Ɛpsilon

WCP3124

Letter (WCP3124.3092)

[1]

Address

No. 1 Graven St. Strand

Barnett’s Hotel. London

Aug. 24 [1888]1

My dear Mr Wallace

I came to your England about three weeks since have been traveling with my husband in Scotland till last Saty the 18 Aug. when I left him to come to London to visit friends in the vicinity, yourself among the number ; for I felt sure you would not wish me to go back to America without seeing you in your own home, if only for a day. I wrote2 you from Scotland asking you to address me at Edinburgh in case you [2] were at home & would like to have me plan to give you a day or two — also I asked if it would be possible for you to introduce me to Prof Crookes3 & Prof Stainton Moses.4 As I have recd. no answer I conclude my letter has miscarried, & Sir Joseph Hooker5 whom I met the other day at lunch, has kindly sent me your address, so that I hope this will surely reach you.

As sail for home Sep. 13 my time is limited, but between now & Sep. 10 I could come to you, according to your convenience, if I could know at once what day would [3] suit you best. Mr Hooker will be at Leamington on Saty. Sep. 1 & expects me to join him there for excursions in the vicinity until we start for Liverpool on the 10th or 11th.

I wish very much that you should see him, & he would greatly like to have some earnest talk with you on [illeg.]. – so if you could give us a whole day either at Leamington or at your own home we should be much gratified. Meantime I could finish up London sightseeing & be ready to converse on the subjects nearer my heart with the one who led me to my deepest convictions & whom [4] I place as the head of science and philantropy today.

I really do not know where Godalming is, but I think it cannot be very far from Leamington, nor from London – so if you should wish it I might come to you on Saty. Aug Sep. 1. & then we could decide whether you would go with me to meet Mr Hooker at Leamington or he should meet me at your house.

I trust you will pardon all this detail & write me frankly your wishes in the matter, using the address at head if this sheet. I am spending the day at Belvedere but shall return to London tomorrow.

I am faithfully yours | Isabella Beecher Hooker6 | [signature]

1
In pencil in unknown handwriting. See ARW reply WCP5365. https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP5365
2
ARW replied on 25 August 1888 that he did not get the letter.
3
Crookes, William (1832-1919). British chemist, physicist, science journalist, and spiritualist. Secretary of the Royal Institution.
4
Moses, William Stainton (1839-1892). British Christian cleric and spiritualist.
5
Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1817-1911). British botanist and explorer. Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1865-85. President of the Royal Society 1873-78.
6
Hooker (née Beecher), Isabella (1822-1907). American women's rights activist. Wife of John Hooker (1816-1901).

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3124.3092)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Strzelecka, Daria [2015-04-10] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2015-04-10] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3124,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3124