Introduction 



advances in the application of science to life, is verily to 

 have been the chosen of the gods. 



Who and what manner of man was Alfred Eussel 

 Wallace ? Who were his forbears ? How did he obtain his 

 insight into the closest secrets of nature ? What was the 

 extent of his contributions to our stock of human know- 

 ledge? In which directions did he most influence his 

 age ? What is known of his inner life ? These are some 

 of the questions which most present-day readers and all 

 future readers into whose hands this book may come 

 will ask. 



As to his descent, his upbringing, his education and his 

 estimate of his own character and work, we can, with rare 

 good fortune, refer them to his autobiography, in which he 

 tells his own story and relates the circumstances which, 

 combined with his natural disposition, led him to be a 

 great naturalist and a courageous social reformer ; nay 

 more, his autobiography is also in part a peculiar revela- 

 tion of the inner man such as no biography could approach. 

 We are also able to send inquirers to the biographies and 

 works of his contemporaries — Darwin, Hooker, Lyell, Hux- 

 ley and many others. All this material is already available 

 to the diligent reader. But there are other sources of in- 

 formation which the present book discloses — Wallace's home 

 life, the large collection of his own letters, the reminiscences 

 of friends, communications which he received from many co- 

 workers and correspondents which, besides being of interest 

 in themselves, often cast a sidelight upon his own mind and 

 work. All these are of peculiar and intimate value to those 

 who desire to form a complete estimate of Wallace. And it 

 is to help the reader to achieve this desirable result that the 

 present work is published. 



It may be stated here that Wallace had suggested to the 

 present writer that he should undertake a new work, to be 



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