industry,
devotion to work of the highest and purest kind, and
thorough independence and originality of thought. The
bequest which he has left to the world is not represented
solely by the results of his intellectual toil, widely as these
are appreciated, not only in England but also in America
and on the Continent of Europe. A pure and lofty charac-
ter is more precious than any achievements in the field of
knowledge ; and though its influences are not so easy to
trace, it is often more powerful in the inspiration which it
breathes than the literary or scientific productions of the
man."

" That Professor Jevons will be missed," writes the editor
of the Spectator " as one of the profoundest thinkers of our
time on the philosophy of science, no one who knows any-
thing of his writings will doubt. Yet he had other qualities,

1 Obituary notice in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.

*-T. 46. UNFINISHED WRITINGS. 451

not always found in men of science, which make his character
as unique as his intellect. At once shy and genial, and full
of the appreciation of the humour of human life, eager as he
was in his solitary studies, he enjoyed nothing so much as
to find himself thawing in the lively companionship of
intimate friends. Something of a recluse in temperament,
his generous and tender nature rebelled against the seclusion
into which his studies and his not unfrequent dyspepsia drove
him. His hearty laugh was something unique in itself, and
made every one the happier who heard it. His humble
estimate of himself and his doubts of his power of inspiring
affection, or even strong friendship were singularly remark-
able, when contrasted with the great courage which he had
of his opinions ; nevertheless, his dependence on human
ties for his happiness was as complete as the love he felt for
his chosen friends was strong and faithful. Moreover, there
was a deep religious feeling at the bottom of his nature,
which made the materialistic tone of the day as alien to him
as all true science, whether on material, or on intellectual, or
on spiritual themes, was unaffectedly dear to him."

The published writings of Mr. Jcvons, large as the num-
ber is compared with the number of years in which they
were written, represent only a part of his work. He had
intended to publish a student's edition of Adam Smith's
Wealth of Nations, omitting some portions of the book,
but giving explanatory notes, and commencing with a long
introduction on the history of Political Economy, for which
he had collected notes. He had also notes prepared for at
least three other books, which were only laid aside until
his large treatise on Political Economy should be completed.
One was the Examination of Mill's Philosophy, previously
mentioned ; another was to be a further development of his
theory of the influence of the sun-spots on commercial
crises ; and the third he proposed to name the Tenth Bridge-
water Treatise. As those acquainted with the Ninth Bridge-
water Treatise of Charles Babbage would naturally suppose,
he intended to show in this work the perfect compatibility
of the teachings of modern science with religion. No one
ever $U3uuaJt out this question more thoroughly for himself.

In the Tenth Bridgeivatcr Treatise he would have fol-

452 W. STANLEY JEVONS. AST. 46-

lowed out the lines of thought indicated at the close of the
Principles of Science. The materials are in too unfinished a
state to make publication possible ; but a few brief notes
are given here as the best means of showing the religious
opinions of his mature life.

"The very wish for immortality, the very protest
which the mind makes against its own extinction, gives a
presumption that all accounts are not here closed. Whence
come these feelings of hope, of confidence in deepest
despair, if they are not God-inspired ? All else in nature is
fairly and reasonably adapted to its end, and must be so
adapted, and are the highest products of the course of time
mere deceptions ?"

"There has been mooted this serious question, Is not
any prayer, is not any petition, tendered by the soul to its
Creator, vain and useless when the course of events is
irrevocably bound by causes and effects ? Can any reason-
able man ask that a mountain shall come to him ? and is it
not equally absurd that in a drought we should meet to pray
for rain, and in times of over-abundant rain should pray for
sunshine ? A single ounce of air or water cannot be diverted
from its appointed course without breaking through the
framework of nature. The universe might be destroyed and
recreated as easily as a leaf be made to fall otherwise than
as predetermined causes make it. 1 must confess for my
own part that to ask the Creator distinctly for any concrete
object or service is not only vain and useless, but it is more
it borders on impiety. It implies an impeachment of His
goodness and His wisdom. It is as much as to say that
God has ordered things in one way and we think they should
be otherwise. But are there no other petitions which we can
make? Cannot we ask that God, instead of bending His
course to ours, will bend our course to His ?"

"A prayer should be no petition at all. It should
express but the resolution of the mind to carry out "

" It is the effusion of feelings which come we know not
how, but which as they are, are not less certain than the
blazing of a meteor."

"The human mind is the inexplicable spring of new
thoughts, desires, hopes, and fixed determinations in which

/ET. 46. HIS RELIGIOUS OPINIONS. 453

the Creator works his latest Will. Why do we ever err?
Why are not all as good as the best nay, a hundredfold
better ? Who can avoid asking such questions in his heart ?
What theory, what doctrine, can give a sound and final
answer ? I do not believe that in our present state these
questions can be answered. But is it necessary ? Does the
private soldier enter into all the designs of his leader ? Does
the dog know his master's thoughts and comprehend that
he is rightly checked?"

