Ɛpsilon

WCP3385

Letter (WCP3385.3353)

[1]1

Parkstone, Dorset.

Novr 18th, 1899.

Messrs Macmillan & Co.2

Wallace's "Studies" &c.3

Dear Sirs

I am sending you to-day 2 parcels by Post, registered, containing Prof. Spencer's4 photos. and some other Photos., plates & map for reproduction, as per. list enclosed, and with statement of what is required attached to each.5

I only want one from Spooner which I have put outside his parcel of specimens, to be returned to him. I think it would be well if your Photographer took them back and chose a lighter one of "Govett's Leap" — unless he has the negative & will lend it to make the process-plate.

6The 3 large photos. from the Geog. Society are to be returned to Mr. Coles, the Curator, [2] as soon as you have copied the 2 I want. There is also a negative of Papuans by Admiral Maclear,7 which they will lend if you send for it.

Mr. Horsburgh8 has sent me his specimen book of the "Challenger" Photos. and I have chosen five, as in list enclosed. I send you his letter about preparing the process-plates himself from the negatives. If you do not object to that please send him the order.9

I send also Falsan's10 Map, lent me by Prof. James Geikie.11 I have sent with it very full statement of what I want done, but if any other method is more convenient or cheaper you can suggest it. I do not think there is such a map in any English work, and it will add greatly to the interest and value of my Glacier chapter.

[3] The two woodcuts from Semon's12 book I presume you can get his permission to use.13

I am very much pleased to leave the use of Prof. Spencer's photographs, and with the others now obtained there will be such an illustration of the three races I discuss, as have never I think been brought together before.14 I have also written to America, & am promised some photos. of the Harvard Museum, to illustrate my Museum chapters; and as all these will involve some fresh descriptive matter, the book will be much more than an ordinary collection of Review articles.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

1
In red ink by another handwriting, “A.G.G.”
2
Macmillan, Frederick Orridge (1851-1936). Eldest son of Daniel Macmillan, a founding partner in the bookselling and publishing firm of Macmillan & Co.
3
Wallace, A. R. 1900. Studies scientific and social. London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd. And New York: The Macmillan Co. Two volumes.
4
Spencer, Walter Baldwin (1860-1929). British-Australian biologist and anthropologist.
5
This and many other paragraphs are marked with a tick.
6
Written in margin by another handwriting, “162804”.
7
Maclear, John Fiot Lee Pearse (1838-1907). Admiral in the Royal Navy.
8
Horsburgh, John (1835-1924). Photographer, notably of cataloging of the photographic negatives taken during the Challenger Expedition 1872–1876, HMSO Edinburgh.
9
In margin in pencil by unknown handwriting, “written 21.11.99”.
10
Falsan, Albert (1833-1902), French geologist.
11
Geikie, James Murdoch (1839-1915). British geologist; brother of Archibald Geikie.
12
Semon, Richard Wolfgang (1859-1918). German zoologist and evolutionary biologist.
13
The line was marked with a cross in the left margin.
14
This paragraph was marked with a cross in the left margin.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3385.3353)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Linden, Tess [2013-08-19] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-08-19] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3385,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3385