38. Parolles Road.
Upper Holloway
London. h.
July 24|[18]98
Alfred Russel Wallace. Esq —
Sir,
As a highly interested reader of your latest book "The Wonderful Century", may I venture to address a few remarks by way of criticism on a portion of one chapter — viz\ that on "the importance of dust" — Chap[ter]. IX.
While I do not wish to cast any doubt on the accuracy [2] of the general conclusions of Prof. Ipidace & other eminent plupicists[sic] as to the influence of dust in the air as modifying the colour of sunlight as it passes through a smaller or greater volume of it, I think it meis well to bear in mind a fact clearly brought out (I think) by the recent research of Prof. Denar. These prove their liquid air (& therefore surely gaseous air) is not colourless but has a most decided blue or greenish-blue tint, even when viewed (as I have viewed it myself at the Royal Institution) in [3]3 comparatively small quantities.
One is forced then to conclude, that whatever part dust may play in the atmosphere (& that of acting as nuclei of condensation for water-vapor[sic] is certainly one), that pure air has in colour per se. I should think myself that this was also true of sea-water, though further experiments in this matter are very desirable.
Apologizing for thus introducing myself.
I leave the honour to remain, | Your obedient servant | Henry Garnett[signature]
P.T.O
[4]4 P.S. On p. 89 I note among the list of coal-less derivatives "artificial quinine". May I venture to state that quinine has never yet been synthesized, though possibly one or other of the new synthetic remedies (of the antipyrin clan) has been termed "artificial quinine" — or "quinine substitute".
H. G.
H Garnett
Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP2767.2657)]
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Please cite as “WCP2767,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2767