WCP2967

[1]

30, Cumberland Road,

Kew.

7th October 1909.

My dear M^r Wallace,

I can scarcely hope that you will remember having written a letter¹ to me in 1888 concerning Lyell’s² uniformitarian teachings. I had defended those doctrines in my address to the Geological Society in that year, and you were so kind as to express the hope that I would undertake a work in which that defence would be developed more fully.

[2] The heavy tasks of teaching and administration which lay on my shoulders during my official life has made the execution of such a task impossible up to the present. But now that I have retired from active work, I contemplate the preparation of a little book on the subject.

You have so clearly stated in your letter your agreement with Lyell’s views that I should like to quote from it, if you will give me your permission to do so.

I was very pleased to see you [3] at ^the Linnean Society’s ‘Celebration’³ last year, though I had no opportunity of speaking to you. I can imagine how dear old Charles Darwin⁴ would have been touched by your more than generous words; and, when the account of that Celebration appeared, I was delighted to read the terms in which you described the influence on your mind of Lyell’s ‘Principles’, in that very interesting postscript.

I almost hesitate about troubling you in your retirement, [4] but the friendliness I have always experienced at your hands, encourages me to venture to trespass on your kindness once more.

Believe me to remain | Yours very faithfully | John W Judd⁵ [signature]