Ɛpsilon

WCP3223

Letter (WCP3223.3191)

[1]1

ORIEL COLLEGE,

OXFORD.

25 June 1904

Dear Sir

I have a request to make on behalf of this University.

Shortly after the death of Herbert Spencer2 an Indian gentleman, Mr. Pandit Krishnavarma3 offered the University a sum of money to found a lectureship in memory of him. There is no restriction regarding the subject of the lecture. The stipend of the lecture is fixed for the present at £20, and it will be given in the Michaelmas term, that is to say November or December.

The Board of Management [2] of the foundation has instructed me to enquire whether it is possible that you could give the first lecture of the series. I venture to promise you a good audience.

As I propose to take a short holiday I think it will be best if you address your reply to one of the other members of the Board of Management, such as Professor Poulton4 (the Hope Professor of Zoology) or Dr Caird5 (Master of Balliol).

Hoping for a favourable reply | I am | yours very faithfully | D B Monro6 [signature] (Vice Chancellor)

1
In ARW’s handwriting, “Declined”. The letter has not been found.
2
Spencer, Herbert (1820-1903). British philosopher, sociologist, and prominent classical liberal political theorist.
3
Krishna Varma, Shyamji Pandit (1857-1930). Indian lawyer, journalist and revolutionary.
4
Poulton, Edward Bagnall (1856-1943). British entomologist. Hope Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Jesus College.
5
Caird, Edward (1835-1908). British philosopher and Master of Balliol College, Oxford 1893-1907.
6
Monro, David Binning (1836-1905). British Homer scholar, Provost of Oriel College. Vice Chancellor of Oxford University 1901-1904.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3223.3191)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Paterson, Gavin [2020-06-09] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3223,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3223