WCP6192

Letter (WCP6192.7168)

[1]

39 Harrington Road

S. Kensington

19 June [18]/95

Dear Sir

With your permission I send you a book entitled 'Studies in the Evolution of Animals'.1

It is in fear and trembling that I submit this book to you; but as you are the twin founder of the evolutionary school of investigation, I feel confident that you will be [2] tolerant of this humble contribution to evol[utionar]y. Science, if it be a contribution.

If I have not made the different points sufficiently intelligible, it is my fault, & not that of the phenomena.

I believe the first three parts have some truth in them; parts 4, 5 & 6 are subsidiary to the foregoing; part 8 seems to have truth [3] in it; parts 9,11 & 12 are rather in the way of suggestions.

Notes 1 & 2 on page 329 seem suggestive. Günther2 in his 'Study of Fishes'3 gives a very curious monstrosity of Cyprinus auratus4 which seems to reproduce itself, but this is a state of domestication.

The get up of the work is of course the publisher's doing; I should have been [4] satisfied with a paper wrapper French-fashion.

With many apologies for troubling you with this production | believe me | yours faithfully | Em Bonavia5 [signature]

1
Bonavia, Emanuel. (1895 ). Studies in the Evolution of Animals, A. Constable & Co., London.
2
Günther, Albrecht (Albert) Carl Ludwig Gotthilf (1830-1914). German-born zoologist. Assistant keeper of the zoological department, British Museum,1872-5; keeper, 1875-95.
3
Günther, Albert C. L. G. (1880). An introduction to the study of fishes. A. and C. Black, Edinburgh.
4
The variety of Eurasian carp commonly known as the goldfish.
5
Bonavia, Emanuel. (1926-1908) Maltese medical officer and naturalist; surgeon, Bengal Medical Service, Superintendent, Lucknow Botanic Gardens. Died in Worthing, Sussex.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP6192.7168)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Lucas, Paula [2018-08-15]

Please cite as “WCP6192,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP6192