Ɛpsilon

WCP4485

Letter (WCP4485.4793)

[1]

Frith Hill, Godalming.

April 8th 1885

My dear Meldola1

Your letter in "Nature" last week "riz my dander" as the Yankees say, — &, for once in a way, we find ourselves deadly enemies prepared for mortal combat, armed with steel stell (pens) and prepared to shed any amount of our own — ink. Consequently I rushed into the fray with a letter2 to "Nature" intended to show that you are as wrong (and wicked) as are the [2] Russians in Afghanisstan [sic].

Having however the most perfect confidence that the battle will soon be over, we shall be very glad if you can come over on Saturday week the 18th, & stay Sunday with us. It will be Willie’s3 holidays but I expect he will be going away to Hurstpierpoint4 to spend most of them.

Yours very faithfully| Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

1
Meldola, Raphael (1849-1915). British chemist and entomologist.
2
Wallace, A. R. 1885. The colours of arctic animals. Nature 31 (16 April): 552.
3
Wallace, William Greenell (1871-1951). Son of ARW.
4
Home of the Mittens, Treeps, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, England.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP4485.4793)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Lord, Annette [2012-07-19] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-01-15] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Published letter (WCP4485.6398)

[1] [p. 36]

Frith Hill, Godalming. April 8, 1885.

My dear Meldola,—Your letter in Nature last week "riz my dander," as the Yankees say, and, for once in a way, we find ourselves deadly enemies prepared for mortal combat, armed with steel (pens) and prepared to shed any amount of our own—ink. Consequently I rushed into the fray with a letter to Nature to show that you are as wrong (as wicked) as are the Russians in Afghanistan. Having, however, the most perfect confidence that the battle will soon be over, ...—Yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP4485.6398)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Sherwood, Danni [2020-07-28] Transcription checked by Lo, Yen [2020-10-30] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP4485,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP4485