"There have been writers who, however industrious,
were shallow, for they thought that science could account
for the course of history. They utterly failed to see that a
nation as a whole is the most complicated of phenomena,
because not only is each individual different from each other,
but any one may act upon the whole in a manner wholly
incalculable. Genius or ingenium means inborn powers, of
which no one can give a further account. Every symphony
of Beethoven was literally a new creation. It was not a
mere discovery. It was not the mere discovery of that
which was in nature before, and only needed examination.
It was a product of man's thoughts and feelings without
parallel in anything previously existing, and which, therefore,
could not have been predicted by any science."

"The doctrine that we have descended from apes or
higher mammals is only at first sight repulsive. On further
reflection, docs it not offer boundless hopes of future pro-
gress ? Among the lower animals, indeed, is the bounded
variety that sameness that is truly hopeless. But man may
possess genius. We know not whence it comes, but from
the mysterious working of the Primary Cause. Nevertheless,
there may arise among the tender nervous cords the thoughts
which have not existed before. Where do we find an ante-
cedent for the grand yet tender feelings of the Homeric
poems, the mysterious insight of a Pythagoras, a Socrates,
or a Plato, the science weaving powers of Archimedes, of
Galileo, or of Newton, the high thoughts and beauty of a
Raphael, and last, though far from least, the inspired melo-
dies of Beethoven ? Surely these are new revelations of
existence. It is all very well for poets to speak of history
as repeating itself. But it is only a parody of science to

454 W. STANLEY JEVONS. ^ET. 46.

attempt by a few rude generalisations to trace out regular
laws for the development of so complicated an existence as
a nation. Buckle referred the character of a nation to the
climate and the soil of its abode. Comte held that nations
advance through three distinct phases of intellectual con-
ditions, and was enabled to predict that in the hierarchy of
European nations, Spain would necessarily hold the highest
place."

"Truly it becomes impossible any longer to suppose
that the human race, which we only know, and still more
any special fraction of the human race, are the sole care of
Heaven. Those who know the limitless magnitude of the
universe, as displayed to us in the heavens, cannot believe
that all sentient life is restricted to this planet. Among the
stars and nebulae are extreme differences of constitution and
condition, yet the general composition of the matter is
similar to that which we can touch and handle on the earth.
Elsewhere there exist the very same elements carbon,
oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen of which our bodies are com-
posed. Among countless millions of worlds, where the ele-
ments of life exist, is it to be believed that nowhere but on
this earth has life itself been created ? It may be so, but in
the total absence of evidence to that effect the probabilities
tend vastly towards the other conclusion. Assuming that
beyond doubt we arc the creatures of a tender Providence, it
would be a narrow and a selfish feeling that would prompt
us to desire that there were not others who should share that
care. While there may be lower creatures like those remote
ancestors from whom we have doubtless descended, what
forbids us also to believe that elsewhere life may have pro-
gressed, and individuals may have attained to an intellectual
and moral perfection of which we can now form but a dim
and solemn notion ?"

"For my own part, I believe in more revelation than
any narrow Christian doctrinaire?

" My veneration for Jesus is wholly founded on the
heartfelt beauty of His teachings, and the manifest work-
ings of a Divine Spirit in His life and works. The miracles
I would believe if they were attested by evidence worthy of
the attention of the scientific mind."

JET. 46. HIS RELIGIOUS OPINIONS. 455

" Jesus had no need of signs but the deep sign of His
own pure nature."

" So far should I be from denying the inspiration of a
human mind that I should deny its exclusive occurrence in
any age or country. Are not all high thoughts, all pure
desires, the gift of God ? Are not all hearts moved in morr
or less degree towards the good they would not otherwise
have conceived?"

" I do believe that there spring forth from the human
mind and heart the feelings which science will never
analyse hope and trust and self-devotion."

APPENDIX A.

Letter from ff. /^. Grenfell, Esq.

Wi May 1882.

IN reply to your most kind letter of yesterday, I beg to say that I
quite concur with you in saying that it is necessary to draw a clear
distinction between the speculative and practical aspects of the Silver
Question. The worst of all these questions is that those capable of
reducing them to theoretical expressions are very often incapable of
understanding what happens in business.

I served a sort of apprenticeship to Lord Halifax, as far as the
parliamentary and political view of currency was concerned, but I
always found it most difficult to explain what really happens in busi-
ness to him. On the other hand, it is equally impossible for those
whose whole minds are occupied with the daily search after a profit,
which commerce is, to clear away irrelevant matter from a discussion
which ought to be as clearly defined in its terms as a problem in
Euclid.

Before you finish your labours now on hand, would it assist
you to know what is really going on ? I should like very much to
impart to you what I know on this point, unless you are already in
communication with those better informed than myself.

In order to get to practical work it seems necessary to avoid
trailing hares across the paths of those seriously desirous of a solu-
tion. You will forgive me for saying that the proposition for the
issue of one pound notes partakes of the nature of a hare.

Palgrave's proposition to discuss "liank Money" is of the same
nature. Likewise his assertion that it is a banking rather than a
currency question. There seem to me to be three practical solu-
tions :

458 W. STANLEY JEVONS.

1. To leave it alone.

2. To make gold the universal standard, leaving silver to be used
as an inferior currency at the value settled in each country, and
internationally at the price of the day.

3. To resort to bimetallism that is, not necessarily for England
to join in an agreement, but by offering such terms as would induce
those interested to make an agreement.

