Ɛpsilon

WCP2365

Letter (WCP2365.2255)

[1]1,2

21 July 1878

My dear Wallace,

I fear I can give you no help in your enquiry, for seeing I am partially colour blind, and trust in all matters of colour more to testimony and memory than to my eyes[.] I have always been indifferent to questions which depended on colour.

I thought however I would show your letter to my colleagues here before [2] Replying. They have the general opinion that I have that our temperate fruits are more frequently and more highly coloured than those of the tropics, but of course this notion is based chiefly on the literature of botany, where colour is not much dwelt on, and on coloured plates, for none of us know personally tropical regions — [3] Nor can I recall any books which would help you on the subject —

I never see anything of the progress of Epping Forest conservancy — I am to be at Sewardstone on Thursday next, and may than hear some news. It was on a former occassion of visiting the friend at Sewardstone that I met Sir Culling Eardley3 — If I see him on this [4] occasion I will try to get anything out of him and let you know4 —

I am ever faithfully yours | Wm Carruthers5 [signature]

1
In pencil in ARW’s handwriting, "Groom-Napier's Food Use & Beauty of Brit. Birds — Groombridge 1865".
2
Groom-Napier, Charles Ottley. 1865. The food, use, and beauty of British birds, &c. London: Groombridge & Sons.
3
Sir Culling Eardley died in 1863. Carruthers may be referring to his nephew, Hugh Culling Eardley Childers (1827-1896). Politician.ODNB
4
Wallace applied for the position of Superintendent of Epping Forest in 1878 (WCP 3374). His 1878 essay 'Epping Forest' argued the need for ecological restoration. Clark, Brett, and York, Richard. (2007).The Restoration of Nature and Biogeography. An Introduction to Alfred Russel Wallace's 'Epping Forest' in 1878. Organization & Environment, June 2007. Vol 20, No 2. [pp. 213-234].
5
Carruthers, William (1830-1922). Keeper of Botany at the British Museum (1871-1895), and paleobotanist. Father of John Bennett Carruthers (1869-1910).

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP2365.2255)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Ghosh, Susan [2015-06-24] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2015-06-24] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP2365,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2365