WCP3812

Letter (WCP3812.3730)

[1]1

Waldron Edge, Duppas Hill, Croydon.

August 27th. 1878

Dear Sir Joseph2

I understand that the appointment of a Superintendent, Keeper, Ranger (or whatever he may be termed) of Epping Forest3 will soon be made, and that some candidates are already in the field. It is a post which would exactly suit me, and which I believe I am fitted for. I have long been seeking some employment which would bring me in some fixed income while still allowing me [2] some leisure for literary work— (and which I am now for various reasons more than ever in want of)— I venture to ask you for the favour of your influence with any members of the Corporation with whom you may be personally acquainted.4 I also wish to know if you would have any objection to sign such a memorial in my favour as that of which I enclose a draft.5

You will understand how unpleasant it is for me to have to lay before you anything so [3] egotistical as the accompanying paper, but you are no doubt well aware that it must be pretty strongly worded if it is to have any effect.

Any suggestions or alterations would be gladly received and attended to should you think it requires such.

I remain | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Sir Joseph D. Hooker C.B.

1
"Memorial | [Two words illeg.] Jury | Er[rest of word illeg.] absence" written at the top. This text appears to be written in a different and light script than ARW’s usual cursive script, indicating that this was likely a later annotation.
2
Great 19th century British botanist and explorer Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, KCB, FRS (1817 — 1911). Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and one of Charles Darwin’s closest friends. Hooker, along with Charles Lyell, played a vital role in the relatively peaceful co-publication of Darwin and Wallace’s papers on the theory of evolution by natural selection in 1858.
3
Epping Forest is ancient woodland and former royal forest in south eastern England, between the north eastern portion of the Greater London area and Essex. In this same year (1878), ARW authored an important article for future management of the forest and published "On Epping forest and how best to deal with it".
4
ARW was unsuccessful in his application for Superintendent of Epping Forest.
5
The "draft" and "accompanying paper" to which ARW refers were not found in the WCP files, and may no longer exist.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3812.3730)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Clerx, William [2012-08-16] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-01-15]

Please cite as “WCP3812,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3812