Alfred Russel Wallace 



produced a tolerant disposition towards his fellow-men 

 even when he most disagreed with their views or dogmas. 

 He was one of those of whom it may be truly said in 

 hackneyed phrases that he was ^' born great," whilst 

 destined to have ^^ greatness thrust upon him '' in the 

 shape of honours which he received with hesitation. 



From his autobiography we gather that his father, 

 though dimly tracing his descent from the famous Wal- 

 lace of Stirling, was born at Hanworth, in Middlesex, 

 where there appears to have been a small colony of resi- 

 dents bearing the same name but occupying varied social 

 positions, from admiral to hotel-keeper — the grandfather of 

 Alfred Eussel Wallace being known as a victualler. Thomas 

 Vere Wallace was the only son of this worthy innkeeper; 

 and, being possessed of somewhat wider ambitions than a 

 country life offered, was articled to a solicitor in London, 

 and eventually became an attorney-at-law. On his father's 

 death he inherited a small private income, and, not being 

 of an energetic disposition, he preferred to live quietly on 

 it instead of continuing his practice. His main interests 

 were somewhat literary and artistic, but without any definite 

 aim; and this lack of natural energy, mental and physical, 

 reappeared in most of the nine children subsequently born 

 to him, including Alfred Russel, who realised that had it 

 not been for the one definite interest which gradually de- 

 termined his course in life (an interest demanding steady 

 perseverance and concentrated thought as well as physical 

 enterprise), his career might easily have been much less 

 useful. 



It was undoubtedly from his father that he acquired an 

 appreciation of good literature, as they were in the habit 

 of hearing Shakespeare and similar works read aloud round 

 the fireside on winter nights; whilst from his mother came 

 artistic and business-like instincts — several of her relatives 



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