Alfred Russel Wallace 



out, I do not doubt that it would be binding on the next 

 Government. 



I hope that it will give you some satisfaction to see that 

 not only every scientific man to whom I applied, but that 

 also our Government appreciated your lifelong scientific 

 labour. — Believe me, my dear Wallace, yours sincerely, 



Ch. Darwin. 



I should expect that there will be some delay before you 

 receive an official announcement. 



1 Pen-y-hryn, St, Peter's Road^ Croydon. January 8, 1881. 



My dear Darwin, — I need not say how very grateful I 

 am to you for your constant kindness, and especially for 

 the trouble you have taken in recommending me to Mr. 

 Gladstone. It is also, of course, very gratifying to hear 

 that so many eminent men have so good an opinion of the 

 little scientific work I have done, for I myself feel it to 

 be very little in comparison with that of many others. 



The amount you say Mr. Gladstone proposes to recom- 

 mend is considerably more than I expected would be given, 

 and it will relieve me from a great deal of the anxieties 

 under which I have laboured for several years. To-day is 

 my fifty -eighth birthday, and it is a happy omen that your 

 letter should have arrived this morning. 



I presume after I receive the official communication will 

 be the proper time to thank the persons who have signed 

 the memorial in my favour. I do not know whether it is 

 the proper etiquette to write a private letter of thanks to 

 Mr. Gladstone, or only a general official one. Whenever 

 I hear anything from the Government I will let you 

 know. 



Again thanking you for your kindness, believe me yours 

 very faithfully, Alfred R. Wallace. 



314 



