WCP4992

Published letter (WCP4992.5429)

[1]1[p. 15]

"9, St. Mark's Crescent, N.W.,

"February 13th, 1870.

"Dear Sir,—I should very much regret if you did not come down to Norfolk to see the experiment I propose to make, yourself. I was going to suggest that you should first meet me there, and only in case I should not be able to make the thing sufficiently plain to you, should we call in the referees at all. I firmly believe I can make it plain to you, and that it would interest you very much to see it, and convince you in a way that no report of referees could do. I have now made all my arrangements, and propose to start for Lynn or Downham Market (the nearest way to the Bedford River) on Friday next, if the weather is at all settled. Will you meet me there, or will you come on Monday and we can remain till a fine day occurs, when a few hours will settle the question? This will be much the best plan, because Mr. Walsh, being Editor of a weekly paper, can only leave town on Monday or Tuesday, and if those days should happen to be bad, I shall have to wait for him another week. But if you come, any day will do, and as soon as it is fine we can telegraph for your referee, Mr. Carpenter, if you wish it.

"When the snowy weather is over, it may be very fine, and if you will join me I will go any day you like to fix, but not later than early next week (21st or 22nd Feb.) if convenient to you. Hoping you may be able to agree to my proposal, and that you will fix a day to meet me within a fortnight from this date,

"I remain, dear Sir, yours very faithfully,

"ALFRED R. WALLACE.

"John Hampden, Esq."

Editor Charles H. Smith's Note: A set of eight letters from Wallace to flat-earther John Hampden, concerning the Bedford Canal experiment. Also included is their Memorandum of Agreement. These constituted the last several pages of a pamphlet by Hampden (?) entitled Is Water Level or Convex After All

Please cite as “WCP4992,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP4992