Ɛpsilon

WCP2924

Letter (WCP2924.2814)

[1]1

BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY),

CROMWELL ROAD,

LONDON: S. W.

Feb. 17, 1909

Dear Mr Wallace,

Will you forgive me for troubling you with a letter.

I was a good deal surprised to receive the enclosed newspaper cutting yesterday. The main fact that it mentions - the intention of the Trustees to hold a Darwin2 Exhibition3 here - is perfectly correct. But the corroborative detail given must have been invented [2] by someone with a very well developed imagination.

The paragraph has, however, suggested the idea that even if you are not "taking a leading part in the arrangements for the exhibition", you might perhaps be able and willing to give us some assistance on the matter.

The object of my letter is to [3] ask you whether you could see your way to lending of the Museum, for the purposes of this exhibition, any objects such as pictures, letters, specimens, etc. which you think would interest the public in connexion with Darwin.

The exhibition will probably remain open for some months.

With apologies for troubling you

I remain | yours very truly | S. F. Harmer4 (Keeper of Zoology)

[4]5

1
In ARW’s handwriting, “Answd Suggestion about Lists". The letter has not been found.
2
Darwin, Charles Robert (1809-1882). British naturalist, geologist and author, notably of On the Origin of Species (1859).
3
The Darwin Centenary Celebration. Nature 80, 433–434 (1909).
4
Harmer, Sidney Frederic (1862-1950). British zoologist and Keeper of Zoology at the British Museum (Natural History).
5
In ARW’s handwriting, “S. F. Harmer”.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP2924.2814)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Sherwood, Danni [2020-06-09] Transcription checked by Lo, Yen [2020-10-30] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP2924,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2924