WCP4869

[1]

Holly House, Barking. E.

April May 3^rd. 1871

Dear Sir Charles

I have just been reading a book which has struck me amazingly, but which has been somewhat pooh-pooh'd by the critics which therefore you may not have thought worth looking at. It is W. Matthieu [sic] William's,¹ Fuel of the Sun.² Whether the theory is true or false this book is the work of a man of original genius. It's [sic] originality is so startling that I found it to require reading twice to take it in thoroughly, & it is so different from all modern theories of the Sun that I can [2] quite see why such a work by an outsider should not have received due attention.

If sound it completely solves the problem of the perpetuity of the sun's heat and gives geologists and darwinians [sic] any amount of time they require. It seems to be reasonable, it is beautifully worked out, it is quite intelligible, & till shown to be a fallacy, I hold by its main doctrine. [3] I hope you will read it, & if you see no fallacy in it get Sir John Herschell³ [sic] to read it, & tell us if there is a positive fallacy which destroys its whole value or no.

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

Sir Charles Lyell Bart. F.R.S.