Alfred Russel Wallace 



many chapters, I do not suppose I shall go to press for 

 two years. 



I have never heard how long you intend staying in the 

 Malay Archipelago ; I wish I might profit by the publica- 

 tion of your Travels there before my work appears, for no 

 doubt you will reap a large harvest of facts. 



I have acted already in accordance with your advice of 

 keeping domestic varieties, and those appearing in a state 

 of nature, distinct; but I have sometimes doubted of the 

 wisdom of this, and therefore I am glad to be backed by 

 your opinion. I must confess, however, I rather doubt the 

 truth of the now very prevalent doctrine of all our domestic 

 animals having descended from several wild stocks; though 

 I do not doubt that it is so in some cases. I think there is 

 rather better evidence on the sterility of hybrid animals than 

 you seem to admit : and in regard to plants, the collection 

 of carefully recorded facts by Kolreuter and Gaertner (and 

 Herbert) is enormous. I most entirely agree with you on 

 the little effect of '^ climatic conditions " which one sees 

 referred to ad nauseam in all books : I suppose some very 

 little effect must be attributed to such influences, but I 

 fully believe that they are very slight. It is really im- 

 possible to explain my views in the compass of a letter as 

 to causes and means of variation in a state of nature ; but 

 I have slowly adopted a distinct and tangible idea — whether 

 true or false others must judge; for the firmest conviction 

 of the truth of a doctrine by its author seems, alas, not to 

 be the slightest guarantee of truth. 



I have been rather disappointed at my results in the 

 poultry line ; but if you should, after receiving this, stumble 

 on any curious domestic breed, I should be very glad to have 

 it; but I can plainly see that the result will not be at all 

 worth the trouble which I have taken. The case is different 

 with the domestic pigeons; from its study I have learned 



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