WCP1922

Letter (WCP1922.4082)

[1]

9, St Mark’s Crescent N.W.

June 23rd. [1869]1

Dear Darwin

Thank you very much for the copy of your fifth Edition of the "Origin".2 I have not yet read all the additions, but those I have looked at seem very interesting, though somewhat brief, — but I suppose you are afraid of too great & rapid growth.

A difficult sexual character seems to me the plumules or battledore scales on the wings of certain families & genera of butterflies — almost invariably changing in form with the species and genera in proportion to the changes, — and [2] always constant in each species yet confined to the males, & so small & mixed up with the other scales, as to produce no effect on the colour or marking of the wings. How could sexual selection produce them?

Your correspondent Mr. Geach3 is now in England, & if you would like to see him I am sure [he] would be glad to meet you. He is staying with his brother4, address, [3] Guildford, but often comes to town. Hoping that you have quite recovered from your accident & that the great work is progressing,

Believe me | Dear Darwin | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature] —

P.S. You will perhaps be pleased to hear that German5[,] French6 & Danish translations7 of my Malay Archipelago are in progress.

A.R.W.

1
The year 1869 has been established by the Darwin Correspondence Project. See DCP-LETT-6797.
2
Darwin, C. R. 1869. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 5th Ed. London, John Murray.
3
Geach, Frederick F. (1835-1890). English mining engineer and friend of ARW.
4
Geach, Robert Edgar (fl.1840-1880). British solicitor and brother of Frederick F. Geach.
5
See Wallace, A. R. 1869. Der Malayische Archipel. Die Heimath des Orang-Utan und des Paradiesvogels. 2 Vols. Braunschweig: Georg Westermann.
6
An abridged French translation of the Malay Archipelago was published in the travel periodical Le Tour du Monde from 1871-73 under the title 'L'Archipel Malaisien : Patrie de l'Orang-outang et de l'Oiseau de Paradis'. In 1880 Hachette published an edition of Hippolye Vattemare's translation as part of the "Bibliothèque des écoles et des familles" series. See Wallace, A. R. 1871-1873. L'Archipel Malaisien : Patrie de l'Orang-outang et de l'Oiseau de Paradis : Récits de Voyage et Étude de l'Homme et de la Nature. Le Tour du Monde, 22 (1870): 145-176; 24 (1872): 225-256, 26 (1873): 177-208. Paris: Librairie Hachette; 1880. La Malasie: recits de Voyages et Études de l’Homme et de la Nature. Abreges par H. Vattemare. Paris: Librairie Hachette.
7
ARW evidently mean to refer to the Dutch translation of the Malay Archipelago by Pieter Johannes. See Wallace, A. R. 1870-1871. Insulinde: Het land van den Orang-Oetan en den Paradijsvogel. Uit het Engelsch vertaald en van aanteekeningen voorzien door Prof. P.J. Veth. 2 Vols. Amsterdam: P.N. van Kampen.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP1922.4082)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Lord, Annette [2012-09-21] Transcription checked by Beros, Matt [2019-12-20]

Transcription (WCP1922.1812)

[1]1

To C.Darwin.) 9, St.Mark's Crescent N.W. June 23rd.2

Dear Darwin Thank you very much for the copy of your fifth Edition of the "Origin". I have not yet read all the additi[o]ns, but those I have looked at seem very interesting, though somewhat brief,— but I suppose you are affraid [sic] of its great & rapid growth.

A difficult sexual character seems to me the plume plumules or battle- dore scales on the wings of certain families & genera of butterflies, almost invariably changing in form with the species and genera in proportion to other changes,— and always constant in each species yet confined to the males, & so small & mixed up with the other scales, as to produce no effect on the colour or marking of the wings. How could sexual selection produce them?

Your correspondent Mr Geach is now in England, & if you would like to/see him I am sure would be glad to meet you. He is staying with his brother, address Guildford, but often comes to town.

Hoping that you have quite recovered from your accident & that the great work is progressing, Believe me Dear Darwin | Yours very faithfully Alfred R. Wallace.

P.S. You will perhaps be pleased to hear that German French & Danish translations of my Malay Archipelago are in progress. A.R.W.

1
Pagenumber (1) is typed top centre of the page, and crossed out in pencil.
2
1869 is given as the suggested date in pencil.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Transcription (WCP1922.1812)]

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

Revision history

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

Transcription (WCP1922.4501)

[1]

To C.Darwin.) 9,St.Mark’s Crescent N.W. June 23rd. 18691

Dear Darwin

Thank you very much for the copy of your fifth Edition of the "Origin". I have not yet read all the additions, but those I have looked at seem very interesting, though somewhat brief,— but I suppose you are affraid[sic] of its great & rapid growth.

A difficult sexual character seems to me the plumue 2plumules or battle-3scales on the wings of certain families & genera of butterflies, almost invariably changing in form with the species and genera in proportion to other changes,— and always constant in each species yet confined to the males, & and so small & mixed up with the other scales, as to produce no effect on the colour or marking of the wings. How could sexual selection produce them?

Your correspondent Mr Geach4 is now in England, & if you would like to/see him I am sure would be glad to meet you. He is staying with his brother, address Guildford, but often comes to town.

Hoping that you have quite recovered from your accident & that the great work is progressing, Believe me | Dear Darwin | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

P.S. You will perhaps be pleased to hear that German French & Danish translations of my Malay Archipelago are in progress. A.R.W. [signature]

1
This is handwritten after the first transcript, not on the original letter.
2
Here the text drops down half a line.
3
Here is handwritten something, again after the first transcript, possibly "done"?
4
Geach, Frederick F. (1835-1890). English mining engineer and friend of ARW.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Transcription (WCP1922.4501)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Kowal, Emma [2012-08-17] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-01-15]

Published letter (WCP1922.6009)

[1] [p. 244]

9 St. Mark's Crescent, N.W. June 23, 1869.

Dear Darwin, — Thank you very much for the copy of your fifth edition of the "Origin." I have not yet read all the additions, but those I have looked at seem very interesting, though somewhat brief, but I suppose you are afraid of its great and rapid growth.

A difficult sexual character seems to me the plumules or battledore scales on the wings of certain families and genera of butterflies, almost invariably changing in form with the species and genera in proportion to other changes, [2] and always constant in each species yet confined to the males, and so small and mixed up with the other scales as to produce no effect on the colour or marking of the wings. How could sexual selection produce them?

Your correspondent Mr. Geach is now in England, and if you would like to see him I am sure he would be glad to meet you. He is staying with his brother (address Guildford), but often comes to town.

Hoping that you have quite recovered from your accident and that the great work is progressing, believe me, dear Darwin, yours very faithfully, ALFRED R. WALLACE.

P.S. — You will perhaps be pleased to hear that German, French, and Danish translations of my "Malay Archipelago" are in progress. — A. R. W.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP1922.6009)]

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 “WCP1922,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1922