Ɛpsilon

WCP5063

Letter (cc) (WCP5063.5537)

[1]1

3rd May [1]900

D[octo]r. A. R. Wallace.

Dear Sir,

We have posted to you today the 'copy' for the Wonderful Century Reader,2 with pulls of blocks3 proposed, as to some of which we shall be glad to have your selection, & in all cases your criticism. In the case of the larger blocks, of course only a portion of them will be used, & in other cases the whole will be photographically reduced[.] We want to illustrate the book very freely & well; & should be sorry to insert any block you thought questionable, in respect either of its appropriateness or its workmanship.

If you thought [2]4 it advisable, or likely to be helpful to you, Mr. Williams5 says he will run down & see you. If he left by an early train, he could no doubt return by an evening one, & perhaps might be useful in settling sundry small points which may arise as to the blocks.

We are, dear Sir, | Yours very truly | [no signature]

1
The letter bears no heading or signature, but originates from ARW’s London publisher Swan Sonnenschein & Co., founded in 1878 by William Swan Sonnenschein (1855-1931).
2
Wallace A. R. (1901). The Wonderful Century Reader London, Swan Sonnenschein & Co., published in November 1901. This was an abridged version of the 4th Edition (February 1901) of The Wonderful Century; Its Successes and Its Failures, first published in 1898.
3
The engraved boxwood block or woodcut dominated early Victorian book illustration. Electrotyping later replaced woodcuts for the production of fine artwork in books. In the second half of the century, most woodblock engravings were actually printed from electrotypes.
4
The page is stamped "644".
5
Not positively identified. He is probably Francis Williams (full name given in WCP5058), the Board School editor referred to in WCP5054 (31 October 1899), in which Swan Sonnenschein & Co. first broach the possibility to ARW of producing the Supplementary Board School Reader. In WCP5056, Mr. Williams is mentioned by name as having "a very exact knowledge of the School Board requirements and the tendencies of the teachers.".

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (cc) (WCP5063.5537)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by O'Dell, Sandra [2018-08-15]

Please cite as “WCP5063,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP5063