Alfred Russel Wallace 



external circumstances, is universally held to be a distinct 

 species; while one which is not regularly transmitted so as 

 to form a distinct race, but is occasionally reproduced from 

 the parent stock (like albinoes), is generally, if the differ- 

 ence is not very considerable, classed as a variety. But I 

 would class both these as distinct species^ and I would only 

 consider those to be varieties whose differences are produced 

 by external causes, and which, therefore, are not propagated 

 as distinct races." 



^ Again, writing about the same period, he adds : ^* I begin 

 to feel rather dissatisfied with a mere local collection ; little 

 is to be learnt by it. I should like to take some one family 

 to study thoroughly, principally with a view to the theory of 

 the origin of species. By that means I am strongly of opinion 

 that some definite results might be arrived at." And he 

 further alludes to '' my favourite subject — the variations, 

 arrangements, distribution, etc., of species.'" 



It is evident that in Bates Wallace found his first real 

 friend and companion in matters scientific; for in another 

 letter he says : ^^ I quite envy you, who have friends near 

 you attracted to the same pursuits. I know not a single 

 person in this little town who studies any one branch of 

 natural history, so that I am quite alone in this respect." 

 In fact, except for a little friendly help now and then, as 

 in the case of Mr. Hayward lending him a copy of Loudon's 

 Encyclopedia of Plants, he had always pondered over 

 his nature studies without any assistance up to the time 

 of his meeting Bates at Leicester. 



1 " My early letters to Bates suffice to show that the great problem of 

 the origin of species was already distinctly formulated in my mind ; that 

 I was not satisfied with the more or less vague solutions at that time 

 offered ; that I believed the conception of evolution through natural 

 law so clearly formulated in the ' Vestiges ' to be, so far as it went, a true 

 one ; and that I firmly believed that a full and careful study of the facts of 

 nature would ultimately lead to a solution of the mystery." — " My Life," 

 i. 254-7. 



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