Ɛpsilon

WCP3756

Letter (WCP3756.3668)

[1]1

80 Huntingdon Road,

Cambridge.

[7 Feb 1887]2

Dear Mr Huxley3

Many thanks for your letter. I am glad you thought about asking my uncle4 — it is clear he should be consulted. I will leave out "imposter" x "cheat" I am glad you are so perfectly clear about the Origin — Still I wonder that he did not say as he did to Hooker5 [2] in his first evolutionary letter "My conclusions are not widely different from Lamarcks;6 tho' the means of change are wholly so” I cannot help wishing you would slay Butler,7 I think he would change his opinion as to the pleasure of notoriety. But in reality I have no doubt you are right not to.

[3] My father8 speaks of a splendid review by Wallace of the Descent9 — Do you remember where it was published — It was not Quarterly (as you know better than most), Edinburgh or Nature. If you do remember wd you send me a postcard.

Yours vy truly | Francis Darwin10

1
In Huxley’s handwriting, “Ans 8 Feby 1887”.
2
In unknown handwriting.
3
Galton, Francis (1822-1911). British biostatistician, polymath and founder of eugenics. One of the key figures in 19th Century research into heredity. Half-cousin of Charles Darwin.
4
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist and author, known as "Darwin's Bulldog".
5
Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1817-1911). British botanist and explorer. Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1865-85. President of the Royal Society 1873-78.
6
Lamarck, Jean Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet de ("Jean Baptiste de”) (1744-1829). French naturalist.
7
Butler, Samuel (1835-1902). British author and artist.
8
Darwin, Charles Robert (1809-1882). British naturalist, geologist and author, notably of On the Origin of Species (1859).
9
Wallace, A. R. 1871. Review [of The Descent of Man by Darwin]. Academy 2 (20, 15 March): 177-183.
10
Darwin, Francis ("Frank") (1848-1925). British botanist; 3rd son of Charles Robert and Emma Darwin.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3756.3668)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Benny, Ruth [2014-10-28] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2014-10-28] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3756,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3756