WCP3073

[1]

Sarawak

4: July 1856

My dear Wallace

Being in a state of suspense and anxiety relative to our affairs with the British government I delayed answering the kind letter which you wrote from Singapore. You have left several friends in Sarawak and amongst them my poor self and I am only one.

I look back to the [2] time you passed with us with much pleasure— the storm which has been raging for six years in my head has at length blown over, and has been succeeded by a gleam of sunshine. The British government have withdrawn their Consul General¹ and admitted our jurisdiction, though Lord Clarendon² says they are not prepared to recognize me as an [3] independent sovereign. To acknowledge the tribunals of a country is in fact to acknowledge its government but the government ^{of England} is pleased to run its head into a bush and hide this truth from its eyes which is glaring to others— It is this sort of shuffling action, to escape encouragement, which gets work here into such serious scrapes & begets difficulties by creating anomalies—

Lord Clarendon as all [4] the world says, is a clever fellow, because Louis Napoleon³ has made a peace, but he is infirm of purpose and does not ^look a difficulty in the face.

I read your little brochure⁴ with satisfaction but I am somewhat misty on these subjects owing to being badly informed, but whether the successive development of species, ^i.e. the shading one into another so as to manifest a gradual onward series— or whether species be distinct and unconnected it seems to me that the metaphysical question is the [5] [p. 5]⁵ same. The design (though we cannot understand or fit its parts) was complete from the beginning and it is an absurdity to maintain a supply of petty creations to mark[?] the imperfection of the original work, for this is only to say, that there was no design and ergo no designer— The great machinery of God — or as some insist of nature — cannot be disturbed though dogs howl — women weep — or men pray — or to bring a mite or a mastodon into the world[.] — The question however does not come to this as regards the mutation of species on [6] the one hand and their complete separation on the other for the advocate of unconnected species may argue that the germ has been called ^warmed into life when the proper & fostering conditions have arisen or arrived.

My great surprise is however at the bigotry & intolerance at which views or facts apparently adverse to received systems & doctrines are received[.] — You say your little ^pamphlet is to feel the pulse of scientific men in regard to this hypothes [sic] !— What an utter outrage a [one world illeg.] of intolerance to need such caution?— It is this which makes [7] me despair of advance— What harm can truth do us? — What good can it not do us? and [sic] yet the enquiry is as beset with bristles as a porcupine[']s back— At any rate my paper was very short I may say that if you will prove this or any other hypothesis to my satisfaction I will receive it and I will never quarrel with any one who seeks for truth because the search involves a scrutiny into my preconceptions & prejudices—

You see how I have run away with my subject & my subject has run away with me— Rather an outpouring of the spirit than the reason or [8] reflection though the spirit suppressed has dwelt long & anxiously on these & similar topics— I must now tell you in brief that we progress famously and that the Borneo Company⁶ is an established fact which is supported by men of character & capital. The Bishop⁷ & St John⁸ sailed yesterday to Labuan & Brunei— we have an immigration of 300 Chinese from Sambas— We have had M^r9 & M^rs Earl¹⁰ staying with us— a pleasing addition to our society for a visit here is a favor conferred rather than bestowed. Your youngster Charles¹¹— now Martin is at Linga [Linnga Island] with Chambers¹²— They say he is not clever at book [sic] and when here he ^appeared damped & disheartened— Let me hear from [9]¹³you and keep me informed of your changes of localities and

believe me | my dear Wallace | Yours very sincerely | J Brooke. [signature]

A Wallace Esq.