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The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection
Alfred Russel Wallace (1823 - 1913) was one of the world's most important scientists. His seminal contributions to biology rival those of his friend and colleague Charles Darwin, though he is far less well known. Together Wallace and Darwin proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection in 1858, and their prolific subsequent work laid the foundations of modern evolutionary biology, and much more besides.
Wallace made enduring scholarly contributions to subjects as diverse as glaciology, land reform, anthropology, ethnography, epidemiology, and astrobiology. His pioneering work on evolutionary biogeography (the science that seeks to explain the geographical distribution of organisms) led to him becoming recognised as that subject’s ‘father’. Beyond this Wallace is regarded as the pre-eminent collector and field biologist of tropical regions of the 19th century, and his book The Malay Archipelago (which was Joseph Conrad’s favourite bedside reading) is one of the most celebrated travel writings of that century and has never been out of print. Wallace was a man with an extraordinary breadth of interests who was actively engaged with many of the big questions and important issues of his day. He was anti-slavery, anti-eugenics, anti-vivisection, anti-militarism, anti-Imperialism, a conservationist and an advocate of woman's rights. He strongly believed in the rights of the ordinary person, was a socialist, an anti-vaccinationist (for rational reasons), and a believer in naturalistic, evolutionary spiritualism. He did not come from a privileged background and was largely self-taught. For a brief biography see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/mini-biography
The Wallace Correspondence Project (WCP) was founded by George Beccaloni in 2010. Its aims are to locate, digitise, catalogue, transcribe, interpret and publish Wallace's surviving correspondence and other manuscripts. About 5,700 letters to and from Wallace are currently known to survive, and they are held by c. 240 institutions and individuals worldwide. Wallace's letters are a biographical treasure trove, which provides a far better picture of the 'real' Wallace than his heavily edited and censored published writings (e.g. his autobiography My Life (1905) and his letters in Marchant's Letters and Reminiscences (1916)). For example, Wallace never even mentions his wife's name (Annie) in any of his published writings, including his autobiography. The letters are also key to gaining a deeper understanding of his scientific and other work: how and why his ideas arose, and how they evolved over time.
The WCP is unlocking this valuable resource by gathering all the letters together for the first time, and transcribing them so that they can be more easily read and information within them discovered using electronic searches for words and phrases. The vast amount of unpublished information which is coming to light will surely form the basis for numerous articles, scholarly papers, PhD theses and perhaps the first definitive biography.
Epsilon is being used by the WCP's as its online archive of Wallace's correspondence. It replaces our previous archive, Wallace Letters Online, which was last updated in 2015. The process of editing the transcripts and associated metadata is a work in progress which will take many years to complete. Our project’s policy is, however, to make the information we have available to users at the earliest possible opportunity, even if it is incomplete and/or imperfect. For a guide to our data, including the protocols we use for metadata and transcriptions, please see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
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ARW returns a draft report on the caves with one suggestion; attempts to explain the absence of cave fauna. ARW suggests submitting the draft with those remarks to Sir W Flower and to let him decide on the nature of the report.
ARW will be glad to try the Acer seeds; Mr Mitten would try them for Clement Reid. Mentions Loudon's 'Tree and Shrubs Encyclopaedia'. Enquires if Clement Reid has asked Mr Rogers of Southampton about them (the Acer seeds?).
A discussion of Pinus maritima. As to Acer Monspessalanum, Hemsley says it is quite hardy in Britain.
Thanking Miss Macdonald for a gift of shortbread on his birthday, which he unfortunately cannot eat but others will appreciate. [copied by Miss E? Macdonald and sent to Violet Wallace from Broomhill, Sheffield 19 Jan 1914].
Enclosing instructions by Oldfield Thomas of the British Museum for collecting skins of small mammals with annotated notes from his letter re. collecting skeletons, for Will's use in Colorado if no telegraphy work available, Thomas recommends sending specimens to Gerrard of Camden, London, who would act as agent on commission, giving BM first choice of specimens; Violet going to Germany, European mammals wanted there because so few people collect them; list of instruments needed with sketch of small pliers; Ma (Annie Wallace) and Grandma (Mrs William Mitten) about to return (from Hurstpierpoint?); Electrical Engineer subscriptions.
Letter from William (from USA), incident with cattle; William Greenell Wallace's failure to catch many (small mammals), ARW recommends using a jar or tip-up box trap (illustrated with ink sketch), catching mice in log hut, trying any pine woods for seed and kernel eaters; instructions to get to know local ranchers and ask for details about their mortgages, crops and living; Violet observing teaching in Germany, says it is far better than in England, now staying with Rektor Schulz; young Mr Acland [Ackland?] from England also there to learn German and study education; sending a "Chronicle" containing a letter by Conway about climbing in the Andes, Hard Cash by C. Reade and three photos taken by Miss Casey of the house, one showing altered Summer-house and Loop line path (none present); has given a talk and reading at the house on the Malays for schools; sudden death of Dr Allman; William Greenell Wallace's photos of his hunting trip very good.
Drainage work on house; sale of Dr Allman's house; detailed advice on where William and Mac should go while in America, recommending visit to William's aunt and uncle (Mary and John Wallace) in California, cousin Herbert Assistant Engineer of Southern Railway and may get them work or rail passes; urges William to write a book on his return; recommends Wyckoff's articles on "The Workers" in Scribner's Magazine; birthday and new year greetings.
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Offering Kew an orchid if they do not already have it, the Umbrella Epidendrum (Epidendrum umbellatum).
Violet's salary; hopes Vaccination book out in a few days, problem with diagrams; Century (The Wonderful Century) MS finished, proof reader needed, Mrs Fisher's suggestions for poetical chapter headings; Mrs Fisher's [eyesight]; Bellamy's Equality; letter from Mrs Wallace of Stockton (Violet's aunt Mary) re Violet's brother William; William's letters.
A letter from her brother William in America commenting on phrenological analysis of his photo.
Letter from her brother William; Violet's career and salary.
Sending his book on vaccination for her and Miss Macdonald to read; instructions for packing her books; Century book (The Wonderful Century) about to be printed, Mr Mott asked to write poetical headings; Violet [to work in] London school.
Her [move to] London and resignation from current job; The Wonderful Century, verses and mottos wanted for chapter headings, Longfellow, Mr Mott; design wanted for cover; [Mr Chant] to read proofs; Mrs Fisher; Eucalyptus in garden damaged by snow; book on vaccination and letter from her brother William sent last week.
Her career [failure to get work in London], proposing she spend a year in Germany learning German, offering £50 towards expenses.
Her proposal to bring a child to stay at Parkstone; instructions for packing goods for rail transport; proposed trip to Germany and learning the German language; letter from her brother William in Denver; aunt Wallace (Mary Wallace, wife of John) and cousin May coming (from America) for a month; joke about a child's view of God.
Violet's expenses; oblique references to a letter, a photo and a lost key; ARW's book (The Wonderful Century) published today.
Violet's itinerary, request for alpine plants; Ma's (Annie Wallace) health; trip to Tufa pits with her brother William and Mr C Reid; (fossil) leaf beds at Flag Hind Chine and Bournemouth; new chess player Mr Adams; disappointing attempts with telescope, stand needed; Mr Ponton leaving for Baden.