WCP1927

Letter (WCP1927.4085)

[1]

9. St. Mark’s Crescent N.W.

December 4th. [1869]1

Dear Darwin

Dr. Adolf Bernhard Meyer2 who translated my book into German3 has written to me for permission to translate my original paper in the Linnean Proc[eedings] with yours4, — and wants to put my photograph & yours in it. If you have given him permission to reprint translate the papers (which I suppose he can do without permission if he pleases) I write to ask which of your photographs you would wish to represent [2] you in Germany, — the last, or the previous one by Ernest Edwards5, which I think much the best, as if you like I will undertake to order them and save you any more trouble about it. It is of course out of the question our meeting to be photographed together, as Mr. Meyer coolly proposes.

Hoping you are well,

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

[3] P.S. I have written a paper on Geological Time, which will appear in "Nature"6, — & I think I have hit upon a solution of our greatest difficulties in that matter.

A.R.W. [signature]

The year of 1869 has been established by the Darwin Correspondence Project see DCP-LETT-7019.
Meyer, Adolf Bernard (1840-1911). German naturalist and Director of the Royal Zoological and Anthropological-Ethnographic Museum in Dresden, 1871-1901.
Wallace, A. R. 1869. Der Malayische Archipel. Die Heimath des Orang-Utan und des Paradiesvogels. 2 Vols. Braunschweig: Georg Westermann.
Darwin, C. & Wallace, A. 1858. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural means of Selection. Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London (Zoology). 3(9): 45-62.
Edwards, Ernest (1837-1903). British photographer who invented the heliotype process of photomechanical reproduction.
Wallace, A. R. 1870. The Measurement of Geological Time. I. Nature 1: 399-401 (17 Feb. 1870) / II. Nanture 1: 452-455 (3 March 1870).

Transcription (WCP1927.1817)

[1]1

To C.Darwin.) 9, St.Mark's Crescent N.W. December 4th.2

Dear Darwin Dr Adolf Bernhard Meyer who translated my book into German has written to me for permission to translate my original paper in the Linnaean Proc. with yours,— and wants to put my photograph & yours in it. If you have given him permission to translate the papers (which I suppose he can do without permission if he pleases) I write to ask which of your photographs you would wish to represent you in Germany,— the last, or the previous one by Ernest Edwards, which I think much the best, as I if you like I will undertake to order them and save you any more trouble about it. It is of course out of the question our meeting to be photographed together, as Mr Meyer cooly proposes.

Hoping you are well, believe me yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace

P.S. I have written a paper on Geological Time, which will appear in "Nature",— & I think I have hit upon a solution of our greatest difficulties in that matter. A.R.W.

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

Transcription (WCP1927.4499)

[1]

To C.Darwin.) 9,St.Mark’s Crescent N.W. December 4th (1869)1

Dear Darwin

Dr Adolf Bernhard Meyer2 who translated my book into German has written to me for permission to translate my original pa paper in the Linnaean Proc[eedings] with yours,— and wants to put my photograph & yours in it. If you have given him permission to translate the papers (which I suppose he can do without permission if he pleases) I write to ask which of your photographs you would wish to represent you in Germany,— the last, or the previous one by Ernest Edwards3, which I think much the best, as I if you like I wall undertake to order them and save you any more trouble about it. It is of course out of the question our meeting to be photographed together, as Mr Meyer cooly proposes.

Hoping you are well, believe me yours very faithfully | Alfred R.Wallace [signature]

P.S. I have written a paper on Geological Time, which will appear in

"Nature",— & I think I have hit upon a solution of our greatest difficulties in that matter. A.R.W. [signature]

This is handwritten after the first transcript, not on the original letter.
Adolf Bernhard Meyer (1840 — 1911) German anthropologist, ornithologist and entomologist
Ernest Edwards (1837 — 1903) photographer

Published letter (WCP1927.6013)

[1] [p. 248]

9 St. Mark's Crescent, N.W. December 4, [1869]1.

Dear Darwin, — Dr. Adolf Bernhard Meyer2, who translated my book into German, has written to me for permission to translate my original paper in the Linnean Proceedings with yours, and wants to put my photograph and yours in it. If you have given him permission to translate the papers (which I suppose he can do without permission if he pleases), I write to ask which of your photographs you would wish to represent you in Germany — the last, or the previous one by Ernest Edwards3, which I think much the best — as if you like I will undertake to order them and save you any more trouble about it. It is, of course, out of the question our meeting to be photographed together, as Mr. Meyer coolly proposes.

Hoping you are well, believe me yours very faithfully, | ALFRED R. WALLACE.

P.S. — I have written a paper on Geological Time, which will appear in Nature, and I think I have hit upon a solution of your greatest difficulties in that matter. — A. R. W.

In the published letter the year was in square brackets.
Meyer, Adolf Bernard (1840-1911). German naturalist and Director of the Royal Zoological and Anthropological-Ethnographic Museum in Dresden, 1871-1901.
Edwards, Ernest (1837-1903). British photographer who invented the heliotype process of photomechanical reproduction.

Please cite as “WCP1927,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 11 October 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1927