WCP2560

Letter (WCP2560.2450)

[1]

THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE.

3, HORSE-SHOE COURT, LUDGATE HILL

LONDON E.C1

May 24th 1877

My dear Mr Wallace

You will receive by this post a copy of Carpenter's book on spiritualism &c2,3. I am glad you are willing to review it for the Quarterly Journal. If you can let me have have the mss. by the middle of next month it will be in time for the July no.

I would especially draw your attention to the sneering way in which Carpenter speaks of Reichenbach4 on page 32. An account of Reichenbach's heat[?] experiments is given in his "Researches in Magnetism"5(pp. 39-40, 86, 147, 150, 185, 187, 205, 585 of Ashburnen's translation, and pp 17-18, 25, 26-27 (note), 30, 78, 100, 133, 149, 180, 357, 379, 442, 459, 460, 461 of Gregory's translation).

I enclose a reprint of an article [2]6 from "The Medium". I believe it was written by a somewhat eminent man. At all events, if any of the ideas are useful I think Burns could supply data for verifying the statements.

I remember you telling me that Dr Wallich7 opposed Carpenter's views on certain subjects. Do you think he could be persuaded to write an article for the Quarterly Journal of Science? or[?] if not perhaps he would supply notes for me. I cannot very well ask him myself, but if you, have as a friend of him, have an opportunity of doing so I shall be glad. It really is important to prove to the reading Public that Dr Carpenter's assertions are not to be relied on.

Believe me | Very Truly Yours | William Crookes [signature]

1
The letterhead and address of the Quarterly Journal of Science is centred at the top of the page.
2
Carpenter, William Benjamin (1813-1885). English physician, invertebrate zoologist and physiologist.
3
Carpenter, William Benjamin. (1877). Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Etc.: Historically and Scientifically Considered. Longmans, Green & Co., London.
4
Reichenbach, Carl Ludwig von (1788-1869). German polymath and philosopher.
5
Reichenbach, Carl Ludwig von. (1850). Researches on Magnetism, Electricity, Heat, Light, Crystallization, and Chemical Attraction in their relations to The Vital Force. (1850). Trans. Gregory, William. Taylor, Walton, and Maberly, London.
6
There is a catalogue/reference number inscribed in the top right-hand corner of the page. It reads "140".
7
Wallich, Charles George (1815-1899). British naturalist and marine biologist. He considered much of his work as either ignored or plagiarised, and maintained a strong antipathy towards his scientific contemporaries.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP2560.2450)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Cooper, Rod [2015-06-04] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2015-06-04] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10]

Please cite as “WCP2560,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2560