The Wallace-Darwin Correspondence 



pamphlet published some years ago, in which the same view 

 is nearly anticipated, but I have not yet seen this pamphlet. 

 My brother, who is a very sagacious man, always said, " You 

 will find that someone will have been before you.'' I am 

 at work at my larger work, which I shall publish in separate 

 volumes. But for ill-health and swarms of letters I get on 

 very, very slowly. I hope that I shall not have wearied 

 you with these details. 



With sincere thanks for your letter, and with most 

 deeply-felt wishes for your success in science and in every 

 way, believe me your sincere well-wisher, q Darwin. 



Of the letters from Wallace to Darwin which have been 

 preserved, the earliest is the following : 



6 Westbourne Grove Terrace, W. April 7, 1862. 



My dear Mr. Darwin, — I was much pleased to receive 

 your note this morning. I have not yet begun work, but 

 hope to be soon busy. As I am being doctored a little I 

 do not think I shall be able to accept your kind invitation 

 at present, but trust to be able to do so during the summer. 



I beg you to accept a wild honeycomb from the island of 

 Timor, not quite perfect but the best I could get. It is of 

 a small size, but of characteristic form, and I think will 

 be interesting to you. I was quite unable to get the honey 

 out of it, so fear you will find it somewhat in a mess ; but 

 no doubt you will know how to clean it. I have told Stevens 

 to send it to you. 



Hoping your health is now quite restored and with best 

 wishes, I remain, my dear Mr. Darwin, yours very sincerely, 



Alfred R. Wallace. 

 5 Westbourne Grove Terrace, W. May 23, 1862. 



My dear Mr. Darwin, — Many thanks for your most in- 

 teresting book on the Orchids. I have read it through most 



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