WCP2956

[1]

29, Thurloe Place,

South Kensington.

Thickness Cottage

Felixstow [sic]

Suffolk

July 6th [1909]

Dear Mr. Wallace,

It was very kind of you to write to me and your letter has given me great pleasure. It is a matter of deep satisfaction to me that you should consider that I spoke well & worthily of Darwin¹ & his work² for there is no one whose [2] judgment and understanding in that matter is equal to yours. I must say that I felt a keen pleasure in saying plainly and straightly which I did on so great & public occasion in the face of some of those who were present —vis — De Vries³, Hubrecht⁴, Bateson⁵, Le Dantec⁶, Edmond Perrier⁷, Marcus Hartog⁸ & even Frank Darwin⁹ who seems to suffer from a sort of [3] ante-patriotic [sic] or ante-parental [sic] bias. The really imprudent & foolishly-conceited person amongst these snarling dogs, is Bateson. In his essay in the Darwin volume he says that by & bye (when he gives the word!) the time may come to discuss the origin of species — but that it has not yet come!

Such insane insolence is really an indication of brain-disease.

I suppose that the efforts of this crowd to lower Darwin and elevate themselves — are a natural and regular phenomenon. By & bye they [4] will be absolutely forgotten — their mere names even unremembered — as happened to Mivart¹⁰ and George Romanes¹¹ — and there will remain still unbroken still giving mental nourishment, direction & example to future generations — Darwin and his works with you and your works close by his side. It is pouring with rain but fresh & sweet here in the country — where I am staying alone for a month. I hope soon to give up London altogether.

Please remember me very kindly to Mrs Wallace & believe me most truly yours E. Ray Lankester [signature]