Alfred Russel Wallace 



9 St, Mark's Crescent, N.W. September 5, [1868 ?]. 



Dear Darwin, — It will give me great pleasure to accept 

 your kind invitation for next Saturday and Sunday, and 

 my wife would very much like to come too, and will if 

 possible. Unfortunately, there is a new servant coming 

 that very day, and there is a baby at the mischievous age 

 of a year and a quarter to be left in somebody's care ; but 

 I daresay it will be managed somehow. 



I will drop a line on Friday to say if we are coming 

 the time you mention. — Believe me yours very faithfully, 



Alfred R. Wallace. 



Friday. 



My dear Darwin, — My wife has arranged to accompany 

 me to-morrow, and we hope to be at Orpington Station at 

 5.44, as mentioned by you. — ^Very truly yours, 



Alfred E. Wallace. 



Down, Bromley, Kent, S.E. September 16, 1868. 



My dear Wallace, — The beetles have arrived, and cordial 

 thanks : I never saw such wonderful creatures in my life. 

 I was thinking of something quite different. I shall wait 

 till my son Frank returns, before soaking and examining 

 them. I long to steal the box, but return it by this post, 

 like a too honest man. 



I am so much pleased about the male musk Callichroma; 

 for by odd chance I told Frank a week ago that next 

 spring he must collect at Cambridge lots of Cerambyx 

 moschatus, for as sure as life he would find the odour 

 sexual ! 



You will be pleased to hear that I am undergoing severe 

 distress about protection and sexual selection : this morn- 

 ing I oscillated with joy towards you; this evening I have 



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