No. 2 does not appear to me to differ in any essential point
from No. i.

Can you enlighten me as to whether it does, and if it does, to
what extent ? I ask you this because practically No. 2 is what is
proposed by Lord Grey, C. Daniell, and numbers of " haute finance "
people in many countries, whose opinions are of great importance,
but who have not taken part in the written discussions.

To 77. R. Grcnfctt, Esq.

HAMPSTEAD, I2/// May 1882.

In answer to your very interesting letter, I may say that it would
be a somewhat intricate matter to define exactly how your second
proposition, pointing to a universal gold standard, differs from the
first that is, the present state of things. Practically there is so
large in fact, by far the largest part of the population of the world,
who only use silver, and are too poor to use much if any gold, that
I do not think a gold standard could be introduced in the next ten
or fifteen years much beyond the present limits. I do not think
that it is practicable or at present desirable to introduce a gold
standard into India, so that I should be perfectly satisfied about
making any concession in that respect for the next ten, fifteen, or
even twenty years, but that seems to me to be all we have to offer if
a one pound note currency be out of the question.

It comes to this, then, that as we have really nothing to give but
what we should give without a conference, I do not see that we have
any place there. We cannot prevent the other nations coining what
money they like, and our currency is too well established to admit
of alteration. In a short time I should like very much to know
what is going on, and perhaps I may hope to have the pleasure a
few weeks hence of calling on you at the bank, at some time con-
venient to yourself.

APPENDIX B.

MR. JEVONS' WRITINGS.

1856.

24th August. Weekly meteorological reports begun in the
Empire newspaper, Sydney. Continued without intermission up to
the end of June 1858.

1857.

7th April. " Comparison of the Land and Railway Policy of
New South Wales." Empire.

24th April. "Meteorology of Australia." Empire.

23d June. " The Public Lands of New South Wales." Empire.
Reprinted in the Summary for England.

June. Monthly meteorological reports begun in the Sydney
Magazine of Science and Art. Continued till the end of June
1858.

July. "On the Cirrus Form of Cloud, with Remarks on other
Forms of Cloud." In the London and Edinburgh Philosophical
Magazine, having been communicated by Professor Graham.

August. " On a Sun-gauge, or New Actinometer," with illustra-
tions. Sydney Magazine. Communicated by H. E. Roscoe to the
London Philosophical Magazine.

1858.
January. " On the Forms of Clouds." Sydney Magazine.

460 W. STANLEY JEVONS.

April. "On the Forms of Clouds." An Abbreviation in the
London Philosophical Magazine, 4th series, vol. xv. p. 241.

October. "Remarks on the Geological Origin of Australia;"
and also "Earthquakes in New South Wales." Sydney Magazine.
" Some Data concerning the Climate of Australia and New Zealand,"
six chapters, fifty-two pages, i2mo. Published in WaugKs Aus-
tralian Almanack for 1859.

1859.

March. "Meteorological Observations in Australia." Sydney
Magazine. "On the Semidiurnal Variation of the Barometer."
London Philosophical Magazine.

November. "Remarks on the Australian Gold Fields." Read
by H. E. Roscoe before the Manchester Philosophical Society,
1 5th November 1859, and printed in the first volume of the third
series of their Memoirs, with illustrations.

1861.
July. Light and Sunlight." Article in the National Review.

September. Series of seven articles m the Manchester Examiner
relating to the Meetings of the British Association.

"On the Deficiency of Rain in an Elevated Rain-gauge as
caused by Wind." Read by Professor R. Clifton before the Mathe-
matical and Physical Section of the British Association, and printed
in Philosophical Magazine for December.

Written January to August, and published in the course of the
work, the following articles in the Chemical Dictionary, edited by
H. Watts: "Balance," "Barometer," "Cloud," "Gold Assay,"
" Hydrometer," " Hygrometer," " Thermometer," " Volumenometer."

1862.
April. Article on the " Spectrum." London Quarterly Review.

j une . Diagram showing all the weekly accounts of the Bank of
England since 1844, with the circulation and the bank minimum
rate of discount. Diagram showing the price of the English funds,
the price of wheat, the number of bankruptcies, and the rate of dis-
count monthly since 1731.

APPENDICES. 461

July. Notice of Kirchhoff's Researches on the Spectrum.
Philosophical Magazine.

September. Read before the F Section of the British Associ-
ation at Cambridge: (i) "Notice of a General Mathematical
Theory of Political Economy ;" (2) " On the Study of Periodic Com-
mercial Fluctuations, with five Diagrams."

1863.

1 6th April. A Serious Fall in the Value of Gold ascertained,
and its Social effects set forth^ with two Diagrams.

1 8th December. Pure Logic, or the Logic of Quality apart
from Quantity, with Remarks on Boole's System and on the Relation
of Logic and Mathematics.

1864.

March. Notice of Kirchhoff's second Memoir and Map of the
Spectrum. Philosophical Magazine.

1 2th March. " Statistics of Shakespearean Literature." Athe-
tueum, No. 1898.

1865.
April. The Coal Question.

1 6th May. " On the Variation of Prices and the Value of the
Currency since 1782."; -Journal of tJie Statistical Society of London,
June 1865.

