WCP4439

[1]

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

Nov^r. 6^th. 1908

My dear Poulton

Thanks for your kind offer to receive the Copley medal for me, & forward it. I gladly accept it, and have written to Sir A[rchibald] Geikie to that effect. As I presume it will be in the usual leather case, you need only call at the nearest post office, get a strong <linen[?]> Registered Letter Envelope, & despatch it.

As to the proposed "Review" [2] I do give you my hearty sympathy & wish for the success of the venture, but I have the same objection that Herbert Spencer had, to having my name prominently put forward in connection with anything I can take no part in. You can say I am a sympathiser & friend, but no more.

A very important thing for such a periodical, is, in my opinion, to have a really strong and vigilant Editor, who will not allow quibbles of any sort — much less [3] misquotations and gross misrepre^sentations. Such are Hubrecht’s (who is he?) article in last "Contemporary" — full of absolute misstatements almost amounting to falsehoods, as I show in my letter of reply for next month, ^{and ask for an apology!1}. And our friend — Archdall Reid, is almost as bad against Charlton Basti[a]n in this week’s "Nature", when he absolutely misrepresents Basti[a]n’s statements, & is wholly in the wrong. A good Editor, in my opinion, would never allow such grossly unfair controversy, be the writer ever so eminent. But where find such an Editor [4]² nowadays?

As to the "Herbert Spencer" lecture — I declined it, as I declined a R[oyal] Institut[io]n lecture about 30 or 40 years ago — because I did not feel up to it at the time. I am a believer in inspiration. All my best ideas have come to me suddenly. I had quite determined to decline this one — when, lying on my couch an idea suddenly came to me! I saw that the subject had never been treated from that point of view — I felt that I could and should like so to treat it, and that it would suit the audience & do good. So I accepted. I hope I shall be able to do it justice. You will see what it is by the "Title" — which I sent them yesterday, & ^which will I presume shortly appear in the list of Lectures.

Yours faithfully| Alfred R. Wallace [signature]