Alfred Russel Wallace 



Sir W. T. Thiselton-Dybr to A. R. Wallace 



Kew. January 12, 1893. 



Dear Mr. Wallace, — ... I was very vexed to hear that 

 I had misunderstood your wishes about the Royal Society. 

 Of course, the matter must often have presented itself to 

 your mind, and I confess that it argued a little presump- 

 tion on the part of a person like myself, so far inferior to 

 you in age and standing, to think that you would yield to 

 my solicitation. 



I was obliged for my health to go to Eastbourne, and 

 there I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Huxley, who, you 

 will be glad to hear, is wonderfully well, and an ardent 

 gardener ! His present ambition is to grow every possible 

 saxifrage. 



I told him that I had had the audacity to approach you 

 on the subject of the Royal Society. He heartily approved, 

 and expressed the strongest opinion that unless you had 

 some insuperable objection you ought to yield. All of us 

 who belong to the R.S. have but one wish, which is that 

 it should stand before the public as containing all that is 

 best and worthiest in British Science. As long as men 

 like you stand aloof, that cannot be said. Lately we have 

 been exposed to some very ill-natured attacks : we have 

 been told that we are professional, and not discoverers. 

 Well, this is all the more reason for your not hold- 

 ing aloof from us. I wish you would think it over 

 again. Huxley went the length of saying that to him it 

 seemed a plain duty. But this is language I do not like 

 to use. 



As to attending the meetings or taking part in the work 

 of the Society, that is immaterial. Darwin never did either, 

 though he did once come to one of the evening receptions, 

 and enjoyed it immensely. 



In writing as I do I am not merely expressing my own 

 opinions, but those of many others of my own standing 

 who are keenly ioterested in the matter. 



It is not a great matter to ask. I have the certificate 

 ready. You have but to say the word. You will be put 



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