WCP2582

[1]

Bystock,

Near Exmouth,

Devon.

Nov^r. 26^th. 1879.

Dear Sir,

I have been greatly pleased and flattered by your letter¹ on the subject of my essay on Spiritual Evolution.²

I entirely agree with you that should there be any ousting of a previous normal possession of the organism, reincarnation could not be supported on any rational evidence whether drawn from Evolution or any other source. But would this be so? Would there be a normal possession derived from the parents or would this possession be a preexistent and independent soul?

I have delayed replying to your letter until I could read and compare the reasoning and arguments contained in the article you referred me to. But having read you friend's article I cannot say that I have found in it any proof of the [2] derivation of the soul from the parents.

I will not allude to my essay for you have not seen in it any proof of the views I wished to support. But there is much that I could say from any aspect of the case, to negative the position of your friend. His theory is, to my mind, insufficient; nor do I think, taking everything into consideration that it is an advantageous one.

But I may perhaps write out my objections and send them to the editor of the same magazine. Should they for any reason not be published I will if you would care to see it send you the manuscript for perusal.

Allow me to add that I sincerely regret not to have had sufficient mental power to draw over to any side such a mind as yours; and that this is no small disillusion and implies no insignificant arguments against the views I hold and which any Judgement has accepted as an explanation of the [3] mysteries I see around me.

Believe me, dear Sir | Faithfully Yours | J. P. Bryce³ [signature]

Alfred R. Wallace Esq^re. &c, &c,

Waldron Edge Duppas Hill

Croydon.