Ɛpsilon

WCP537

Letter (WCP537.537)

[1]

[in ARW’s hand] Ansd

Clune House.

Pontypool. [Wales]

Jany 9th. 19123

Dr. Alfred Russell [sic] Wallace,

Dear Sir.

To the many congratulations and tributes you will have received on your 90th birthday, permit one unknown to you to add just one more. Your books have been an inspiration to me for years, your 'Problem of Life'1 I reviewed publicly in my pulpit, for I am not considered always orthodox in the choice of subjects, nevertheless the hundreds of young men that listen and appreciate would gladden your heart. We owe you much — and are ready to owe you more. May you be long spared in the renewal of your youth though years become many.

It may be that a word from Monmouthshire and not far from Usk side will not be altogether a voice from a wilderness for I believe you remember Usk well, the Tennysonian wish of 'no moaning of the bar'2 seems incongruous in your older days, not 'sea' but 'sky' seems better — so may the westering sky be golden.

Yours faithfully, | Daniel Hughes.3 [signature]

1
Wallace, A. R. 1912. The problem of life. Daily News & Leader (7 September): 1.
2
Tennyson, Alfred, British poet (1809 — 1892). The line is from his 1899 poem Crossing the Bar : "And may there be no moaning of the bar, | When I put out to sea".
3
Daniel Hughes has not been identified.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP537.537)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Sarvis, Nicole Mary [2014-09-22] Transcription checked by Lucas, Paula J. [2014-09-22] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2024-11-11]

Please cite as “WCP537,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP537