[1]1
Inverquharity
Richmond
Tas[mania]
7/6/[19]08
Dear Dr Wallace
I send herewih the small lot of seeds I have received with Morris wife explanation why the parcel is so small. As he is both an explorer & a botanist I expected more from him than from any one else; and the season is now so late that I fear am not going to get any more contributions from any quarter this year at any rate. If I do I will forward them. Blandfordia is a low plant, looking something between a bulb & a coarse grass. I think it a coarse growing thing, vulgar looking[?] [2] looks like penstemon (Uniflower[?]) brick red outside, yellow inside & grows on barren hills (quartzite I think)
I have one political question arising out here that would interest you. The great fight is between the "Socialist" & the "Anti-Socialist"; though to most of th on bothe sides, Socialism seems & [1 word illeg] more a [1 word illeg], like Conservatives & Liberalism than a definite creed; Still most of the Labour leaders declare openly that they want to see all individual enterprise suppressed, the State to own all the opportunities & instrument of production & carry that on "for the public good instead of for private profit" —
[3] Well, the beasts & the bees reached that stage long ago so perhaps we really [1 word illeg] — For myself; it is not a thing I should fight for, but ag[ain]st. I don't see that we need sacrifice individual liberty to obtain justice. Settle the land law & the Capitalist will disappear. But we can reach the end quicker if we fight both toether. — Next to socialism, but bearing on it, is the struggle between State Rights & Federal Rights.
I am glad that Tas[mania]. has joined the Federation. It was her only hope. She will be dragged along by the hair of her head as a member of the Commonwealth.
I hope you continue to deal with <such> [4]2 questions as well as purely scientific ones. I am waiting to receive [1 word illeg] forthcoming book as soon as it appears; I trust you received my last lot of seeds (the only [1 word illeg]) all right.
With best wishes & congratulations that age has not dimmed your power. I am
Always Yours Sincerely | A J Ogilvy [signature]
Please forward letter & packet of seed addressed to Dr. Wallace — I am not sure of his address
Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP2905.2795)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP2905,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2905