Which Victorian thinkers were friends or acquaintances of Herbert Spencer?

Herbert Spencer, a prominent figure of the Victorian era, maintained intellectual and personal relationships with several notable thinkers of his time. His circle of friends and acquaintances included:

• George Eliot: The novelist with whom Spencer became acquainted around 1850. While they shared deep philosophical conversations, Spencer later denied any romantic intentions toward her in his Autobiography.1
• George Henry Lewes: The writer and partner of George Eliot, who was also among Spencer's circle of friends.1
• Thomas Henry Huxley: The influential biologist who was a friend of Spencer.1
• John Stuart Mill: The philosopher and economist, whom Spencer counted as a friend.1
• Beatrice Webb: Born Beatrice Potter, she was a social reformer who became a friend and advisee of Spencer. She frequently visited him during his final illness and provided a detailed account of his later years in her work My Apprenticeship.1