Old Orchard,
Broadstone,
Dorset.
April 2nd 1913.
My dear Poulton
About two months ago an american ‘drummer’ sent me the enclosed booklet which he had been told was very rare and contained an anticipation of Darwinism.
This it certainly does, but the writer was highly imaginative and like all the other anticipators of Darwin did [2]1 not perceive the whole scope of his idea being, as he himself says, not sufficiently acquainted with the facts of Nature.
His anticipation, however, of diverging lines of descent from a common ancestor and of the transmission of disease germs by means of insects are perfectly clear and very striking.
As you yourself made known one of the anticipators of Darwin, whom he himself had overlooked, you are the [3] right person to make this known in any way you think proper. As you have so recently been in America you might perhaps ascertain from the librarian of the public library in Boston or from some of your biological friends there what is known of the writer and of his subsequent history.
If a the house at Down is ever dedicated to Darwin’s memory it would seem best to preserve this little book there; if not you can dispose of it as you [4] think best.
With best wishes| Yours very truly| Alfred R. Wallace [signature]
P.S. Two of my books have been translated into Japanese; will you ascertain whether the Bodleian would like to have them?
P.P.S. I enclose the 2nd letter from the discoverer who will no doubt be very glad to hear if you publish anything about the little booklet.
Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP4456.4762)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Envelope addressed to "Profesor Poulton F.R.S. &c, The Cottage, St Helen's, Isle of Wight", with stamp, postmarked "BROADSTONE | 10AM | AP 3 | 13". Note on front of envelope in Poulton's hand: "April 2. 1913"; wax seal and postmark on back. [Envelope (WCP4456.4763)]
[1]1 [p. 26]
Old Orchard,
Broadstone,
Dorset.
April 2, 1913.
My dear Poulton,
About two months ago an American sent me the enclosed booklet, which he had been told was very rare and contained an anticipation of Darwinism.
This it certainly does, but the writer was highly imaginative, and, like all the other anticipators of Darwin, did not perceive the whole scope of his idea.
His anticipation, however, of diverging lines of descent from a common ancestor and of the transmission of disease germs by means of insects, are perfectly clear and very striking.
As you yourself made known one of the anticipators of Darwin, whom he himself had overlooked, you are the right person to make this known in any way you think proper. As you have so recently been in America, you might perhaps ascertain from the Librarian of the Public Library in Boston or from some of your biological friends there what is known of the writer and of his subsequent history.
If the house at Down is ever dedicated to Darwin's memory, it would seem best to preserve this little book there; if not you can dispose of it as you think best.
With best wishes,
Yours very truly,
Alfred R. Wallace.
Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP4456.5777)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
[1] [p. 99]
Old Orchard,
Broadstone,
Dorset
April 2, 1913
My dear Poulton,—About two months ago an American ... sent me the enclosed booklet,1 which he had been told was very rare, and contained an anticipation of Darwinism.
This it certainly does, but the writer was highly imaginative, and, like all other anticipators of Darwin, did not perceive the whole scope of his idea, being, as he himself says, not sufficiently acquainted with the facts of nature.
His anticipations, however, of diverging lines of descent from a common ancestor, and of the transmission of disease germs by means of insects, are perfectly clear and very striking.
As you yourself made known one of the anticipators of Darwin, who he himself had overlooked, you are the right [2] [p. 100] person to make this known in any way you think proper. As you have so recently been in America, you might perhaps ascertain from the librarian of the public library in Boston, or from some of your biological friends there, what is known of the writer and his subsequent history.
If the house at Down is ever dedicated to Darwin's memory it would seem best to preserve this little book there; if not you can dispose of it as you think best.—Yours very truly,
Alfred R. Wallace
P.S.—Two of my books have been translated into Japanese: will you ascertain whether to Bodleian would like to have them?
Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP4456.6469)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP4456,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 4 May 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP4456