2d October. Introductory Address on " Reading and Study "
at the opening of session at Queen's College, Liverpool.

1866.

3d April. " On a Logical Abacus." Literary and Philosophical
Society, Manchester.

ist June. "Mr. Gladstone's Financial Policy." Macmillaris
Magazine.

ist July. "On the Frequent Autumnal Pressure in the Money
Market, and the Action of the Bank of England." -Journal of
Statistical Society. " Brief Account of a General Mathematical
Theory of Political Economy." Journal of Statistical Society.

462 W. STANLEY JEVONS.

1 2th October. Introductory Lecture at the opening of session
of evening classes at Owens College, "On the Importance of
Diffusing a Knowledge of Political Economy."

The Coal Question, 2d edition.

1867.

1 6th January. Science Lectures for the People, No. IX., "On
Coal its Importance in Manufactures and Trade."

loth April. "On the Analogy between the Post Office, Tele-
graphs, and other Systems of Conveyance of the United Kingdom
as regards Government Control." Manchester Statistical Society.

" Probable Duration of South Staffordshire Coal Field." Geo-
logical Magazine. Being the substance of a lecture delivered at the
Midland Institute, Birmingham, on the 2yth March.

1868.

1 3th March. Lecture on the "Probable Exhaustion of our
Coal Mines." Royal Institution of Great Britain.

3ist March. Lecture on "Trades Societies; their Objects
and Policy." Delivered by request of the Trades Unionists' Political
Association in the Co-operative Hall, Hulme, Manchester.

24th April. Evidence before the Royal Commission on Inter-
national Coinage.

1 3th May. "On the International Monetary Convention," etc.
Manchester Statistical Society.

i;th November. "On the Condition of the Metallic Currency
of the United Kingdom," etc. London Statistical Society.

1869.

February and March. Lectures on Political Economy at Hyde.
Reported in the North Cheshire Herald.

1 3th March. Report to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on
the Pressure of Taxation.

8th May. Letter "On the Value of Gold" in the Economist.
Reprinted in the Journal of the Statistical Society, 1869.

APPENDICES. 463

June. TJie Substitution of Similar s> The True Principle of
Reasoning, Derived from a Modification of Aristotle's Dictum.

Letters in the Times " On the Condition of the Metallic Currency
of the United Kingdom," dated 27th August and 7th September.

October. Inaugural Address to the Manchester Statistical
Society, " On the Work of the Society in connection with the
Questions of the Day."

1870.

January. " On the Principle of the Conservation of Customs."
Owens College Magazine.

2oth January. Paper "On the Mechanical Performance of
Logical Inference," read before the Royal Society.

25th January. "On the so-called Molecular Movements of
Microscopic Particles." Manchester Literary and Philosophical
Society.

" On a General System of Numerically Definite Reasoning."
Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society.

April. " On Industrial Partnerships." Lecture delivered under
the auspices of the National Association for the Promotion of Social
Science.

3oth June. " On the Natural Laws of Muscular Exertion.' 1
Nature.

i8th August " On the Natural Laws of Muscular Exertion."
Nature.

1 5th September. Opening Address as President of Section F
of the British Association.

ist October. Elementary Lessons in Logic.

8th December. Memorial to the Home Secretary as to " Uni-
formity in Census of 1871."

1871.

9th February. " The Power of Numerical Discrimination."
Nature.

"Report and Minutes of Evidence Royal Commission to Ir-
quire into Several Matters Relating to Coal in the United ?":rgJom."

464 W. STANLEY JEVONS.

June." The Match Tax, a Problem in Finance."

October. The Theory of Political Economy. [Translated into
Italian.]

1872.

" On the Inverse or Inductive Logical Problem." Literary and
Philosophical Society, Manchester.

1873-

May. " Who discovered the Quantification of the Predicate ? "
Contemporary Review.

"The Use of Hypothesis," Extract from Principles of Science.
Fortnightly Review.

r4th August." Lakes with two Outfalls." Nature.

" The Philosophy of Inductive Inference," Extract from Prin-
ciples of Science. Fortnightly Review.

1874.

2d February. The Principles of Science, A Treatise on I^ogic
and Scientific Method.

1 4th May." Lakes with Two Outfalls." Letter to Nature.

4th July. " Mill's Logic and The Principles of Scietice."Hull
Criterion.

April. " The Railways and the State." Essays and Addresses
by Professors and Lecturers, Owens College.

nth November. "The Progress of the Mathematical Theory
of Political Economy." Manchester Statistical Society.

"Theorie Mathematique de 1'Echange. Question de prioritd.
Correspondance entre M. Jevons, Professeur & Manchester fc M.
Walras, Professeur a Lausanne." Journal des Economistes, t. xxxiv.

August. "The Solar Period and the Price of Corn," and "The
progress of the Coal Question." Papers read at the Meeting of
the British Association, Section F.

1 6th September. Money and the Mechanism of Exchange.
[Translated into French, German, and Italian.]

APPENDICES. 465

7th October." Comte's Philosophy. "Nature.

December." The Post Office Telegraphs and their Financial
Results." Fortnightly Review.

