Magd[alene]. Coll[ege]. Cambridge
267 Feb[ruar]y. 1877.
My dear Wallace,
By post card I acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the 20th for [1 word illeg.] I left it — telling you then that I was very glad to find you [1 word illeg.] of bringing out a sort of students' edition of your book. I have now had time to consider your proposed scheme of this abridged edition and it seems to me so good that almost the only suggestion I can make is that chaps. 6, 7 & 8 (on extinct animals) should not be even "somewhat" condensed. On the contrary [2] I should like to see them if possible (i.e. if space would allow) expanded. This is not only one of the most important aspects of the whole matter subject of Geogr[aphical]. Dist[ribution]. but as I find it is a matter in which learners take very first interest. Another point which I hope you will not fail to make quite as apparent as how — even if you do not, as I should be inclined to advise, give it still greater prominence — is the comparatively low morphological condition first of the Australian & next of the Neotropical Fauna. In my Glasgow Address you [3] will perhaps remember I laid much stuff in this.
So far for myself. I gave your scheme to my Demonstrator (Bridge) who is now going through your book with a Chap[ter] — perhaps the only Chap[ter] of the kind in the world — asking him to make such remarks on it as his experience so far might suggest. He has handed me the paper I enclose & I think it is worthy of your attention, as the result of the experience of me who has tried to teach your book.
Your effort I trust will be in every way successful. I am afraid [4] there is no chance of a 2nd ed[ition]. of the big book being called for at present. Whenever it is wanted pray don't fail to let me know for there are some "slips" & a few other points to which I should then like to call your attention.
You would have been around at a [1 word illeg.] I had about a week ago to get Geogr[apical] Distr[ibution] of animals reorganized as a "subject" for a Natural Science Papers. They could not have it by that name but I squeezed it under "Physical Geography"!
I return your scheme & remain | Yours very truly | Alfred Newton [signature]1
Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP2348.2238)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Suggestions made to me by Mr. Bridge. AW 26/2/77
Chapters 10-15
Not omit the Tables altogether but let them contain such families and genera only as have been mentioned in the previous descriptions of regions and subregions. Tables are very useful as affording the reader a means of referring genera to other proper families and orders. For the same reason the Tables would be especially valuable to the younger students.
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Omit geographical distrib. of Insecta and Mollusca in Vol I., except in cases where such details indicate important affinities or relationship between regions and subregions.
The distribution of these groups might be confined to Vol II.
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Seeing that it is from the past and present distribution of Mammalia that most of the important general conclusions respecting the past changes & present physical condition of the earth's surface have been deduced, details relating to this class [2] might be given in extenso, or nearly so -, while the distribution of the other Vertebrata might be more condensed.
Status: Draft transcription [Enclosure (WCP2348.5360)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP2348,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2348