WCP2701

Letter (WCP2701.2591)

[1]

Allen proposes — "Democratic" party; National Party is too much Chamberlain — "Social Party" is what I like, but it looks like a tea cup business.

Lilly Hour[?]

Confidential

[illeg.] Road

Leyton

March 17. 1894.

Dear Dr. Wallace:

A most gran[d] step presents itself to me. In reading over Grant Allens MS. [?] (received this morning) I have been carried further than I dreamt of going with my new book. He writes a powerful paper and goes in for a new party and a new title and ends up "From this day forward there will be no such thing as [2] political differences; there will only be the differences between those who wish well to their kind & those who wish ill to it. Politics are henceforth merged in morals[.] Choose which side you will take —God's or the Devils." Sin[ce][?] I have found that the Liberals with any worldly or Party name are very unlikely to write anything for my book and the question comes whether I had better not head as [3] daring and powerful revolt — not a mere squib[?] affair — but most serious, and linking with it are that religion moral devotion and lofty ideas can give to it. I say head — a child can lead head a giant — I simply mean as far as this book is concerned. I pretend[?] to no powers to go much further, though I should like to hear from you whether you think he might put together some new machinery.

Here then is my point. With a book trembling with emotion and ruled with this [4] passionate idea, your article may want a large pushing into line. I must lay hold of every great man I can get — you must look at it as a matter of imperative duty for it is plain I shall not be able to get but few with great names. And yet with a book like this we must be strong. Is there any one you can name?

My publishers are Hodder Brothers [illeg.] folk, but I managed to inspire them to leave matters to me entirely — this, however is a further departure into the Tomorrow — which I told them I was making for.

Very tr[ul]y | Mrs. Andrew Reid [signature]

Please cite as “WCP2701,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2701