Alfred Russel Wallace 



parts of the main problem as stated in the title-page, ^^ An 

 Enquiry into the Cause of Industrial Depressions and of 

 Increase of Want with Increase of Wealth.'' It is the 

 most startling novel and original book of the last twenty 

 years, and if I mistake not will in the future rank as 

 making an advance in political and social science equal to 

 that made by Adam Smith a century ago. 



I am here settled in my little cottage engaged in the 

 occupation I most enjoy — making a garden, and admiring 

 the infinite variety and beauty of vegetable life. I am out 

 of doors all day and hardly read anything. As the long 

 evenings come on I shall get on with my book on the *' Land 

 Question," in which I have found a powerful ally in Mr. 

 George. 



Hoping you are well, believe me, yours most faithfully, 



Alfred E. Wallace. 



The following is the last letter Wallace received from 

 Darwin, who died on Wednesday, April 19, 1882, in the 

 seventy -fourth year of his age. 



Down, Beckenham, Kent. July 12, 1881. 



My dear Wallace, — I have been heartily glad to get your 

 note and hear some news of you. I will certainly order 

 ^* Progress and Poverty,'' for the subject is a most in- 

 teresting one. But I read many years ago some books on 

 political economy, and they produced a disastrous effect 

 on my mind, viz. utterly to distrust my own judgment on 

 the subject and to doubt much everyone else's judgment! 

 So I feel pretty sure that Mr. George's book will only make 

 my mind worse confounded than it is at present. I, also, 

 have just finished a book which has interested me greatly, 

 but whether it would interest anyone else I know not : it 

 is '' The Creed of Science," by W. Graham, A.M. Who 



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