One evening, at dinner, when Mr.Butler was there, Martin turned the conversation upon Spencer.

Mr.
Morse bitterly arraigned the English philosopher's agnosticism, but confessed that he had not read "First Principles"; while Mr.Butler stated that he had no patience with Spencer, had never read a line of him, and had managed to get along quite well without him.

Doubts arose in Martin's mind, and had he been less strongly individual he would have accepted the general opinion and given Herbert Spencer up.

As it was, he found Spencer's explanation of things convincing; and, as he phrased it to himself, to give up Spencer would be equivalent to a navigator throwing the compass and chronometer overboard.

So Martin went on into a thorough study of evolution, mastering more and more the subject himself, and being convinced by the corroborative testimony of a thousand independent writers.