WCP1625

[1]¹

Broadstone,

Wimborne

Jan 15th 1906

Dear Mr. Cockerell,

I have now finished reading Kropotkin’s "Life" with very great interest, especially for the light it throws on the present condition of Russia. It also brings out clearly some very fine aspects of the Russian character, and the horrible despotism to which they are still subject, equivalent to that of the days of the Bastille and the system of "Lettres de cachet" before the great Revolution in France. It seems to me probably that under happier conditions — perhaps in the not distant future — Russia may become the most advanced instead of the most backward in civilization, — a real leader among nations, not [1 word deleted] in war or conquest but in social reform.

I did not write much to Kropotkin about his "Mutual Aid", because although the book is very interesting and instructive in bringing together the numerous cases in which animals keep each other, yet I consider he is quite wrong in his conclusion that this at all affects the question of the severe struggle [1 word deleted] for existence. This is due to his want of practical knoweldge of the facts of variation and multiplication in animals, and also to his not having fully grasped the varied modes in which the struggle acts — He talks of the millions killed by storm,s[sic] floods etc as leaving so fewthat there is no further stuggle. He even states, as his conclusion, that in many cases there is "no competition." [words deleted] I have noted a large number of cases in which he shows want of appreciation of the actual mode of evolution by natural selection.

Yours very truly, | signed Alfred R. Wallace

[1]¹

Broadstone,

Wimborne

Jan 15^th 1906.

I have now finished reading Kropotkin’s "Life" with very great interest, especially for the light it throws on the present condition of Russia. It also brings out clearly some very fine aspects of the Russian character, and the horrible despotism to which they are still subject, equivalent to that² of the days of the Bastille and the system of "Lettres de cachet" before the great Revolution in France. It seems to me probably that under happier conditions — perhaps in the not distant future — Russia may become the most advanced instead of the most backward in civilization, — a real leader among nations, not in war or conquest but in social reform.

[1]¹ [p. 211]

Broadstone, Wimborne

Jan. 15th, 1906

Dear Mr. Cockerell,

I have now finished reading Kropotkin's Life with very great interest, especially for the light it throws on the present condition of Russia. It also brings out clearly some very fine aspects of the Russian character, and the horrible despotism to which they are still subject, equivalent to that of the days of the Bastille and the system of 'Lettres de cachet' before the great Revolution in France. It seems to me probable that under happier conditions—perhaps in the not distant future—Russia may become the most advanced instead of the most backward in civilisation—a real leader among nations, not in war or conquest but in social reform.

I did not write much to Kropotkin about his Mutual Aid because although the book is very interesting and instructive in bringing together the numerous cases in which animals help [2] [p. 212] each other, yet I consider he is quite wrong in his conclusion that this at all affects the question of the severe struggle for existence. This is due to his want of practical knowledge of the facts of variation and multiplication in animals, and also to his not having fully grasped the varied modes in which the struggle acts—He talks of the millions killed by storms, floods &c. as leaving so few that there is no further struggle,—not seeing that all such causes are part of the 'struggle'. He even states, as his conclusion, that in many cases there is 'no competition'! I have noted a large number of cases in which he shows want of appreciation of the actual mode of evolution by natural selection.

Yours very truly

Alfred R. Wallace

[1] [p. 160]

TO MR SYDNEY COCKERELL

Broadstone, Wimborne. January 15, 1906.

Dear Mr Cockerell, — ~I have now finished reading Kropotkin's Life with very great interest, especially for the light it throws on the present condition of Russia. It also brings out clearly some very fine aspects of the Russian character, and the horrible despotism to which they are still subject, equivalent to that of the days of the Bastille and the system of Lettres de cachet before the great Revolution in France. It seems to me probable that under happier conditions — perhaps in the not distant future Russia may become the most advanced instead of the most backward in civilisation — a real leader among nations, not in War and conquest but in social reform. — Yours faithfully, A. R. WALLACE.