1876.

8th March. " On the United Kingdom Alliance, and its pros-
pects of success." Manchester Statistical Society.

1 4th April "The Future of the Skating Rink; a Serious
speculation by a Philosophic Correspondent." Manchester Guardian.

May. " Cruelty to Animals, a Study in Sociology." Fortnightly
Review.

Article on "Boole." Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. iv.

June. Primer rf Logic. [Translated into Italian and Hindu-
stance, and now being translated into Polish.]

November. " The Future of Political Economy." Fortnightly
Review.

1877.

April." Cram." Mind.

December. " The Silver Question." Banker's Magazine.

December. "John Stuart Mill's Philosophy tested." Contem-
porary Review.

Principles of Science, Second Edition.

1878.

April. " On the Movement of Microscopic Particles suspended
in Liquid.'* Quarterly Journal of Science.

March. Primer of Political Economy. [Translated into French
and Italian.]

April. " John Stuart Mill's Philosophy tested.' 1 Contemporary
Review.

August. " Note on the Pedetic Action of Soap." Section A,
British Association.

August. " The Periodicity of Commercial Crises and its Phy-
sical Explanation." Read at the Meeting of the British Association,
Section F.

October. "Amusements of the People." Contemporary Re-
view.

2 H

466 W. STANLEY JEVONS.

1 4th November. " Commercial Crises and Sunspots," Part I.
Nature.

1 9th November. " Remarks on the Statistical Use of the Arith-
mometer." Statistical Society.

1879.
January. " A State Parcel Post." Contemporary Review.

i ;th January. " Commercial Crises and Sunspots." Letter to
Times.

1 3th February. "Sunspots and the Plague." Note in Nature.

1 9th April. " Sunspots and the Plague." Note in Nature.

24th April. " Commercial Crises and Sunspots," Part II.
Nature.

The Theory of Political Economy, Second Edition, with new
Preface.

November. "John Stuart Mill's Philosophy tested." Contem-
porary Reiriew.

4th December. " Sewage Pollution of the Thames." Letter
to the Times.

1880.

February. "Experimental Legislation and the Drink Traffic."
Contemporary Review.

July. " Postal Notes, Money Orders, and Bank Cheques."
Contemporary Review.

October. Studies in Deductive Logic.

October. Preface to the translation of Cossa's Guide to Political
Economy.

1881.

January. " Richard Cantillon and the Nationality of Political
Economy." Contemporary JRetnew.

March. "The Rationale of Free Public Libraries." Contem-
porary Review.

May. " Bimetallism." Contemporary Review.
1 4th July. "Symbolic Logic." Nature.

1882.

January. " Married Women in Factories." Contemporary
Review.

APPENDICES. 467

June. The State in Relation to Labour.

July. " List of Selected Books in Political Economy." Monthly
Notes of Library Association.

6th July. " The Solar Commercial Cycle/' Nature.
August. " Reflected Rainbows." Field Naturalist.

1883.

Methods oj Social Rejorrn^ and other papers. Collected from
the Contemporary Review and elsewhere ; edited by his wife.

1884.

Investigations in Currency and Finance. Edited by Prof. H.
S. Foxwell.

INDEX.

ABACUS, logical, 205, 220, 221, 226,

35*

Amusements of the People, article on,

389, 391, 400

Analysis of Human Knowledge, 161
Ancient raised sea cliffs, 83
Architecture, 187, 236, 240, 293, 294,

297, 340, 374, 386, 415, 417, 438
Aries, 293
Assaying, 38, 39, 47, 49, 5, 53, 54,

69, !93

Atheiicvum Club, 396, 440
Atlas, Statistical, 157
D'Aulms de Bomouill, M., 325, 377;

letters to, 309, 320, 325, 329, 379
Avignon, 292

BARKER, Professoi, 327, 353, 355,

35, 359
Beethoven's music, 100, 102, 308,

424

Bergen, 259, 288, 358, 4H, 432
Berlioz's music, 423, 424, 425, 426
Bimetallism, 429, 441, 443, 457, 458
Boccardo, Piofessor, 329
Bodio, Luigi M., letters to, 323, 345,

445
Boole's lugic, 182, 183, 190, 191,

349, 351
Botany, 5, II, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22,

28, 36, 46, 53, 73, 77, 443
Brewer, Mi. W. H., letters to, 273,

274, 283, 383, 384
British Association, 169, 175,251, 254,

239, 387, 388

Broadfield, Mr. E. J., letteis to, 272,
297, 333, 342, 363, 384, 393, 4*o

CAIRNES, Professor, 186, 191, 309,
310, 323, 325, 327, 330. 331, 408
Cambndge, visit to, 328

Cantillon, Philip, 421, 422, 425
Cathedrals, visits to, 240; Touinai,

236 ; Pisa, 296 ; St. Peter's, 298 ,

Winchester, 373 ; Aix-la-Chapelle,

386 ; Cologne, 386 ; Salisbury, 397 :

Amiens, 435 ; Ely, 438
Celtic Literatuie, essay on, 165
Census of 1871, 252
Chemistry, 14, 15, 16, 17, 1 8, 21, 24,

