WCP3000

Letter (WCP3000.2890)

[1]

May 19. 18[68]

Dear Mr Wallace,

So you are unological[?] Hunt Peirfonil[?]! My daughter, Mrs Watts,1 and her husband2 have been staying about a week at Sealands Gate, near Roberts Bridge,3 and she might time from[?] each day, and local time principal[?] lock, but they leave to day.

Mr Wm. Wilkinson4 has taken up the correspondence in the Pall Pall[sic],5 and has written a letter to Professor Tyndall6[2] whilst he sent[?] to him, in order that the letter and custom[?] might appear[?] together. I am sorry that he did not send it direct to the Pall Mall as that would have allowed the public mind to be digesting it, and would have compelled Prof. Tyndall's immediate notice of it.

There has also been a very silly and characteristically conceited letter from Palgrave.7 How astounding is the [one word illeg.] English literary man of what millions know familiarly. Because they are ignorant they think[3] everyone is the same, and that this spiritualism is some new and contemptible thing just beginning to move in a corner[?]. As Mr. Wilkinson has taken up the subject of course, I shall not move on it: but as it is taken up, it is very descible[?] that the points just refer to [one word illeg.] be well put before the public. I have [one word illeg.] these strongly on Wilkinson, who was down here on Sunday, and I trust they will be and dwelt[?] on.

On Thursday, the day after tomorrow, the vice-chancellor gives his decision in Lym.[?] & Invc.[?] of eman,[?] it will be against [one word illeg.]. Wilkinson[4] says he keeps up his spirits wonderfully. Have you seen the account of the five phenomena which have exhibited at all M. Jenkyn's8 at Upper Norwood? They are in the last Sp. Mag.9 and are very outstanding.

I should be glad to find you taking up the cause of spiritualism in some of the journals now. You would do it well. I return you Faraday's10 letter11 and Mr. Farly's12[?] affidant[?] with my best thanks. I [two words illeg.] him in time of the journals.

Yours faithfully

William Howitt [signature]

Alfred Wallace

1
Howitt (married name Watts), Anna Mary (1824-1884). British painter, writer and spiritualist; Daughter of William Howitt.
2
Watts, Alaric Alfred (1825-1901). British spiritualist and writer.
3
An address in Sussex, England.
4
Wilkinson
5
A London evening newspaper founded in 1865, that was absorbed into The Evening Standard in 1923.
6
Tyndall, John (1820-1893). Irish physicist and mountaineer. Professor of natural philosophy at the Royal Institution 1853; Superintendent of the Royal Institution 1867-87.
7
One of two Palgraves.
8
Jenkyns of Upper Norwood.
9
Sp. Mag.
10
Faraday, Michael (1791-1867). British scientist who discovered the principles underlying electromagnetic induction and electrolysis. Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution, London 1833-67 and Superintendent of the House at the Royal Institution 1852-67.
11
Reference to Faraday's letter.
12
Farley

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3000.2890)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Paterson, Gavin [2020-06-09]

Please cite as “WCP3000,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3000