WCP1924

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

Dear Darwin I do not know your son's (Mr G.Darwin's) address at Cambridge. Will you be so good as to forward him the enclosed note begging for a little information.

I was delighted to see the notice in the "Academy" that you are really going to bring out your book on Man. I anticipate for it an enormous sale, and shall read it with intense interest, although I expect to find in it more to differ from than in any of your other books. Some reasonable and reasoning opponents are now taking the field. I have been writing a little notice of Murphy's "Habit & Intelligence",— which with much that is strange & unintelligible contains some very acute criticisms and the statement of a few real difficulties. Another article just sent me from "the Month" — contains some good criticism. How incipient organs can be useful is a real difficulty, so is the independent origin of similar complex organs,— but most of his other points though well put are not very formidable. I am trying to begin a little book on the "Distribution of Animals", but I fear I shall not make much of it from my idleness in collecting facts. I shall make it a popular sketch first, and if it succeeds gather materials for enlarging it at a future time. If any suggestion occurs to you as to the kind of maps that would be best, or on any other essential point, I sh'd be glad of a hint. I hope your residence in Wales did you good. I had no idea you were so near Dolgally till I met your son there one evening when I was going to leave the next morning. It is a glorious country but the time I like is May and June — the foliage is so glorious. Sincerely hoping you are pretty well & with kind regards to Mrs Darwin & the rest of your family Believe me

Yours very faithfully Alfred R. Wallace.

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

Dear Darwin

I do not know your son’s (Mr. G.Darwin’s¹) address at Cambridge. Will you be so good as to forward him the enclosed note begging for a little information.

I was delighted to see the notice in the "Academy" that you are really going to bring out your book on Man. I anticipate for it an enormous sale, and shall read it with intense interest, although I expect to find in it more to differ from than in any of your other books.

Some reasonable and reasoning opponents are now taking the field. I have been writing a little notice of Murphy’s "Habit & Intelligence"²,- which with much that is strange and unintelligible contains some very acute criticisms and the statement of a few real difficulties

Another article just sent me from "the Month"- contains some good criticism. How incipient organs can be useful is a real difficulty, so is the independent origin of similar complex organs,— but most of his other points though well put are not very formidable.

I am trying to begin a little book on the "Distribution of Animals", but I fear I shall not make much of it from my idle-ness in collecting facts. I shall make it a popular sketch first, a and if it succeeds gather materials for enlarging it at a future time.

If any suggestion occurs to you as to the kind of maps that would be best, or on any other essential point, I sh[oul]d be glad of a hint.

I hope your residence in Wales did you good. I had no idea you were so near Dolgally³ till I met your son there one evening when I was going to leave the next morning. It is a glorious country but the time I like is May and June — the foliage is so glorious.

Sincerely hoping you are pretty well & with kind regards to Mrs Darwin & the rest of your family.

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

[1] [p. 246]

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

Dear Darwin, — I do not know your son's (Mr. George Darwin's) address at Cambridge. Will you be so good as to forward him the enclosed note begging for a little information?

I was delighted to see the notice in the Academy that you are really going to bring out your book on Man. I anticipate for it an enormous sale, and shall read it with intense interest, although I expect to find in it more to differ from than in any of your other books. Some reasonable and reasoning opponents are now taking the field. I have been writing a little notice of Murphy's "Habit and Intelligence," which, with much that is strange and unintelligible, contains some very acute criticisms and the statement of a few real difficulties. Another article just sent me from the Month contains some good criticism. How incipient organs can be useful is a real difficulty, so is the independent origin of similar complex organs; but most of his other points, though well put, are not very formidable. I am trying to begin a little book on the Distribution of Animals, but I fear I shall not make much of it from my idleness in collecting facts. [2]

I shall make it a popular sketch first, and, if it, succeeds, gather materials for enlarging it at a future time. It any suggestion occurs to you as to the kind of maps that would be best, or on any other essential point, I should be glad of a hint. I hope your residence in Wales did you good. I had no idea you were so near Dolgelly till I met your son there one evening when I was going to leave the next morning. It is a glorious country, but the time I like is May and June — the foliage is so glorious.

Sincerely hoping you are pretty well, and with kind regards to Mrs. Darwin and the rest of your family, believe me yours very faithfully, ALFRED R. WALLACE.