WCP1997

[1]

Milnthorpe R[oa]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 father gave them to my brother George², 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 X/X^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 [1 word illeg.] 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 Darwin [signature]²