WCP1407

Letter (WCP1407.1186)

[1]1

Altruria

An Ideal Magazine for People with Ideals

Published by the Altrurians

12 Mount Morris Park West

New York

Dear Dr. Wallace:

Will you please answer the following: Name your 10 favorite humanitarians of the 19" century. I ask only those whose opinion I consider of value, to contribute to this symposium which will consist of 100 contributors, and which already contains lists from our former Ambassador to Russia, Germany, etc, ANDREW D. WHITE2; from our foremost physician, ABRAHAM JACOBI3; from out best philosophic writer, PAUL CARUS4; from the kind of the Yiddish Drama, JACOB GORDIN5; from out profoundest scientist, JACQUES LOEB6; from the Leader of American Socialism, EUGENE DEBS7; from the Wizard of Botany, LUTHER BURBANK8; from the world's greatest sexual psychologist, HAVELOCK ELLIS9, etc, etc.

By a humanitarian, I mean one who benefited[sic] humanity ( or tried to). Not necessarily philanthropists. Poets, orators, reformers, inventors, statesmen, scientists, philosophers, etc, are available so long as their activity took place during the 19" century. If you find it convenient to comply with my request, you will con a great favor on

Victor Robinson [signature]

You may be interested to hear that you yourself have already been named as on of the PRECIOUS TEN.

[2]

The Ten Favourable Humanitarians of the Nineteenth Century.

1
In the top left corner of the letter, the words "Vouloir c'est pouvoir" are printed. In the top right, it states "1.00 a year. 10 cents a copy."
2
White, Dickson Andrew. (1832-1918). American diplomat and co-founder of Cornell University.
3
Jacobi, Abraham. (1830-1919). American pediatrician and president of the American Medical Association.
4
Carus, Paul. (1852-1919). German American author and philosopher.
5
Gordin, Jacob. (1853-1909). Russian American playwright.
6
Loeb, Jacques. (1859-1924). German American biologist and physiologist.
7
Debs, Eugene. (1855-1926). Politician and presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.
8
Burbank, Luther. (1849-1926). American botanist.
9
Ellis, Henry Havelock (1859-1939) British physician who focused on human sexuality.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP1407.1186)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Awolesi, Monilola Omotola [2014-09-02] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2014-09-02] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10]

Please cite as “WCP1407,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1407