28, 30, 35, 36, 53
Chernuschi, 429
Christiania, 267

Claikc, Mr. Hyde, letter to, 253
Cleverness, thoughts on, 90, 181
Clifford, Piofessor, letter to, 348
Coal Question, 203, 204, 220, 223, 228,

230, 271, 376, 429, 430
Commercial cases and the sun-spot

period, 339, 341, 364, 368, 377,

378, 379, 38o, 381, 382, 387, 388,

392, 394, 396, 398
Commercial cnsesof i8th century, 377,

378, 379, 38o, 381, 382
Comparison of races, 253
Contentment, letter on, 89
Copenhagen, 369
Copynght, international, 406
Cournot, 273, 275, 408, 409
Crookes, Mr. William, letter to, 440
Crystallography, 21, 24, 28, 53

DARWIN, Mr. George H., letters to,

301, 324, 327, 330, 367
De Morgan, Professor, 22, 23, 26, 88,

148, 149, 150, 155, 183, 190, 195,

226, 348, 409
Denmark, 369
Diagrams, statistical, 161, 165, 1 66,

173, 339, 388, 428
Dun bar, wreck of, 91
Dupuit, 366, 382, 384, 409

II 2

470

INDEX.

Economics, Principles of, 408, 428, 431,

437, 442

Edgeworth, Mr. F. Y., letter to, 409
Edinburgh, 229, 352
Edmonds, Mr., letter to, 206
Endowment of research, 440
Experience of life, thoughts on, 69

FAWCETT, Professor, 191
Fortpertius, M. de, 366
Foville, A. M. de, letter to, 394
Foxwell, Mr. H. S., letters to, 331,
334, 342, 344, 347, 3^8, 408, 414,
421, 422, 428, 436, 438, 439

GEOLOGY, 38, 48, 53

Glaciers, Giindelwald, 210, 21 1 ; at

Odde, 265; Justedal, 286; Sulphel-

len Brae, 313
Gladstone, Mr. \V. E., 218, 219, 220,

222, 224, 226, 293, 298, 304, 375,

426
Gold Currency, pamphlet on, 243, 245,

248

Gold Medals, 14, 164, 182
Gold, Serious Fall in Value of, 181, 185,

186, 191, 192, 194, 195
Gore, Mr Geoige, letter to, 440
Gossen, 387, 389, 390, 409, 431
Gothenbuig, 267
Grenfell, Mr. W. R., lettci to, 443

HANDEL'S music, 101, 126, 438
Harley, Rev. Robert, lettei to, 420,

450

I la van na, 140, 141
Herschel, Sir John, 215, 216
History of Volunteer System, 172
Hodgson, Dr., 7, 352, 416, 417
Hunt, Mr., of the Sydney Mint, 91,

1 06, 109
Hutton, Mr. John, 162 ; letter to, 442

Investigations in Currency and Finance ',

438, 441, 443
Ireland, 271, 338, 345, 399, 436, 441,

442, 444

JLNKIN, Mr. Fleeming, 275

Jevons, Mr. Thomas (father), 2, 3, 7,

II, 12, 38, 39, 57; letters to, 9, 10,

40, 47, 48, 52, 55
Jevons, Mrs. Thomas (mother), 3, 5, 6 ;

letter to, 6
Jevons, \Villiam Stanley, biith, I ;

childhood, 4 ; death of his mother,

6 ; early education, 7 ; success at

school, II ; reflections on his boy-
hood, 12; student at University
College, London, 14 ; receives gold
medal for chemistry at college, 14;
begins to keep a journal, 1 5 ; walks
in London, 24, 25, 26, 32, 33 ;
enters chemical laboratory, 35 ; offer
of assayeiship at Sydney Mint, 37 ;
studies assaying in Professor Graham's
laboiatory, 38 ; at the French Mint,
39 ; departme for Austialia, 39 ;
voyage, 40 ; ai rival at Sydney, 45 ;
ananges his laboratory, 48 ; studies
meteorology, 54, 76, 94, 104, 112 ;
death of his father, 57 ; letter to his
brother at school, 63 ; religious
opinions, 65, 77, 88, 385, 452;
thoughts on experience of life, 67 ;
excursions from Sydney, 71, 106 ;
first study of political economy, 89,
101 ; examination 111, 154; decides
to leave the Mint, 105 ; visits the
gold diggings, 1 20, 123, 127; over-
land journey to Melbouine, 121 ;
voyage to Callao, 131; lands in
the United States, 141 ; visits
Ins brothel in Minnesota, 145 ;
returns to England, 146 ; re-enteis
as student at Univeisity College,
148; skating, 149, 156, 395; be-
comes a volunteer, 150; volunteei-
iug, 1 59> I ^3, 172 ; first sketch of
Theory of Political Economy -, 151 ;
takes B.A. degree, 154; gams the
Ricaido scholaiship, 154 ; begins to
make a Stah stual Atla s, 157 ; takes
M.A. degree, 165, 183 ; publishes
diagiams, 165; Notice of a General
Mathematical Theory of Political
Economy, 169 ; offer of tutorship
at Owens College, 1 80; Set tons
Fall iu the Value of Gold, 179 ; /'i/;r
Logu, 191 ; icnioval to Manchester,
193 ; The Coal Question, 203 ; logical
abacus, 220 ; appointed professor at
Owens College, 226 ; mairiage,
238 ; logical machine, 241 ; exani-
inei in political economy, University
of London, 241 ; papci on the Con-
dition of the Metallic Currency, 245 ;
report on the pressure of taxation,

246 ; The Substitution of Similars,

247 ; paper on the Mechanical Per-
formance of Logical Inference at
Royal Society, 250 ; president of
section F. British Association, 251 ;
The Theory of Political Economy,

INDEX.

