WCP3290

[1]

Toungoo

Burma

28.10.1910

Dear Mr Dr Wallace,

I am much obliged to you, and do sincerely feel honoured by your letter¹ & particularly glad to learn you are still actively engaged.

A Glasgow bookseller, who is now publishing for me a monograph on William Thomson (Lord Kelvin)² is to send you a copy, as you [2] might be interested in a popular, Boewellian and thorough-going refence of his scientific "heresy" of a Living Universe.

I have a theory about that habit of the big cats you noticed , — namely, that they sometimes make use of their ability to carry away game unscratched [3] in order to escape immediate detection, either by men, in the case of domestic beasts, or by the boars or big wild cattle it ^they fears. It ^{A tiger} might have a chance at their young in that way.— But I could never sufficiently verify this theory to feel confident about it, and so never mentioned it.

One of the sad things about my anecdotes is that many [4] of those I meant to please by them are dead. All the more welcome in compensation is the fact that a man like you has seen and liked them.

I retire from my present trade (Indian civil service, — sessions judge) before the end of 1911; and am sure [5] 2 we'll find many points of agreement, and differ rather in details than in principles. I had an instructive talk with Henry George³ in the eighties, & the chance or hope of a chat with you adds to the attractions of England. — I [6] went out of my way once for the purpose of meeting you some years ago; but the friend who was to find a way to introduce me reported you were too ill. —

With best wishes & renewed thanks, | believe me | sincerely yours | David Wilson⁴ [signature]

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