WCP1861

Letter (WCP1861.1751)

[1]

Down.

Bromley.

Kent. S.E.

Jan 29 [1865]1

My dear Wallace

I must ease my mind by saying how much I admire the two papers you have sent me.2 That on parrots3 contained most new matter to me, & interested me extremely; That in the Geograph[ical]. Journal4 strikes me as an epitome of the whole theory of Geograph[ical]. distribution [2] the comparison of Borneo & New Guinea,— the relation of the volcanic outbursts & the required subsidence,— & the comparison of the supposed conversion of the Atlantic into a great archipelago seemed to me the 3 best hits. They are both indeed excellent papers.—

Believe me | yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin [signature]

[3] Do try what hard work will do to banish painful thoughts.5

P.S. During one of the later French Voyages, a wild pig was killed & brought from the Aru Islands to Paris. Am I not right in inferring that this must have [4] been introduced & run wild. If you have a clear opinion on this head, may I quote you?

1
An annotation at the top right-hand corner adds "1864?" and a pencil annotation adds "1865". The correct date of 1865 is established by the Darwin Correspondence Project, see DCP-LETT-4757.
2
Darwin refers to the two papers ARW enclosed with his letter on 20 June 1865. See Wallace, A.W. 1864. On the Parrots of the Malayan Region, With Remarks on Their Habits, Distribution, and Affinities, And the Descriptions of Two New Species. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 272-295.; and Wallace, A, R. 1863. On the Physical Geography of the Malay Archipelago. Journal of the Royal Geographical Society. 33: 217-234.
3
ARW adds a pencil annotation on page 1 '(read June [18]/64)' above the text 'on parrots contained'.
4
ARW adds a pencil annotation on page 1 'June 8. 1863)' below the text "Geograph[ical]. Journal".
5
ARW adds a pencil annotation on page 3 'refering to my broken engagement' below the text 'painful thoughts'.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP1861.1751)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Darwin Correspondence Project [2012-06-29] Transcription checked by Beros, Matt [2019-12-20]

Published letter (WCP1861.5944)

[1] [p. 160]

Down, Bromley, Kent, S.E. January 29, 1865.

My dear Wallace,— I must ease my mind by saying how much I admire the two papers you have sent me.

That on parrots1 contained most new matter to me, and interested me extremely; that in the Geographical Journal2 strikes me as an epitome of the whole theory of geographical distribution: the comparison of Borneo and New Guinea, the relation of the volcanic outbursts and the required subsidence, and the comparison of the supposed conversion of the Atlantic into a great archipelago, seemed to me the three best hits. They are both indeed excellent papers. — Believe me yours very sincerely, CHARLES DARWIN

Do try what hard work will do to banish painful thoughts.3

P.S.— During one of the later French voyages, a wild pig was killed and brought from the Aru Islands to Paris. Am I not right in inferring that this must have been introduced and run wild? If you have a clear opinion on this head, may I quote you?

1
A footnote here reads: ""Read June, 1864." — A. R. W."
2
A footnote here reads: ""Read June, 1864." — A. R. W."
3
A footnote here reads: ""Referring to my broken engagement." — A. R. W."

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP1861.5944)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Congerton, John [2019-12-17]

Please cite as “WCP1861,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 23 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1861