Ɛpsilon

WCP293

Letter (WCP293.293)

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

Septr 7th. 1897

My dear Violet1

We were glad to hear you enjoyed Paris. I was there more than 502 years ago for a week with my brother3 & sister4 and for a few days with G. Silk5 in 184753, I think, and again for a day or two with your Ma6 on our way to Switzerland in 1868. Of course it is a pleasure city, built largely by [2] the speculators who thrived during Louis Napoleon’s reign.

On Sunday, Mr. Osborn7 called to see about Mr. Casson’s8 Lecture, & also Mr. Carter9 came in also & we fixed on a subject— "The Labour Church & the Latent Goodness of Humanity." He will come here next Monday from Leeds. They have secured a Congregational Chapel for the Lecture, & may have a second on Thursday or Friday. [3] He will lecture at Portsmouth in between. If fine I shall try & take him to Corfe for a day.

I have told the young enthusiast to send you some live animals if he comes across any. His address is, Fred. Birch10, 23 Oxford Street, Wavertree. Liverpool.

In haste | your affect[ionate] Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

I send you Will’s11 last P. Card which please return—

1
. Wallace, Violet Isabel (1869-1945). Daughter of ARW; teacher.
2
See My Life (1905), vol. 1: 256 for an account of ARW’s Paris trip.
3
Wallace, Wallace, Herbert Edward ("Edward") (1829-1851). Brother of ARW and assistant to him in Brazil.
4
Sims (née Wallace), Frances ("Fanny") (1812-1893). Sister of ARW; teacher. Married Thomas Sims (1826-1910) in 1849.
5
Silk, George Charles (1822-1910). Friend of ARW since childhood; secretary to the Archdeacon of Middlesex.
6
Wallace (née Mitten), Annie (1846-1914). British. Wife of ARW; daughter of William Mitten.
7
Osborn, Henry Fairfield (1857-1935). American geologist, paleontologist, and eugenist.
8
Casson, Herbert Newton (1869-1951). Canadian journalist for New York World and author. Ordained Methodist Minister.
9
Carter, Henry John (1813-1895). British surgeon, geologist and zoologist.
10
Birch, Frederick ("Fred") (1876-1952). British naturalist and natural history collector. Honorary Secretary of the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society.
11
Wallace, William Greenell (1871-1951). Son of ARW.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP293.293)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Rosen, Gabriel [2013-07-15] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-07-16] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2024-11-11]

Please cite as “WCP293,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP293