WCP7024

[1]

Frith Hill, Godalming

March 7th 1883

Dear Sir

I have recieved your very interesting letter and the books you have been so good as to send me. I have at once read your Resume of the ideas of Bolus and have been astonished and delighted to find how closely they accord with views which I have indepdendently arrived at. I shall read your other Resumes with peak interest both as it will take some times I write to you at once, and have also sent you, by the same post, a copy of my [2] book on Land Nationalisation. You will see that I have written actively for an English public and have followed the inductive method. Showing the many and braced evils that are caused by private property in land, and dedecay [?] from these evils, and the domination where land is held in smaller penalties & on a [2 words illeg.], -aced solely for personal occupation, — a practical scheme of Land Nationalisation. You will see that in many details my plan agreed with that of Bolus, — but it is less radical and less a social relocation, and therefore one likely to be adopted in a country so [3]¹ conservative as England.

The chief fault I have to find with Bolus, is — that he has developed a complete social system which is too different from that which exists to be adpoted for centuries. Reforms must be carried at one by one. I politely agree with all the same, about limitation of interest, but I think is preparing for government to advance capital and suited to our present place of consolidation. We want a good system of communal & local self-goverment before such a system be carried at without creating economy conception, waste and bribery which is always [1 word illeg.] [4] where government have the disposal of money & patronage. We would diminish and unease govermental action till many are better felled to govern themselves.

My scheme is adapted to solve this by leaving not only houses t&c. but all the improvements on the land private property, which the land alone with the value given to it by nature and society, work by the actual only, is to become the property of the nation. After I have read your books, I [2 words illeg.] we will compare results.

As you with English, so I can read French but not write it.

Remain Dear Sir

Yours very faithfully

[signature] Alfred R. Wallace

M. A. D. Potter