WCP5564

[1]

Broadstone, Wimborne

June 4th. 1908

My dear Sir Joseph

I am quite sure that I never saw the Mss. of my paper or the letter I sent to Darwin in Feb. 1838¹, at any time afterwards. After the ^paper was printed, and I had copies of the "Journal" with it, — and especially after the "Origin" was published, I never troubled about it, till I reprinted it (from the "Journal") in my "Natural Selection" in 1870.

I should think the Sec[retar]^y of the Linn[ean]. Society, or whoever edited the "Journal", would have had it, and would either have destroyed it [2] or kept it till applied for by the author, according to what was the custom of the Society with regard to Mss. sent from abroad.

As to your letter and that of Darwin, informing me what had been done about the paper, I have not the least recollection of having seen them after I came home. Considering the matter closed, by the receipt of them, and my acknowledgement to Darwin, I fear I did not keep them, as at that time I had not begun to keep the letters of my correspondents.

If I did keep them, I probably sent them home with some of my [3] collections, and they may easily have got mislaid or destroyed; and three years afterwards when I came home I was so much occupied with my own collections and with the discussions excited by the "Origin" and by ^H[erbert]. Spencer's works, that I may myself have thrown them away as of no further interest.^{(But I} do not ^{think I did).} If I had, at any later period come across them, I should certainly have sent them to F. Darwin for the "Life & Letters", and that I did not do so, is the best proof I can offer that I have not now got them.

It is certainly curious that I [4] have letters from Darwin in 1857 — and 1859, the latter referring to my reply to his letter & yours in 1858 — but that those 2 letters — which now would be the most interesting — seem irretrievably lost.

It is just possible they may have got into some book or paper, after showing them to some one, and if so they may turn up after another half century!

Regretting that I can say nothing more satisfactory, —

Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Sir Joseph Hooker G. C. S. I. Etc.