L'estudi de la sociologia

;'v // / ani generous enough to loan you tJiis j>$ book, please be thought/id enougli to rej/i ///;-;/ it, without delaying, until incited W to do so. Never take it, or keep it ivith-W out my consent, as such too often engen-^ ders bad feelings. 77/is is sitnply I SEATTLE, IV ASH. L .• THE STUDY OF SOCIOLOGY BY HERBERT SPENCER AUTHOR OF A SYSTEM OF PHILOSOPHY, DESCRIPTIVE SOCIOLOGY, ETC. NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1873, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. PKEFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. IT is desirable that the present volume, the origin of which is explained in the author's preface, should be accom panied by a brief statement in relation to Mr. Spencer's other works upon sociological science. The " Principles of Sociology " was projected by Mr. Spencer as a part of his philosophical system, the publication of which was com menced in 1860. Five volumes of that system have ap peared, viz. : " First Principles," in one volume ; the " Principles of Biology," in two volumes ; and the " Prin ciples of Psychology," in two volumes. " First Principles " develops the general method of the philosophy to be carried out in the subsequent works. In the two succeeding parts that method is applied to the interpretation of the phenom ena of Life and Mind, the whole course of exposition being preparatory to the " Principles of Sociology," in three vol umes, which are next in order. Upon this work Mr. Spen cer has now entered, and it will be published in quarterly parts, by subscription, in the same form that was adopted with the previous divisions of the work.