WCP3389

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

May 30th. 1901

Messrs Macmillan & Co.¹

Dear Sirs

Sheets of "Island Life"² received.

I did not write about your proposal as to prices because it involves so much explanation & discussion (unless you have made a mistake) that I had rather not undertake it. But as you press for a reply I suppose I must give one.

What "net" means to the Trade I do not know, & it does not concern me. What it means to the retail ^ordinary buyer of books in London & all large towns, is, that they can ^not get them under [2] the published price, whereas now they can get them with 3^d in the shilling discount.

Your proposal means, therefore, to raise the price of the three cheap editions, to the bulk of retail ^ordinary buyers, 66 per. cent. — (from 4/6 to 7/6. –) and at the same ^time to raise the price of Darwinism³ 11 per. cent. — (from ^s6/9^d to 7/6.)! And you call this "reducing Darwinism to the same level."

If this is really your [3] proposal, I can do nothing but decline it, as it seems to me not only quite unprecedented but prohibitory.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]