WCP4542

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

Dec^r. 30th. 1897

My dear Meldola¹

I am sorry you could not get over for an afternoon but of course it was difficult as you were on a visit.

Your explanation of Lippman’s² process is so very clear as to be quite intelligible. I had always looked upon photography as depending on chemical processes only (as I presume ordinary photography does) and that if coloured photo’s were produced it must be by the production of pigments, and ^as there seemed to be no relation whatever betweeen[sic] the colour of the light falling on any substance [2] and the production of a pigment of the same colour, direct colour — photography seemed to me to be impossible. But the possibility of interference colours being produced in a metallic film never occurred to me. It is however simple enough (with the right film) and your illustration of the telephone, & still better perhaps the phonograph, exactly illustrates it. The only thing is, that interference colours have a different character from pigment or absorbtion [sic] colours, which must render the photograph as you say unnaturally brilliant ^{or metallic looking}. There seems [3] however no reason why this should not be toned down by a superposed slightly opaque film; and there also seems no reason which why some mode should not be discovered of rapid & cheap multiplication.

Mr. Denton³ has sent me a specimen of his butterfly-preserving. It seems to me admirable for show-cases in a museum, for cases illustrating mimicry &c…

With best wishes & Comp^s of the Season[.]

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

Prof. Meldola