WCP2582

[1]¹

Bystock,

Near Exmouth,

Devon.

Nov[embe]^r. 26^th. 1879.

Dear Sir,

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

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? Should there be a normal possession derived from the parents or would this possession be a preexistent and independent [word illeg.]?

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But I may perhaps write out my objections and send them to the editor of the same magazine Should they for any reason not be published I will if you care to see it send you the manuscript for perusal.

Allow me to add that I sincerely affect[?] not to have had sufficient mental power to draw ever[?] 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[?] find [word illeg.] has accepted as an explanation of the [3] mysteries I see around me.

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

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

Waldron Edge Duppas Hill

Croydon.