Ɛpsilon

WCP3898

Letter (WCP3898.3818)

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

April 20th. 1891

My dear Hooker1

No doubt the man who wrote to you is G. T. Bettany2 M.A., B. Sc., who is editing the Minerva Library of Famous Books for Ward Lock & Co. They republished my "Amazon & Rio Negro",3 — also "Darwin's Journal"4 — "Galton's "South Africa"5 &c. &c. As they published the volumes at s2/— retail they cannot afford to pay much, & get uncopyrighted [2] books as much as possible. They gave me £.50 for my copyright, & said they would have to sell 20,000 copies before they got it back. Galton gave them his free. I dare say they would prefer giving you a number of copies of the book to paying much money.

Dr. Allman6 has been very well during the winter but recently his asthma has been troubling him [3] again. Mrs. Allman7 is very poorly, as she has been for a long time, & her friends seem to think there is little prospect of her getting better.

Believe me | yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

P.S. I am busy filling up gaps in my garden & stocking a small glass covered garden with choice half-hardy climbers &c.

A.R.W.

1
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.
2
Bettany, George Thomas (1850-1891). British biologist, anthropologist, and author of scientific and popular works.
3
Wallace, A. R. 1890. Narrative of travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro, with an account of the native tribes, and observations on the climate, geology, and natural history of the Amazon valley. London: Ward, Lock and Co.
4
Darwin, C. R. 1889. Journal of Researches Into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries Visited During the Voyage of H.M.S. "Beagle" Round the World: Under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. London: Ward, Lock and Co.
5
Galton, Francis. 1891. Narrative of an Explorer in Tropical South Africa. London: Ward, Lock and Co.
6
Allman, George James (1812-1898). Irish zoologist and botanist.
7
Allman (née Shaen), Hannah Louisa (1816-1891). Wife of George James Allman. No issue.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3898.3818)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Seo, Veri [2013-08-13] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-08-13] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Transcription (WCP3898.4267)

[1]

PARKSTONE, DORSET.

April 20th, 1891.

My dear Hooker

No doubt the man who wrote to you is G. T. Bettany M.A., B.Sc., who is editing the Minerva Library of Famous Books for Ward Lock & co. They republished my "Amazon & Rio Negro",— also "Darwin's Journal" — Galton's "South Africa" &c.&c. As they publish the volumes at 2/- retail they cannot afford to pay much, and get un-copyrighted books as much as possible. They gave me £50 for my copyright, and said they would have to sell 20,000 copies before they got it back. Galton gave them his free. I daresay they would prefer giving you a number of copies of the book to paying much money.

Dr Allman has been very well all through the winter but recently his asthma has been troubling him again. Mrs Allman is very poorly, as she has been for a long time, and her friends seem to think there is little prospect of her getting better.

Believe me, Yours very faithfully, | ALFRED R. WALLACE.

P.S. I am busy filling up gaps in my garden and stocking a small glass covered garden with choice half-hardy climbers &c.

A.R.W.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Transcription (WCP3898.4267)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Congerton, John [2019-12-17] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3898,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3898