Ɛpsilon

To A. R. Wallace   27 March [1868]1

4 Chester Place | R. Park. N.W | Until April 1st.

March 27th

My dear Wallace

My son has failed in your problem & says that it is “excessively difficult”: he says you will find something about it in Thompson & Tait Nat Philos (Art. 649).2 He has, however sent the solution, if the plate rested on a square rim, but he supposes this will not answer your purpose; nevertheless I have forwarded it by this same post.— It seems that the rim being round makes the problem much more difficult.—

I enclose my photograph, which I have received from Down.3

I sent your answer to George on his objections to your argument on sterility but have not yet heard from him.—4 I dread beginning to think over this fearful problem, which I believe beats the plate on the circular rim; but I will sometime. I foresee, however, that there are so many doubtful points, that we shall never agree.

As far as a glance serves it seems to me, perhaps falsely, that you sometimes argue that hybrids have an advantage from greater vigour, & sometimes a disadvantage from not being so well fitted to their conditions.— Heaven protect my stomach whenever I attempt following your argument.—

Your’s most sincerely | C. Darwin

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from A. R. Wallace, 19 March 1868.
4
For George’s critique of Wallace’s argument that hybrid sterility could result from natural selection, see the enclosure to the letter to A. R. Wallace, [21 March 1868]. For Wallace’s reply to George’s comments, see the letter from A. R. Wallace, 24 March [1868].

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 says] interl
1.1 excessively] above del ‘exceedingly’
1.4 by this same post.] interl
3.1 argument] after del ‘prop’
3.1 but … him. 3.2] interl
3.3 sometime.] point over comma

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6058,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6058