WCP2103

Letter (WCP2103.1993)

[1]

73. Harley St

London. W.

24 — Jan[uary] 1868

Dear Mr Wallace

Since I received your letter1 I have had another interview with Prof: Huxley2 & found that Captain Donelly [sic]3 was with him who is in some way I believe connected with the South Kensington Art & Science Museum;4 he told us positively that [2] nothing is yet settled about the future staff of the East London Museum, but that as the money was voted we might — apply to Government at once[.]

The most useful hint he gave us was this, that Ethnology was intended to form a prominent post in this new Museum. The reason for this originally was that they of the British Museum wanted some few years ago to get rid of their Ethnological [3] Collection but they probably have now acquired a new interest in their eyes— Be this as it may we shall take care to put forth your Ethnological papers as part of your claim[.]

I found that Dr Sharpey5 had not yet sent to Prof: Huxley your papers & what Huxley gave him when he claimed the medal for you,6 but I hope to get it in a day or two & to get the signatures.

You may send privately to me & anything you like in the shape of a puff of [4] your merits & qualifications — I will take care & keep it to yourmyself— It will not fail to be a great help & do not shrink from doing it out of modesty[.]

Since I wrote the above I have received from the Secretary of the Royal Society7 what Huxley wrote about the medal which is very brief & makes me more desirous of your help in drawing up a statement which please do as if it was for a third person[.] [5]8

I am slow in at composing such certificates & very busy just now & there ought not to be a day lost as the obtaining [of] good signatories is a tedious process[.]

I will not send first to any one who looks with disfavor on an advocate of the Darwinian heresy[.]

You will be glad to hear that Huxley is to be our next President of the G[eological]. S[ociety].9 I may have told you this [6] before[.]

believe me | ever truly yours | Cha Lyell [signature]

1
ARW's letter to Lyell is presumed missing.
2
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist known as "Darwin's Bulldog".
3
Donnelly, Sir John Fretcheville Dykes (1834-1902). British army officer and promoter of scientific education. On 1 April 1858 Donnelly's services were secured in reorganising the Department of Science and Art at South Kensington.
4
The South Kensington Museum was established in 1852 and initially based at Marlborough House on the Mall. In 1857 the museum relocated to its current site in South Kensington and was renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1899. The original South Kensington Museum reflected the wider remit of the Science and Art Department. (James, E. 1998. The Victoria and Albert Museum: A Bibliography and Exhibition Chronology, 1852-1996. London: Fitzroy Dearborn Publisher pp.xiv-xv).
5
Sharpey, William (1802-1880). British physiologist. Professor of anatomy and physiology at the University of London 1836-74 and secretary of the Royal Society 1853-71.
6
Huxley nominated ARW for the Royal Medal of the Royal Society in 1868 in recognition of the value of his many contributions to theoretical and practical zoology.
7
See endnote 5.
8
ARW adds a circled annotation 'Jan[uar]y 24th. 1868' at the upper left-hand corner of page 5
9
The Geological Society of London was founded on 13 October 1807. Shortly after its founding the society began to accumulate a library and a collection of rocks, minerals and fossils. In 1825 the Society received a Royal Charter from George IV allowing for the bestowal of Fellowships. The Society quarters were based in 20 Bedford Street until 1828 when the society shifted to Somerset House, The Strand and finally in 1878 the Society relocated to its present location at Burlington House, Piccadilly (Lewis, C. L. E. & Knell, S. J. (Eds.) 2009. The Making of the Geological Society of London. London: The Geological Society London).

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP2103.1993)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Cooper, Rod [2013-03-27] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-03-27] Transcription checked by Beros, Matt [2020-09-15]

Please cite as “WCP2103,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2103