Ɛpsilon

WCP4017

Letter (WCP4017.3960)

[1]

Hurstpierpoint,Sussex.

June 29th. 1866

Dear Newton1

I much fear it will not be in my power to do any thing for the "Ibis" before Octr.

I am here to eat fruit & gather orchids for another two or three weeks, & in August I am going for a month to N. Wales.

I have not seen Schlegel's2 paper3 yet but will do so when I return to town, & if a short answer will do [2] you shall have it.

I have not yet determined about my sternums. I am at present in a very transitional state of existence, and can not yet determine whether I shall finally pitch my tent in London or the Country, or whether I am likely to have room to mount & arrange my collns properly. I will promise however that if I do part with them you shall have the offer of [3] them.

I do not think I shall be at Nottingham this year.

I have commenced working at my neglected Lepidoptera & when I am at one thing I do not feel inclined to turn to anything else till it is done with, so I think birds will have to rest awhile in their boxes.

Yours very faithfully │Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

A. Newton Esq.

[4]4

1
Newton, Alfred (1829-1907). British zoologist and ornithologist. Founding member of the British Ornithologists' Union.
2
Schlegel, Hermann (1804-1884). German ornithologist, herpetologist and Director of the Leiden Museum of Natural History 1854-84.
3
Schlegel, H. 1866. On some extinct gigantic birds of the Mascarene Islands. Ibis, (n.s.) 2(6): [pp. 146-168]
4
In Newton’s handwriting, "A. R. Wallace, Hurstpierpoint. June 29/30 /66. Answered June 30/66." The letter has not been found.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP4017.3960)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Royce, Isobel [2012-12-10] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-01-15] Transcription checked by Costa, Leslie [2020-08-31] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP4017,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP4017