WCP135

[1]

Broadstone, Wimborne

April 9^th, 1908

My dear Will¹

I will answer your queries in seriation.

Chap. XXXV. was of course a slip for XXXVI, as the subject shows:

I had no copy of my final letter of instructions, & wrote the 2nd in a great hurry— hence divergence.

What I meant by keeping parts of B letters to Bates², was, that all the more serious readers are interested in the beginnings of "evolution theory". These in letters to Bates, might be preserved, all the parts referring to insects & collecting them omitted. Of course keep the letters to G. Silk³— if they can be kept, as regards space.

As to U.S. tour treat as you like. I proposed first to omit all. So keep what you & your friend think [2] most interesting.

As to L. Nationalisation, there is so much interest in it now that you sh^d kept in preserve, the history of the Society. Cut out as much of the rest as you like.

As to Socialism the same,— keep in all about my own conversion to it, and cut the rest as short as you like.

My second Idea, of keeping most of B. of Paradise paper⁴ was, that it comprises the most interesting part of my last 3 years in the M. Archipelago,— & that, with such portions of the "letters" as you keep, would be distinct from anything in [3] the Malay Arch. book.⁵

The LL.D.⁶ is mentioned at II. p.102.

As to the F. R. S.⁷— that is not referred to, but the receipt of the "Royal Medal"⁸is, at II. p. 36.

Yest. I suggested the Chap^s. to be omitted entirely, & Mr. Waugh⁹ agreed,— but of course this did not preclude a very short summary of them, if necessary for the continuity of the narrative, and if other less interesting matter in other chap^s. can be omitted.

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The Wall goes on well, and is [4] approaching the finish. It will be a splendid screen, & almost a "fortification", & yet be hardly seen from a distance owing to the Wood as a background.

The big "Historians’ History" has just come, & will occupy 5 feet of bookcase! so there is work to clear away space. I am going to put the first half of "Nature" upstairs somewhere. I finished my Exam. Questions (D. News.) all complete, & think my last month must have been pretty good. Still, I may not get even a £5— or even a "commendation" as such thousands of well educated and trained writers will be attracted by the £1000! & by trust in Cadbury that all will be fair.

Your affectionate Pa | A. R. Wallace [signature]