Alfred Russel Wallace 



He was always ready, even eager, to discuss his social and 

 land nationalisation principles with his scientific friends, 

 with members of his own family, and indeed with anyone 

 who would lend a willing ear. 



Herbert Spencer to A. R. Wallace 

 38 Queen's Gardens, Bayswaier, W. April 25, 1881. 



Dear Mr. Wallace, — As you may suppose, I fully sym- 

 pathise with the general aims of your proposed Land 

 Nationalisation Society; but for sundry reasons I hesitate 

 to commit myself, at the present stage of the question, to 

 a programme so definite as that which you send me. It 

 seems to me that before formulating the idea in a specific 

 shape it is needful to generate a body of public opinion on 

 the general issue, and that it must be some time before 

 there can be produced such recognition of the general 

 principle involved as is needful before definite plans can 

 be set forth to any purpose. . . . — Truly yours, 



Herbert Spencejr. 



Herbert Spencer to A. R. Wallace 



38 Queen's Gardens, Bayswater, W. July 6, 1881. 



Dear Mr. Wallace, — I have already seen the work you 

 name, " Progress and Poverty," having had a copy, or 

 rather two copies, sent me. I gathered from what little I 

 glanced at that I should fundamentally disagree with the 

 writer, and have not read more. 



I demur entirely to the supposition, which is implied in 

 the book, that by any possible social arrangements what- 

 ever the distress which humanity has to suffer in the course 

 of civilisation could have been prevented. The whole pro- 

 cess, with all its horrors and tyrannies, and slaveries, and 

 wars, and abominations of all kinds, has been an inevitable 

 one accompanying the survival and spread of the strongest, 



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