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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
Adding pupils a few girls at a time, will be making £100 in six months. “Tell Herbert I have seen no Indians and no wild beasts.” We shall see friendly Indians in Alabama. Wildflowers delightful; in nearby woods azaleas, cloves, and jasmine are common.
Living with delightful family, leave each morning to teach school. Comfortable and healthy. Wishes she could invite mother (with caregiver) to come and stay, but cannot house them.
After bumpy, rough 200-mile carriage ride to Montgomery, Alabama, was graciously received by hosts. Later visited the Jackson’s plantation in countryside. First Episcopal Bishop of Georgia wrote letters of introduction. Good Library at house. “Servants” [slaves] live well here and are “well regulated” without using “harsh words to the poor things. I never do,” and they respond readily to kindness.
Life with the Jacksons and their ten children pleasant in country home in the woods. Unlike at other plantations, “servants” [slaves] “live well here...not a harsh word said to the poor things.” Servants are permitted to socialize with each other when day’s work is done. Likes country social life among Alabama gentry. Thinks ARW would do well as Engineer and Surveyor in Montgomery.
William's career, enclosing a letter from H E Dresser; a note for Russell [Rollo] [note not enclosed]; dimensions and cost of land for garden, land rental costs.
Now established as teacher, has almost 30 girl pupils; accepted in local society. People try to match me with local gentlemen; don’t want a beau, focused on career. Established a school without capital, “could not be done in England”; works 10-hour days. Desires to reunite and re-locate family in Georgia, urges ARW (“I long for him every day”) and brother Jim to join her. They could set up successful Engineering and Surveying Company, then buy land, marry well, and become gentlemen farmers; in their letters they show no interest. English people don’t understand that each state has own customs, manners, and laws “as separate as the different countries of Europe.” Climate healthy, abundant watermelons, peaches, apples, pears, corn. Includes note to ARW and Jim that promising possibilities exist also in Texas.
Discusses life choices and circumstances. Ponders going to Texas, but is pleased with current situation. Detailed descriptions of the countryside, fresh produce, social life. In separate note to ARW and Jim (Repeat of WCP 170) begs them to consider emigrating to Georgia, where they would surely prosper. Describes light-skinned “yellow” Negro couple who had a very light-skinned infant with “blue eyes and flaxen hair.” Both blacks and whites grieved when the “beautiful child” sickened and died; but “it would have been sad to see a white boy [be raised as] a slave.”
Gentlemen owners of the school property offer her headmistress post and a house, but she declines since “neither [brother] will come over and join me in my plans.” Robinson House will have nine rooms, with schoolrooms detached from the abode. Was teaching some entomology and “constantly thinking of you dear Alfred.” Asks if he knows about the mysterious “blood rain,” which was scientifically explained by crimson fluid left on trees at night by thousands of butterflies. Amused at credulity of black girls to whom she teaches reading Sundays on her own time. They think England must be a poor Country, as the Brits have no black people to raise their cotton, corn, and watermelons, and so have none. “Indoor Slaves are happy creatures when their Mistresses are kind, and wish for nothing better.” Includes separate note to Mama about her distress at being pressured to marry a local gent; ‘finally declined” his offer of marriage, as she does not love him.
Repeats that she is glad about Mr. Lloyd’s agreement to end his persistent courtship of her, which had caused her some anxiety, as mentioned in WCP1272; glad she finally decided to firmly decline; he graciously offers to remain a devoted friend. Will enter new school 25 Jan 1846; intends to send for their younger brother Herbert soon. Satisfied to be teacher, does not want responsibilities of becoming Headmistress. “Wish I possessed a fairy wand which could emancipate all slavery” but fears that might also unleash “all rising against their masters (the whites in general) without reserve….even the kind-hearted masters.”
Describes new insect cabinet under construction, which contains 28 drawers, stands 3 feet high. Describes recent list of insects, highlighting "latest good captures" among other observations.
Not being able to work mines in rainy season “exploded as a fallacy.” Most miners depend on working during rainy season to make up for losses during dry months. Ditches are cut in mountain streams when rain is scarce to supply running water; we’ve been doing that for six months. Our water will supply well over 20 miles of mines. Now chief surveyor for the Company, working on alterations with new steam-driven saw mill, and has supervised design and building of 15-mile road, using ox teams and wagons. All 150 workers toil without pay for future shares of company, expecting big payoff at completion. None of us were aware of the great magnitude of project at beginning; it “will be one of the greatest works yet attempted in this country.”
Have been surveying mountains in this region of northern California to find better route for completion of our Canal or flume, ten miles from the Stanislaus river. We hiked where “no white man had been... only “Indian trail & the footprints of Grizly [sic] bear and Deer. Found better route for our water, 1500 feet higher up mountain; “a framework of timber will have to be constructed”; we installed a water saw mill at the river, which cuts 10,000 feet of lumber a day. “Our Company...is thought much of in these parts [as] a Great work.” Much water necessary to extract gold, as very little found on surface. Accident with lumber coming down chute unexpectedly and killing a worker; only man that “we had killed on the works.” I had “just time to jump out” of the way.
Colour plates of Wolf's "Labrador Falcon" and his own of eggs; William's career prospects. Enclosure to ARW to William, 20 Jun 1907.
Will answer some of your questions. ‘I’ve quite given up on making a fortune in California;” but am financially comfortable, will not return to live in England. Was just elected Superintendent and Chief Engineer of our water company, can have the job as long as I want it. Company has provided a horse, “frequently have to ride 25 or 50 miles per day on rough mountain roads” to maintain water system. Doing good business, will soon be out of debt and into profits. Gives specifications of five mile long water flume, and asks family to check his estimates of daily flow. . Will be able to pay back loans soon.
Discusses promising new technology of the Erickkson [sic] (Ericsson) Caloric Engine, an innovative heat transfer machine, fueled by wood or coal. His job as head of the Water project includes “laying out branch ditches, building dams and bridges, fluming across valleys, etc.” Must be on call at any hour “when anything happens to the ditch”; must immediately assemble a crew of laborers to repair damage. He supervises every detail of the whole system, 40 miles long “over roughest country and steepest hillsides.”
One of a set of letters providing in-depth descriptions John Wallace's life in the gold mining town of Columbia, California, building a system to bring water to gold mining operations in the town.
One of a set of letters providing in-depth descriptions John Wallace's life in the gold mining town of Columbia, California, building a system to bring water to gold mining operations in the town.
The [Essex] Club; gardening; lawyers fees, estate duty, valuations; proposal to buy Consols.
One of a set of letters providing in-depth descriptions John Wallace's life in the gold mining town of Columbia, California, building a system to bring water to gold mining operations in the town.
One of a set of excerpts of letters providing in-depth descriptions John Wallace's life in the gold mining town of Columbia, California, building a system to bring water to gold mining operations in the town.