Alfred Russel Wallace 



written in less than three months, it cannot be expected to 

 be as complete and careful as if three years had been ex- 

 pended on it, but then it is fresher perhaps. The bit about 

 the pure air came to me while writing, and I let myself go. 

 Why should I not try and do a little good and make people 

 think a little on such matters, when I have the chance of 

 perhaps more readers than all my other books ? 



As to my making too much of Man, of course that is the 

 whole subject of the book ! And I look at it differently from 

 you, because I know facts about him you neither know nor 

 believe yet. If you are once convinced of the facts and 

 teachings of Spiritualism, you will think more as I do. 



The following letter refers to his little book on Mars. 



To Mk. W. G. Wallace 



Broadstone, Wimborne. September 26, 1907. 



My dear Will, — . . . After elaborate revision and correc- 

 tion I have sent my MS. of the little " Mars " book to Mac- 

 millans yesterday. . . . Will you read the whole proofs care- 

 fully, in the character of the " intelligent reader " ? Your 

 fresh eye will detect little slips, bad logic, too positive state- 

 ments, etc., which I may have overlooked. It will only be 

 about 100 or 150 pages large type — and I want it to be really 

 good, and free from blunders that any fool can see. . . . 



For some years now he had suffered from repeated attacks 

 of asthma and bronchitis. He had tried the usual remedies 

 for these complaints without any good results, and, though 

 still able to write, had then no thought of beginning any large 

 work ; in fact, he considered he had but a few more years to 

 live. When Mr. Bruce- Joy came to see him in order to model 

 the portrait medallion, he mentioned in the course of con- 

 versation that he had tried the Salisbury treatment with 

 wonderful results. Our father was at first incredulous, but 



