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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
Describes ordering a book on conic section for William.
Visit to lawyer in Chancery Lane and asking William to reserve hotel rooms.
Valuation of books and pamphlets including William Mitten's "Mosses".
William's career; catalogue of priced books and drawings sent to aunt Flora (Mitten); Parish Council meeting; work on Spruce.
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The Wilson's imminent emigration to Australia and re legacies (from the Greenell side of the family) for ARW and his brother John Wallace. Thomas Wilson was Mary Ann Wallace's brother in law and the executor of the will of ?J ?S Greenell.
Writes her brother at request of sons John and ARW, concerning their Legacies which should have been paid upon the death of their late uncle. They are anxious and need the money for their businesses; “never once doubted your good intentions,” but please inform them when they may expect a payment from you.
Chatty shipboard observations for her mother in England while en route to New York City; behavior of passengers; illnesses; favorable first impressions of America, on way to Canada, then settles in Southern U.S. Finds comfortable teaching situation in Georgia girl’s school. Wishes mother could join her, but distance is prohibitive.
Life aboard ship; chattering Americans and silent Englishmen. Saw whales, dolphins (sailors harpooned three and ate them) and “sea Monsters.”“Passengers think of nothing else but eating, drinking, & smoking.” Englishman says “land in America is cheap and yields abundantly.” Droll gentleman from Georgia tells “such absurd stories about the niggers and sings their songs.”
Boat to Savannah, Georgia from New York City. Enjoys Southern-style pancakes and cornbread. Nearly wrecked in English Channel; captain leaped out of bed, grabbed the wheel, and averted collision with much larger ship. Took train to Macon, settled in healthy, pleasant farm. Teaches music, arithmetic, and English grammar. Pupils are 55 girls, ages 10-17. Wooded estate contains several farms, worked by 40 slaves. Food and service excellent: everything “better than expected.” In nearby town “coffins for sale” in many of the shops.
Possible legal proceedings in a case involving non-payment by a customer to his sister-in-law Flora (Mitten). Rough plan of dining, kitchen, hall and drawing rooms [of "Old Orchard", Broadstone] in pencil on top half of last page.
Repeats, for mother, the near-disasters during sea voyage already written to brothers (WCP1259). “Dark and stormy” night in Channel, almost ran into much larger vessel in fog, was rescued by Captain’s quick move from bed to taking the wheel or “we should have all been at the bottom of the sea in our berths.” Later a fire on board was extinguished. Nearly ran aground on French coast, stalled off Cape Hatteras. Now situated in Georgia school for girls teaching arithmetic, music, grammar, French to 24 pupils; very agreeable life, but “quite long to have Alfred here with me”; want him to teach me botany. Five teachers here, more schools planned. Wants mother and brothers to join her in making new life here.
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Coming summer vacation will join ladies visiting northern Georgia; hope to have ARW with us. Ship’s captain, a Frenchman, accidentally set a lady passenger’s dress afire with his cigar. Slaves are “a happy people altogether...do not feel their own misery, as we do for them” but most never get “a kind look or smile” from their “employers” [masters]. They have great love of dress, great gentility, many become preachers. Her American “expedition has succeeded very well.” ARW could make good life here as Engineer/Land surveyor. Good marriages among gentry; “they all have either money or land...Talents are a fortune here.”
Wants more letters from the family. School boys helping to build large schoolroom. Looking forward to summer, when fruits abundant; tired of eating Poultry. During walk saw “kind of cavalcade” that turned out to be a traveling party of traders with Negroes for sale. Watched through tears at cart of young children; “extraordinary feeling of seeing human beings being driven to market.” “They are treated like beasts and their spirits broken. They exhibit a fine taste for music and sing anything they hear.” She believes that their babies born very light- skinned, but “become darker” as they grow up.
Locals invite us over, desire to socialize with English people. Elegant styles, fashions, homes, but tell us “20 years ago this place was thick forest inhabited only by native Indians.” Visitors don’t walk much here; travel in the area via horseback or carriages, though roads very bad.
First day back teaching school after summer. Praises Southern hospitality towards strangers. In answer to ARW’s query, describes farm animals: cows, sheep, pigs, poultry, oxen. Good gardens. Mocking birds and squirrels common. Indians have been driven west beyond Rocky Mountains — “We are situated where the Cherokee used to live.”