WCP2656

[1]¹

61 Coleshill St. Eaton Sq. S,W

Ap. 3 / 84.

Dear Sir

I received with feelings of great gratification your letter² of the 5^th ult relative to my book "The Creed of Science",³ I have to apologise to you for not acknowledging it sooner but in the first instance, it was not forwarded to me ^{in Ireland where I was till lately} for some time and in the next place I have been travelling about for the past fortnight & had not time to answer it properly. I will only now say with reference to the book that I value your approval very highly, knowing as I do that your name as well as M^r Darwin's⁴ [2] will be historically associated with that great idea & Hypothesis the philosophical side of which is so fully ^largely discussed in my book. But I am also pleased that my Chap. "To the poor" should have found favor with you as there is none other that I consider of more importance or with which I took more pains — to speak the words not only of Justice but of "truth & solemness". I felt when writing it that I had only space to give the essentials of the controversy — hardly indeed so much — and since then I have been meditating much on the Social Question in conjunction with the rural & economical question which [3] are inseparably bound up with it.

I hope in the course of the year to be in a position to bring the result of my fuller reflections before the public. E. de Laveleye⁵ the Belgian economist & philosopher was good enough as well as you to approve highly of my Chapter 'on Science & Socialism', but I feel it to be a tremendous problem — this one of poverty & how to cure it, & I am sometimes despondent about each & every case. However we must try what we can. The public conscience is perhaps more accessible to consideration of justice than it was ^even a quarter of a century ago, & the people are going to get more power to control their rulers. But I dont believe in a speedy cure of poverty, or an early reign of righteousness. the old lesson of selfishness & having every Egoism is too universal & too intense [4] & then sweeping changes have unknown consequences & perhaps endless confusion & danger of anarchy as in France. Still I would say nothing to damp the ardor of those who strive for justice.

With reference to y^r inquiry whether I might not be disposed to join the Land Nationalisation Society I can only say this at present that my position as Professor of Political Economy & Jurisprudence in Queen's College Belfast would not permit me. Besides though I can see desirable ends & though some that I see coincide with yours I have not yet made up my mind on the comparative efficiency & desirability of means. This is just what I am at present thinking ^over as deeply as I can, & getting help where I can from books & conversation with thoughtful people. I had already got your book⁶last autumn & read it [5] with great eagerness & I believe some considerable gain, but I was at the time so much occupied also with other work including the publication of my lectures that I did not come to a final conclusion on the question of Land Nationalisation, and I put your book aside till I get more leisure to read it a second time. I was glad to get the information you kindly gave of the Belgian periodical advocating a moderate Socialism which would build on the best of our present Idivisualism [sic]. In this direction I believe our best hope lies, and I shall get what has been said as soon as possible — if not through the London Library — direct from the publishers[.]

In conclusion I will say that it would give me much pleasure to have a [6] conversation with you on all these and some other topics & perhaps after Easter when the weather is a little finer you would permit me the pleasure of calling on you in the country, or arrange for a meeting where you might most [3 words illeg] — I shall be here now for some months busy at work as my duties are done till next autumn in Ireland.

I remain, Dear Sir, | yours faithfully | William Graham⁷ [signature]

A. Russel Wallace Esq.

LD.D. F.R.G.S.