471

253 ; elected Fellow of Royal Society,
257 ; visits Norway, 258 ; revisits
Norway, 278 ; letter on his classes
at Owens College, 283 ; Principles
of Science, 290 ; tour in the south of
France and Italy, 292 ; retui n to
Noiway, 311 ; examiner for Moral
Science Tripos, Cambridge, 328 ; re-
signation of professorship at Owens
College, 333 ; tour in Ireland, 337 ;
British Association, 339 ; appointed
professor of Univeisity College, 343 ;
leceives degree of LL.I). at Edin-
burgh, 352 ; tour in Norway, 353 ;
removal to London, 363 ; examiner
in logic, University of London, 363 ;
Commeicial Crises and Sun-Spots,
364 ; toui in Denmark and Sweden,
369 ; Primer of Political Etonomy,
382 ; tour on the Rhine, 386 , elec-
tion to Athenruum Club, 396 ; toui
in Norway, 400; Studies in Deduc-
tive Logit, 407 ; Noiway, 412 ; re-
signation of professorship at Univei -
sity College, 419 ; enjoyment of
music, 423, 420 ; last visit to Nor-
way, 431 ; visit to Pans, 435 ;
opinions on Irish affairs, 437 ; The
Mate m Relation to Labour, 444 ;
the lush Question, 444 ; admiration
of Wagnei's music, 446 ; Employ-
ment of Mained Women in Fac-
tories, 448; his death, 450; religious
opinions, 452

Jevons, Mis. W. Stanley, lettcis to,
272, 335. 336, 337, 33$, 339, 34O,
341, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 358,
359. 369, 370, 37', 372, 373, 374,
390, 397. 398, 400, 404, 412, 413,

431,438

Jevons, Herbert Stanley (son), birth,
343 ; letter to, 405

Je\ons, Harriet Wmefrid (daughter),
bnth, 373

Jcnonb, Lucy Cecilia (daughtei), buth,
411

Jevons, Miss (Mrs. John llutton),
162; letters to, 15, 45, 50, 58, 66,
67, 71, 84, 87, 90, 94, 97, 103,
104, 106, no, 119, 121, 130, 143,
145. U6, 179, 182, 185, 195, 190,

200, 201, 202, 205, 207, 208, 213,
222, 223, 225, 228, 229, 235, 242,
2 4 8, 249, 256, 258, 261, 263, 267,
274, 275, 278, 280, 285, 288, 289,
292, 294, 295, 298, 306, 311, 312,

3i5> 3^9, 324, 328, 332, 343, 36i,

3<M> 365, 396, 399. 402, 427,
433

Jevons, Mr. Herbert, 113, 300; letters
to, 54, 69, 76, 141, 149, 151, 152,
157, 164, 166, 168, 177, 179, 183,
186, 187, 188, 189, 191, 195, 197,

201, 204, 212, 220, 224, 229, 231,
233. 236, 237, 240, 241, 2 4 2, 245.
2 4 8, 277

Jevons, Miss Henrietta, letters to, 51,

61, 65, 70, 81, 88, 94, 99, 102,

113, 134, 210, 227, 234, 242

Jevons, Mr. Thomas E., letters to, 63,

89, 159, 162, 172, 190, 249, 299,

304, 306, 308, 375, 387, 391, 392,

396, 400, 415, 421, 423, 424, 425,

430, 434, 435, 437, 44, 442, 446

Jevons, Mr. William (grandfather), i,

2, 8, 15

Jevons, Mr. William (uncle), 2, 4, 170
Jevons, Mr. Aithur, 397, 400, 433
Jevons, Mr. W. E., 34, 386, 430, 432
Journal, n, 12, 15-40, 48, 53, 57,
75, 77, 160, 170, 171, 174, 181,
198, 213, 217, 218, 219, 222, 225,
226, 230, 233, 238

LABOUR, cheap, 270

Lakes with T\\ o Outfalls, 280

Libraries Cheetham, 180, 187 ; in

Italy, 296, 299; British Museum,

156, 172, 177,178, 186, 247
Libiary Association, 390, 407
Library, his own, 428
Lima, 133, 136
Logic, n, 160, 171, 189, 190, 195,

212, 219, 231, 234, 409
Logic, Elementary lessons t t 250,

251, 323, 418

7,<>V, Primer of, 352, 353, 360, 364
Logic, Pure, 191, 195, 349, 351
Logic, Sttidies in Deduct wc^ 407, 415,

418, 420,421, 423
Logical abacus, 205, 220, 221, 226,

351
logical machine, 213, 236, 238, 241,

247, 351
Logical system, his, 161, 182, 183,

186, 219, 231, 238, 247, 249

MALTHUS, 344

Marriage, his, 239

Mai shall, Alfred, Professor, 331, 408,

409

McitJi tax, 252
Mathematics, 25, 29, 32, 36, 48, 89,

148, 155

472

INDEX.

