Ɛpsilon

WCP3401

Letter (WCP3401.3369)

[1]1

Broadstone, Wimborne

July 23rd. 1907

Messrs Macmillan & Co.2

Dear Sirs

I wrote you last Thursday3 asking you to get me the "Philosophical Magazine" for this month (July) containing I am told, an article by Prof. P. Lowell4 on the "Surface temperature of the Planets"5 — referring specially to "Mars".

Not having heard from you I fear my letter did not reach you. I troubled you because I do not know [2] the Publishers of the "Phil. Mag."

As I am writing a rather full account of Lowell's book, and (adversely) criticising his theories which greatly admiring his observational work, will you please send me a copy of his book- "Mars and its Canals"6- which I have from the London Library & am obliged to return.

This I will of course pay for unless you can spare7 [3] me a "Review" copy.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

1
Ink stamp dated, “24 JUL 1907”.
2
Macmillan, Frederick Orridge (1851-1936). Eldest son of Daniel Macmillan, a founding partner in the bookselling and publishing firm of Macmillan & Co.
3
The letter has not been found.
4
Lowell, Percival Lawrence (1855-1916). American businessman, author and astronomer.
5
Lowell, Percival Lawrence. 1907. A general method for evaluating the surfacetemperature of the planets; with special reference to the temperature of Mars. Philosophical Magazine Series 6, 14:79, pp. 161-176.
6
Lowell, Percival Lawrence. 1906. Mars and its Canals. London: Macmillan & Co.
7
In margin in unknown handwriting, “Mr MCH said ‘yes’ – review copy”.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3401.3369)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Smith, Sam [2013-08-16] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-08-16] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3401,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3401