WCP1912

[1]¹

To C.Darwin.) 9,St.Mark's Crescent N.W. Jan'y 20th. 1869

Dear Darwin It will give me very great pleasure if you will allow me to dedicate my little book of Malayan Travels to you, although it will be far too small and unpretending a work to be worthy of the honour. Still, I have done what I can to make it a vehicle for communicating a taste for the higher branches of Natural History, and I know that you will judge it only too favourably. We are in the middle of the 2nd. Vol. and if the printers will get on, shall be out next month.

Have you seen in the last Number of the "Quarterly Journal of Science", the excellent remarks on Fraser's article on Nat. Section failing as to Man? In one page it gets to the heart of the question & I have written to the Editor to ask who the Author is.

My friend Spruce's paper on Palms is to be read tomorrow evening at the "Linnaean". He tells me it contains a discovery which he calls "alteration of function". He found a clump of Geonema all of which were females, and the next year the same clump were all males! He has found other facts analogous to this, & I have no doubt the subject is one that will interest you.

Hoping you are pretty well, and are getting on steadily with your next volumes,— and with kind regards to Mrs Darwin and all your circle, Believe me Dear Darwin Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace.

P.S. Have you seen the admirable article in "The Guardian"! on Lyell's Principles? It is most excellent & liberal. It is written by Rev'd Geo. Buckle, of Tiverton Vicarage, Bath, who I met at Norwich and found a thoroughly scientific & liberal parson. Perhaps you have heard that I have undertaken to write an article for the Quarterly! on the same subject, to make up for that on "Modern Geology" last year not mentioning Sir C. Lyell. Really what with the Tories passing radical reform bills & the Church periodicals advocating Darwinianism, the Millenium must be at hand. A.R.W.

To C.Darwin.) 9,St.Mark’s Crescent N.W. Jan’y 20th.1869

Dear Darwin

It will give me very great pleasure if you will allow me to dedicate my little book of Malayan Travels to you, although it will be far too small and unpretending a work to be worthy of that honour. Still, I have done what I can to make it a vehicle for communicating a taste for the higher branches of Natural History, and I know that you will judge it only too favourably.

We are in the middle of the 2nd. Vol. and if the printers will get on, shall be out next month.

Have you seen in the last Number of the "Quarterly Journal of Science", the excellent remarks on Fraser’s article on Nat. Selection failing as to Man¹? In one page it gets to the heart of the questions & I have written to the Editor to

ask who the Author is.

My friend Spruce’s paper on Palms is to be read tomorrow evening at the"Linnaean". He tells me it contains a discovery which he c calls "alteration of function". He found a clump of Geonema[?] all of which were females, and the next year the same clump were all males ! He has found other facts analagous[sic] to this, & I have no doubt the subject is one that will interest you.

Hoping you are pretty well, and are getting on steadily with your next volumes,- and with kind regards to Mrs Darwin and all your circle, | Believe me | Dear Darwin | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace. [signature]

P.S. Have you seen the admirable article in "The Guardian"! on Lyell’s Principles? It is most excellent & liberal. It is written by Rev’d Geo. Buckle, of Tiverton Vicarage, Bath, who I met at Norwich and found a thoroughly scientific & liberal parson. Perhaps you have heard that I have undertaken to write an article for the Quarterly : on the same subject, to make up for that on "Modern Geology" last year not mentioning Sir C.Lyell. Really what with the Tories passing radical reform bills & the Church periodicals advocating Darwinianism, the Millenium[sic] must be at hand. A.R.W. [signature]

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9 St. Mark's Crescent, N.W. January 20, 1869.

Dear Darwin, — It will give me very great pleasure if you will allow me to dedicate my little book of Malayan Travels to you, although it will be far too small and unpretending a work to be worthy of that honour. Still, I have done what I can to make it a vehicle for communicating a taste for the higher branches of Natural History, and I know that you will judge it only too favourably. We are in the middle of the second volume, and if the printers will get on, shall be out next month.

Have you seen in the last number of the Quarterly Journal of Science the excellent remarks on Fraser's article on Natural Selection failing as to Man? In one page it gets to the heart of the question, and I have written to the editor to ask who the author is.

My friend Spruce's paper on Palms is to be read tomorrow evening at the Linnean. He tells me it contains a discovery which he calls "alteration of function." He found a clump of Geonema all of which were females, and the next year the same clump were all males! He has found other facts analogous to this, and I have no doubt the subject is one that will interest you.

Hoping you are pretty well and are getting on steadily with your next volumes, and with kind regards to Mrs. Darwin and all your circle, believe me, dear Darwin, yours very faithfully, ALFRED R. WALLACE.

P.S. — Have you seen the admirable article in the Guardian (!) on Lyell's "Principles"? It is most excellent and liberal. It is written by the Rev. Geo. Buckle, of Tiverton Vicarage, Bath, whom I met at Norwich and found a thoroughly scientific and liberal parson. Perhaps you have heard that I have undertaken to write an article for the Quarterly (!) on the same subject, to make [2] up for that on "Modern Geology" last year not mentioning Sir C. Lyell.

Really, what with the Tories passing Radical Reform Bills and the Church periodicals advocating Darwinianism, the millennium must be at hand. — A. R. W.