WCP1997

[1]

Milnthorpe R^d

Eastbourne

My dear Mr Wallace

It is very good of you to write to me about Romanes'¹ letters. I must confess I could not guess how they came into your hands. My only theory was that my father² gave them to my brother George,³ and that he gave them ^copies to you, which I imagine he might [2] ^do, without any particular harm.

I will take care to respect your confidence — I did not read Romanes in the XIX^th century but I have heard the offensiveness of his article spoken of. It is simply disgraceful that belief or non belief in spiritualism should be [3] brought in. Apart from this also it disgusts me that Romanes (whom I like in spite of his foibles) should so forget what is due to a man in your position from one of Romanes ^his calibre — I think Romanes is one of those people to whom the pen is not onl merely "an organ of thought" so much as an organ [4] of arrogance. At least I do not see much sign of his self-sufficing in conversation.

Yours truly | Francis Darwin⁴ [signature]