Melbourne, 125, 126, 129

Mendelssohn, 101, 102

Metaphysics, 152, 155

Meteorology, 48, 50, 54, 55, 70, 73,
76, 89, 94, 104, 112

Microscopic Particles, Molecular Move-
ments of, 250, 384

Mill, Mr. J. S., 224, 245, 292, 321,
322, 329, 331, 332, 342, 344, 349,

366, 374, 384, 385, 391, 409
Miller, Mr. F. B., 47, 48, 49, 59,

no; letter to, 139, 144, 185
Mills, Mr. John, letters to, 364, 368,

378, 380, 381, 388, 395, 416
Mint at Paris, 39
Mint at Sydney, 37, 38, 47, 49, 51,

53, 54, 69, 74, 84, 91
Money and the Median hm of JRx-

change, 304, 341, 342, 347
Money Market, paper on Frequent

Autumnal Pressure of, 22$
Mozart, 78, 101, 102
Music, 5, 34, 50, 55, 99, 100, 101,

102, 125, 143, 200, 209, 246, 354,

368, 369, 397, 423, 424, 425, 426,

427, 446

NEBULAR hypothesis, 367
Newmaith, Mr., 162, 185, 335
Nismes, 293

Norway, 258, 278, 311, 353, 400, 412,
431

O'CoNNELL, Mr. Maurice, 55, 83,
120

Oigan, his giandfather's, 8 ; lessons,
200 ; at Lucerne, 209 ; his own,
252, 3^5 J at Ludlow church, 272 ;
at Westmmstei , 185, 336; at Salis-
bury, 397 ; at Ely, 439

Origin of Species, 23, 453

Owens College, 174, 1 80, 193, 198,
206, 207, 232, 255, 277, 336, 343,
36i

Oxford, 390

PANAMA, 138

Paris, 39, 235, 249, 292, 435
Photography, pursuit of, 106, 120
Political Kconomy Club, 306, 308, 335,

343, 375. 443
Political Economy, 89, 101, 149, 150,

154, 155. 160, 189, 212, 389
Political Economy ', Primer oj, 368, 378,

382
Political Economy, Theory of , 151, 154,

155, 169, 171, 225, 251, 253,254,

310, 320, 323, 324, 327, 383, 387,

398
Political opinions, 230, 232, 293, 298,

377, 441, 442
Picparation and Performance, letter on,

"4
Prices i paper on the Variation of, 192,

204
Principles of Science, 254, 255, 288,

290, 296, 304, 321, 349, 366, 391,

392

Public speaking, 174, 190, 199, 340
Pure Logu, 191, 195, 349, 351

RATIO OF UTILITY, 151

Ricardo, 344

Ricardo scholarship, 156

Rome, 295, 297

Roscoe, II. E. (Sir Ilemy), 14, 23, 32,

37; 149, 174, 176, 178, 179, 257,

393; lettei to, 118
Ruyal Society, 250, 257, 343, 368
Rubinstein's playing, 369
Rylett, Rev. Harold, letters to, 382,

399

SALISIJURY, 397

Shadwell, Mr. J. L., letters to, 268,

270, 426, 427
Silver Question, 368, 395
Skating, 32, 149, 156, 395
Skjeggedals Foss, 359, 401, 403
Snakes, adventures with, 55, 69
Snowdon, ascent of, 243
Spencei, Mr. Heibert, 397
State in Relation to Labour, 437, 441,

444

Stockholm, 371
Studies in Deductive Logic, 407, 415,

418, 420, 421

Substitution of Similar*, 231
Sully, Mr. James, letter to, 407
Summeis, Mr. W., letter to, 329
Sun-spots and the puce of coin, 339,

364, 368, 396
Sweden, 370
Switzerland, 207

THEORY OF CAPITAI, 155, 439
Theory of Crises, 392, 394, 396
Theonc de la Richesse Sociale, 305
Theory of Political Economy, 151, 154,
155. 169, 171, 225, 251, 253, 254,
310, 320, 323, 324, 327, 383, 387,
398

Theory of utility, 269
Theory of wages, 270

INDEX.

473

Trondjhem, 261

UNITED KINGDOM ALLIANCE, 349

United States, 141

University College, 14, 148, 336, 363,

419

Upsala, 372
Utility, theory of, 269

Variation of Prices > paper on , 192, 204
Variation of value of gold and silver,

Vissenng, Heir \V., letters to, 376,

381
Volunteering, 150, 152, 159, 165,

172
Volunteer Review, 163

WAGES, theory of, 270.

Wagner's music, 368, 369, 439, 446,

447
Walras, Professor Leon, letters to,

269 302, 305, 366, 389, 431

Venice, 296 ] Williams, Mr. R. O., letters to, 352,

Venn, Rev. John, 347 ; letters to, j 406

321, 349 I Wisby, Gothland, 372

THE END.

CLAHK, hilmbutgh

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