Alfred Russel Wallace 



and at this particular time that distaste is stronger than 

 ever. I have never recovered from the severe illness I had 

 a year and a half ago, and it is in hopes of restoring my 

 health that I have let my cottage here and have taken 

 another at Parkstone, Dorset, into which I have arranged 

 to move on Midsummer Day. To add to my difficulties, I 

 have work at examination papers for the next two or three 

 weeks, and also a meeting (annual) of our Land National- 

 isation Society, so that the work of packing my books and 

 other things and looking after the plants which I have 

 to move from my garden will have to be done in a very 

 short time. Under these circumstances it would be almost 

 impossible for me to rush away to Oxford except under 

 absolute compulsion, and to do so would be to render a 

 ceremony which at any time would be a trial, a positive 

 punishment. 



Really the greatest kindness my friends can do me is 

 to leave me in peaceful obscurity, for I have lived so 

 secluded a life that I am more and more disinclined to 

 crowds of any kind. I had to submit to it in America, 

 but then I felt exceptionally well, whereas now I am 

 altogether weak and seedy and not at all up to fatigue or 

 excitement.— Yours very faithfully, Alfred R. Wallace. 



Prof. Poulton pressed him to reconsider his decision, 

 and he reluctantly gave way. 



Oodalming. June 2, 1889. 



My dear Mr. Poulton, — I am exceedingly obliged by your 

 kind letters, and I will say at once that if the Council of 

 the University should again ask me to accept the degree, 

 to be conferred in the autumn, as you propose, I could 

 not possibly refuse it. At the same time I hope you will 

 not in any way urge it upon them, as I really feel myself 

 too much of an amateur in Natural History and altogether 

 too ignorant (I left school — a bad one — finally, at fourteen) 

 to receive honours from a great University. But I will say 

 no more about that. — Yours very faithfully, 



A. E. Wallace. 

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