Asks William to purchase some aluminium sheet suitable for plant labels as ARW's copper ones too thin and brittle; visit by Mr Stead.
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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
Asks William to purchase some aluminium sheet suitable for plant labels as ARW's copper ones too thin and brittle; visit by Mr Stead.
ARW talks of his hopes to work on new edition of Wonderful Century after five weeks of visitors; Carroll's Tangled Tales with amusing mathematical puzzles; mysterious drowning of neighbour Monica Briggs in local pond; "The Grange" not yet sold, some people interested in the "Colony" due to view it.
Discusses William viewing six or seven houses for sale near Tunbridge Wells and elsewhere, with details of locations and names of properties, comments on desirability, likely views, gardens, water supply and adjoining land; enclosing orders to view (not present) and a list of essential requirements (not present); report to be sent promptly so that Ma (William's mother Annie Wallace) may view any suitable.
No summary available.
Writes of William's visit to Silchester; houses for sale; disappointment over Compton house; importance of an attractive view; description of a promising property near Beaconsfield; Carter's price restrictions, possibility of Mr Tebb's investing; returning with notes William's article on Badbury Diggings, if rewritten and photos supplied might suit Pearson or Cassell; Roman Britain, Roman coins.
Instructions to view "The Grange", Beaconsfield, if possible with his sister Violet; enclosing viewing order, a map and a letter from Mr Gurney (none of these present), with instructions for journey by train or bicycle; price of £30,000 may be too high for Carter but Tebb, Swinton or others may invest.
Regarding viewing "The Grange" (at Beaconsfield) near Amersham with his sister and mother, with details of journey, price of land per acre and opinion on suitability; instructions to report on size of rooms, water supply and position; asking for first name of Mr Gurney; possibility of ARW himself going to view; William's coat.
Regarding William's coat; viewing of "The Grange" near Amersham, ARW's decision to go to London and possibly stay at Mr Morse's Spiritualist Hotel near Baker Street station and join William, Violet and their mother in viewing the property.
Regarding inspection of a house (The Grange) near Amersham with a view to buying, enclosing pencil drawing of plan of house, headed: "The Grange, Beaconsfield".
William's new and better position with a "decent and liberal firm"; sending some of his goods including clothes, advice to buy some cellulose collars and cuffs; enclosing letter (not present) from Mr Davies who wants supporters in preserving Godalming Old Market Place and is interested in William's Rowan fields; fears they may lose "The Grange" through lack of investors with enough money, the owner having refused an offer of £14,000, Carter to view property, need to seek a builder with large capital.
Dora Best painting a portrait of ARW, possibly for sending to the Royal Academy; no more news about the Beaconsfield affair except that Prof Barrett and Dr Abraham Wallace will join it; William's sister Violet and May Swinton leaving tomorrow; beginning work on new edition of Wonderful Century; Mr Casey's latest enigma; reading Julie.
Work on new edition of Wonderful Century, will leave chapter on electricity until last; answer to latest (newspaper) enigma; watch repairs; William's holiday and Fellowship dinner (in America); winter weather; plot and character in The Prisoner of Zenda and Rupert of Hentza [sic, for Hentzau. Both by Anthony Hope].
No summary available.
Writing new edition [of Wonderful Century] with instructions for William in correction of MS; chapters on electricity; transmission of power, Niagara falls; Clerk-Maxwell theory; electric light; will send chapters on Radiation and Chemistry to a Mr Garnett who pointed out errors in first edition; new chapters to be written on astronomy including cosmic theory; unable to find a good [wood]cut of an early post-chaise with postillion, can William help; no need to send MS to Mac if a suitable expert in Newcastle.
No summary available.
William's proposed visit during his holidays; ARW working since Christmas on new editions of Wonderful Century, Darwinism, and Island Life the latter requiring much correspondence to correct lists of flora and fauna; also working on a Wonderful Century reader, trouble with illustrations; has also been looking at estates and feels one between Tunbridge Wells and East Grinstead suitable, Mr Swinton to see it tomorrow; Rose (Mitten) and Grandpa (William Mitten) staying, visiting the Caseys; Rose's health; encloses I.L.P. News containing ARW's article on Tolstoy, sorry to hear Tolstoy ill.
Sherlock Holmes story serialised in Strand (Magazine), thanks William for part 2, speculates on development of plot; now looking for houses nearby, [Bingo] has been looking on his behalf; recovering from recent ill-health.
Decision to buy 3 acres of land for £500 at Broadstone, Dorset, and build there, giving detailed descriptions of locality, soil, trees in old orchard, and views of Poole harbour and the Purbeck hills, enclosing a sketch plan (not present - possiblyWP1/1/118, 121 or 123); former Broadstone resident Miss Broughton has recommended a gardener and labourer; plans to build a road and wire fence, begin a garden immediately and start building in spring; promises to send plans of house soon.
Insurance, with instructions for applying for a birth certificate; enclosing ground plan of property (at Broadstone) - not present, possibly WP1/1/120; describing plans to build a house including 5 bedrooms and a study, larger than needed but for the future benefit of William and his sister Violet, description of other rooms, proposed gabling and windows, use of perforated zinc over hollow walls and site of hot water storage tank; proposes a picnic in the grounds at Christmas if William can visit; has been surveying the land; reckons cost of house at £1000; discusses possibility of selling "Nutwood Cottage" (at Godalming) to current tenant vs. selling Parkstone house; asks for comments on plans as working drawings soon to be made; sorry William's séance did not go well; asks him to bring an air-rifle to shoot rabbits or stray pheasants at Christmas, ordinary rifle might attract game-keepers.
Near completion of purchase of (Broadstone) property, road making, fencing and gardening can now begin; Carter's head builder to draw up preliminary house plans; ARW expects definite offer for "Nutwood" (Cottage, Godalming) next week and will also put up "For Sale" sign at Parkstone house; has designed two gates on proper mechanical principles; if work slack at William's firm after Christmas he might take leave and supervise "Ellerslie" [proposed name for new house]; Sends tracing of upper floor plan (not present) and rough tracing of Ordnance map showing ground and access from Poole road.