WCP1992

[1]¹

To C.Darwin.) Nutwood Cottage, Frith Hill, Godalming

July 9th. 1881

My dear darwin

I am just doing, what I have rarely if ever done bef before— reading a book through a second time immediately after the first perusal. I do not think I have ever been so attracted by a book, — with perhaps the exception of your Origin of Species and Spencer's "First Principles" and "Social Statics". I wish therefore to call your attention to it, in case you care about books on Social & Political subjects, but here there is also an elaborate discussion of Malthus' Principles of Population to which both you and I have acknowledged ourselves indebted. The present writer — Mr George, while admitting the main principle as self-evident and as actually operating in the case of animals and plants, denies that it ever has operated or can operate in the case of man, still less that it has any bearing whatever on the vast social and political questions which have been supported by a reference to it. He illustrates and supports his views with a wealth of illustrative facts and a cogency of argument which I have rarely seen equalled, while his style is equal to that of Buckle & thus his book is delightful reading. The title of the book is — "Progress and Poverty". It has gone through 6 editions in America and is now published in England by Kegan Paul. It is devoted mainly to a brilliant discussion and refutation of some of the most widely accepted maxims of Political Economy — such as the relation of Wages and Capital — the nature of Rent and Interest — the Laws of Distribution &c. but all treated as parts of the same ^main problem as stated in the title page — "An Enquiry into the Cause of Industrial Depressions and of Increase of Want with increase of Wealth". It is the most startlingly novel and original book of the last 20 years and if I mistake not will in the future rank as marking an advance in Political and Social Science equal to that made by Adam Smith a century ago.

I am here settled in my little cottage engaged in the occupation I most enjoy — making a garden, and admiring the infinite variety and beauty of vegetable life. I am out of doors all day & hardly read anything. As the long evenings come on I shall get on with my book on the "Land Question", in which I have found a powerful ally in Mr George.

Hoping you are well Believe me Yours most faithfully Alfred R. Wallace

To C.Darwin) Nutwood Cottage, Frith Hill, Godalming. July 9th. 1881

My dear Darwin

I am first doing, what I have rarely if ever done bef before—reading a book through a second time immediately after the first perusal. I do not think I have ever been as attracted by a book, — with perhaps the exception of your Origin of Species¹ and Spencer’s "First Principles"² and "Social Statics"³. I wish therefore to call your attention to it, in case you care about books on Social & Political subjects, but here there is also an elaborate discussion of Malthus’ Principles of Population⁴ to which both you and I have acknowledged ourselves indebted. The present writer — Mr George⁵, while admitting the main principle as self-evident and as actually operating in the case of animals and plants, denies that it ever has operated or can operate in the case of man, still less that it has any bearing whatever on the vast social and political questions which have been supported by a reference to it. He illustrates and supports his views with a wealth of illustrative facts and a <agency?> of argument which I have rarely seen equalled, while his style is equal to that of <Buckley>⁶ & thus his book is delightful reading. The title of the book is — "Progress and Poverty"⁷. It has gone through 5 editions in America and is now published in England by Hegan Paul. It is devoted mainly to a brilliant discussion and refutation of some of the most oldely accepted [1 word illeg.] of Political Economy — such as the relation of Wages and Capital- the nature of Rent and Interest- the Laws of Distribution Etc. but all treated as parts of the main⁸ problem as stated in the titlepage — "an Enquiry into the cause of Industrial Depressions and of Increase of Want with the increase of Health". It is the most startingly novel and original book of the last 30 years and if I mistake not will in the future rank as making an advance in Political and Social Science equal to that made by Adam Smith⁹ a century ago.

I am here settled in my little cottage engaged in the occupation I most enjoy- making a garden, and admiring the infinite variety and beauty of vegetable life. I am out of doors all day & hardly read anything. As the lone evenings come on I shall get on with my book on the "Land Question"^10, in which I have found a <wonderful?> ally in Mr George.

Hoping you are well | Believe me | Yours most faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace

[1] [p. 317]

Nutwood Cottage, Frith Hill, Godalming. July 9, 1881.

My dear Darwin, — I am just doing, what I have rarely if ever done before — reading a book through a second time immediately after the first perusal. I do not think I have ever been so attracted by a book, with perhaps the exception of your "Origin of Species"¹ and Spencer's² "First Principles"³ and "Social Statics."⁴ I wish therefore to call your attention to it, in case you care about books on social and political subjects, but here there is also an elaborate discussion of Malthus's⁵ "Principles of Population,"⁶ to which both you and I have acknowledged ourselves indebted. The present writer, Mr. George,⁷ while admitting the main principle as self-evident and as actually operating in the case of animals and plants, denies that it ever has operated or can operate in the case of man, still less that it has any bearing whatever on the vast social and political questions which have been supported by a reference to it. He illustrates and supports his views with a wealth of illustrative facts and a cogency of argument which I have rarely seen equalled, while his style is equal to that of Buckle,⁸ and thus his book is delightful reading. The title of the book is "Progress and Poverty."⁹ It has gone through six editions in America, and is now published in England by Kegan Paul.¹⁰ It is devoted mainly to a brilliant discussion and refutation of some of the most widely accepted maxims of political economy, such as the relation of wages and capital, the nature of rent and interest, the laws of distribution, etc., but all treated as [2] [p. 318] parts of the main problem as stated in the title-page, "An Enquiry into the Cause of Industrial Depressions and of Increase of Want with Increase of Wealth." It is the most startling novel and original book of the last twenty years, and if I mistake not will in the future rank as making an advance in political and social science equal to that made by Adam Smith¹¹ a century ago.

I am here settled in my little cottage engaged in the occupation I most enjoy — making a garden, and admiring the infinite variety and beauty of vegetable life. I am out of doors all day and hardly read anything. As the long evenings come on I shall get on with my book on the "Land Question,"¹² in which I have found a powerful ally in Mr. George.

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