To A. R. Wallace   6 April 1859

Summary

First part of Origin MS is with Murray;

CD hopes he has noticed ARW’s work fairly.

ARW is right in thinking that CD was led to believe that selection was the principle of change from studying domesticated productions and that after reading Malthus he "saw at once how to apply this principle". Geographical distribution and geological relations of extinct and recent inhabitants of S. America first led him to the subject, "Especially case of Galapagos Islds". Hooker and Lubbock are full converts and Huxley now believes in species mutation. "We shall live to see all the younger men converts."

Praises ARW’s work and spirit.

CD had actually written a letter to ARW stating he would not publish before him but was persuaded by Lyell and Hooker to allow them to act "as they thought fair & honourably".

Letter details

Record number

DCP-LETT-2449

From

Charles Robert Darwin

To

Alfred Russel Wallace

Date

6 Apr 1859

Sent from

Down

Source of text

The British Library (Add MS 46434)

Physical description

4pp

Contributor

Darwin Correspondence Project[View Ɛpsilon collection]

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 7.

• Darwin, C. R.
• Wallace, A. R.