The Dell, Grays, Essex.
Nov[embe]r.. 18th. 1873
Dear Darwin
I quite understand what you require, and would undertake to do it to the best of my ability. Of course in such work I should not think of offering criticisms of matter.
I do not think I could form any idea of how long it would take by seeing the MSS. as it would all depend upon the amount of revision and working in required.1 I have helped Sir C[harles]. Lyell2 with his last 3 or 4 editions in a somewhat similar [2] though different way,3 — & for him I kept an account simply of the hours I was employed in any way for him, — & he paid me 5/- an hour; but (of course this is confidential) I do not think this quite enough for the class of work. I should propose for your work 7s/- an hour as a fair remuneration, and I would put down each day the hours I worked at it.
No doubt you will get it done for very much less by any literary man accustomed to [3] regular literary work and nothing else, and perhaps better done, so do not in the least scruple in saying you decide on employing the gentleman4 you had in view if you prefer it.
If you send it to me could you let me have all your mss. copied out, as it adds considerably to the time required if there is any difficulty in deciphering the writing, which in yours (as you are no doubt aware) there often is.
[4]5 My hasty note6 to Bates7 was not intended to be shewn8 you or anyone. I thought he had heard of it from Murray9 & that the arrangement was to be made by Murray.
Believe me | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]
P.S. I have been delighted with H[erbert]. Spencer’s Study of Sociology10 — Some of the passages in the latter part are grand. You have perhaps seen that I am dipping into politics myself occasionally. A.R.W. [signature]
Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP1961.4100)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
[1]1
To C. Darwin.) The Dell, Grays, Essex. Nov. 18th. 1873.
Dear Darwin I quite understand what you require, and would undertake to do it to the best of my ability. Of course in such work I should not think of offering criticisms of matter.
I do not think I could form any idea of how long it would take by seeing the MSS. as it would all depend upon the amount of r revision & working in required. I have helped Sir C. Lyell2 with his last 3 or 4 editions in a somewhat similar though different way, — & for him I have kept an account simply of the hours I was employed in any way for him, — & he paid me 5/- an hour, but (of course this is confidential) I do not think this quite enough for the class of work. I should propose for your work 7/- an hour as a fair remuneration, and I would put down each day the hours I worked at it.
No doubt you will get it done for very much less by any literary man accustomed to regular literary work & nothing else, and perhaps better done, so do not in the least scruple in saying you decide on employing the gentleman you had in view if you prefer it.
If you send it to me could you let me have all your mss. copied out, as it adds considerably to the time required if there is any difficulty in deciphering the writing, which in yours, (as you are no doubt aware) there often is.
My hasty note to Bates3 was not intended to be shown you or anyone. I thought he had heard of it from Murray4 & that the arrangement was to be made by Murray.
Believe me Yours very faithfully Alfred R. Wallace.
P.S. I have been delighted with H. Spencer's5 Study of Sociology — Some of the passages in the latter part are grand. You have perhaps seen that I am dipping into politics myself occasionally. A. R. W.
Status: Draft transcription [Transcription (WCP1961.1851)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
To C.Darwin.) The Dell, Grays, Essex. Nov.18th. 1873.
Dear Darwin
I quite understand what you require, and would undertake to do it to the best of my ability. Of course in such work I should not think of offering criticisms of matter.
I do not think I could form any idea of how long it would take by seeing the MSS. as it would all depend upon the amount of r revision & working in required. I have helped Sir C. Lyell1 with his last 3 or 4 editions in a somewhat similar though different way,- & for him I have kept an account simply of the hours I was employed in any way for him,-& he paid me 5/- an hour, but ( of course this is confidential ) I do not think this quote enough for the class of work. I should propose for your work 7/- an hour as a fair remuneration, and I would put down each day the hours I worked at it.
No doubt you will get it done for very much less by any literary man accustomed to regular literary work & nothing else, and perhaps better done, so do not in the least soruple [souple?] in saying you decide on employing the gentleman you had in view if you prefer it.
If you send it to me could you let me have all your mss. copied out, as it adds considerably to the time required if there is any difficulty in deciphering the writing, which in yours,(as you are no doubt ) there often is.
My hasty note to Bates2 was not intended to be shown [to] you or anyone. I thought he had heard of it from Murray3 & that the arrangement was to be made by Murray.
Believe me | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R.Wallace [signature]
P.S. I have been delighted with H.Spencer’s4 Study of Sociology — Some of the passages in the latter part are grand. You have perhaps seen that I am dipping into politics myself occasionally. A.R.W.
Status: Draft transcription [Transcription (WCP1961.4484)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
[1] [p. 282]
The Dell, Grays, Essex. November 18, 1873.
Dear Darwin, — I quite understand what you require,1 and would undertake to do it to the best of my ability. Of course in such work I should not think of offering criticisms of matter.
I do not think I could form any idea of how long it would take by seeing the MSS., as it would all depend upon the amount of revision and working-in required. I have helped Sir C. Lyell2 with his last three or four editions in a somewhat similar though different way, and for him I have kept an account simply of the hours I was employed in any way for him, and he paid me 5/- an hour; but (of course this is confidential) I do not think this quite enough for the class of work. I should propose for your work 7/- an hour as a fair remuneration, and I would put down each day the hours I worked at it.
No doubt you will get it done for very much less by any literary man accustomed to regular literary work and nothing else, and perhaps better done, so do not in the least scruple in saying you decide on employing the gentleman you had in view if you prefer it. [2] [p. 283]
If you send it to me could you let me have all your MSS. copied out, as it adds considerably to the time required if there is any difficulty in deciphering the writing, which in yours (as you are no doubt aware) there often is.
My hasty note to Bates3 was not intended to be shown you or anyone. I thought he had heard of it from Murray,4 and that the arrangement was to be made by Murray. —Believe me yours very faithfully, ALFRED R. WALLACE.
P.S. — I have been delighted with H. Spencer's5 "Study of Sociology."6 Some of the passages in the latter part are grand. You have perhaps seen that I am dipping into politics myself occasionally. — A. R. W.
Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP1961.6059)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP1961,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 25 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1961