asked:

"Why does not some writer take up this subject and present the facts
in a simple and direct form to the world?"

I was then, as a matter of fact, gathering material for "Triumphant
Democracy," in which I intended to perform the very service which he
indicated, as I informed him.

"Round the World" and the "American Four-in-Hand" gave me not the
slightest effort but the preparation of "Triumphant Democracy," which
I began in 1882, was altogether another matter. It required steady,
laborious work. Figures had to be examined and arranged, but as I went
forward the study became fascinating. For some months I seemed to have
my head filled with statistics. The hours passed away unheeded. It was
evening when I supposed it was midday. The second serious illness of
my life dates from the strain brought upon me by this work, for I had
to attend to business as well. I shall think twice before I trust
myself again with anything so fascinating as figures.

CHAPTER XXV

HERBERT SPENCER AND HIS DISCIPLE

Herbert Spencer, with his friend Mr. Lott and myself, were fellow
travelers on the Servia from Liverpool to New York in 1882. I bore a
note of introduction to him from Mr. Morley, but I had met the
philosopher in London before that. I was one of his disciples. As an
older traveler, I took Mr. Lott and him in charge. We sat at the same
table during the voyage.

One day the conversation fell upon the impression made upon us by
great men at first meeting. Did they, or did they not, prove to be as
we had imagined them? Each gave his experience. Mine was that nothing
could be more different than the being imagined and that being beheld
in the flesh.

"Oh!" said Mr. Spencer, "in my case, for instance, was this so?"

"Yes," I replied, "you more than any. I had imagined my teacher, the
great calm philosopher brooding, Buddha-like, over all things,
unmoved; never did I dream of seeing him excited over the question of
Cheshire or Cheddar cheese." The day before he had peevishly pushed
away the former when presented by the steward, exclaiming "Cheddar,
Cheddar, not Cheshire; I said _Cheddar_." There was a roar in which
none joined more heartily than the sage himself. He refers to this
incident of the voyage in his Autobiography.[72]

[Footnote 72: _An Autobiography_, by Herbert Spencer, vol. I, p. 424.
New York, 1904.]

Spencer liked stories and was a good laugher. American stories seemed
to please him more than o