Ɛpsilon

WCP2106

Letter (WCP2106.1996)

[1]

Barton Hall

Bury St Edmunds

19 — Feb’ 68

Dear Wallace

The Duke of Marlborough1 only shook hands with me when I entered & left the room on the day of the Deputation, but since that I have received a letter from him in which he says that he has made a note of my opinion of your fitness for the office which he will not forget as soon as they [2] have fixed what establishment they are to have for the museum. But he adds that as nothing is fixed yet it is impossible for him to make any promise[.]

Prof. Huxley2 has invited Mr Cole3 of the South Kensington Museum to the Anniversary dinner of the Geol. Soc. & tells me he will not forget to speak to Cole (who has accepted the invitation) in your behalf. One of my friends told me that if there was no opening [3] in the East Cole after reading the Memorial might think it worth while to find you a place in his pet establishment in S. Kensington— At any rate I hope something will come of this move. I shall be here till the 24th Inst.

I hope to get out my book the first week in March4— You will be glad to hear that the first edition5 of Darwin6 was all sold off at once, which was very good for a twenty- [4] eight shilling book[.]

believe me | truly yours | Cha Lyell7 [signature]

1
Churchill, John Winston Spencer (1822-1883). Seventh Duke of Marlborough. British Conservative cabinet minister. Earl of Sunderland 1822-40 and Marquess of Blandford 1840-57.
2
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist known as "Darwin's Bulldog".
3
Cole, Henry (1808-1882). British civil servant and inventor. Director of the South Kensington Museum 1857-73.
4
Lyell refers to the second volume of the tenth edition of Charles Lyell's Principles of Geology which was published between 16 and 31 March 1868. (Lyell, C. 1867-1868. Principles of Geology. 2 Vols. 10th Edition. London, UK: John Murray).
5
Darwin, C. R. 1868. The variation of animals and plants under domestication. London: John Murray. First edition, first issue. Volume 1.
6
Darwin, Charles Robert (1809-1882). British naturalist, geologist and author, notably of On the Origin of Species (1859).
7
Lyell, Charles (1797-1875). British geologist and author, notably of the influential Principles of Geology (1830-1833). President of the Geological Society of London, 1835-37 and 1849-51.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP2106.1996)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Cooper, Rod [2013-04-10] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-04-10] Transcription checked by Beros, Matt [2020-09-15] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2025-03-03]

Please cite as “WCP2106,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2106