WCP3481

Letter (WCP3481.2968)

[1]1,2

3 Godwin Rd

Forest Gate E

[Jan 1911?]3

Dear Dr Wallace

Thank you for P.l.

I do not wish to be intrusive, but think you would be interested to know, why I felt impelled to write to you.

Some months back, I was sitting (thinking of nothing if that be possible) when everything around me seemed a blank & I found myself whirling through space passing Sun, Moon, & stars, when suddenly I came to a stop before a dense, black darkness. At this I felt great sadness & disappointment. I thought , Is this all? Is this the end? Is this all we have lived & struggled for? If so, then materialists & Reincarnation theory may be right & there is only a ceaseless integration, & disintegration , & endless going from, & rechurning to the same plane, surely there must be something beyond this dreadful darkness? As I thought this, I saw a ting [sic] chink of gold in the blackness & I felt & knew that behind the darkness there was a glorious brightness & beauty so great for human eyes to bear. All this seemed to pass in a flash of time. I am [2] not clairvoyant but do occasionally get symbols, I few months after this, I read your books describing the Solar System, & the darkness beyond. I instantly thought of my vision & felt very sad. "You had found the end" the blackness. The outer darkness. Yours was a fact, mine an illusion" These thoughts frequently returned to my mind. I was sure you only said what you knew to be true, still I was left in a bumbling state. "You will know now how glad I was to read the little I saw in Light, but enough to clear my spiritual atmosphere" I find you, as well as I, can recognise an Infinite Intelligent mind, Ruling over all creation known & unknown, eternal enfoldment. I now take the golden chink as a symbol, which will, when the time comes open & we shall meet in that glorious beyond.

You will understand now why, I feel grateful for the expression of your thoughts.

Your life here, will end like a glorious sunset to rise again on the eternal shores; which you & I can perceive, but cannot demonstrate.

May you still continue to reflect the Light of Truth.

Yours sincerely | Ellen Colyer [signature]

In ARW’s handwriting, “Answd”. The letter has not been found.
In unknown handwriting, “Ellen Colyer”.
In unknown handwriting. Colyer’s earlier letter to ARW was dated 22 Jan 1911.

Please cite as “WCP3481,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3481