Alfred Russel Wallace 



December 14th), when Court dress — a kind of very costly 

 livery — is obligatory! and I was kept for weeks waiting. 

 But at last one of the King's Equerries, Col. Legge (an 

 Earl's son), came down here about two weeks ago bring- 

 ing the Order, which is a very handsome cross in red and 

 blue enamel and gold — rich colours — with a crown above, 

 and a rich ribbed-silk blue and crimson riband to hang it 

 round the neck! Col. Legge was very pleasant, stayed 

 half an hour, had some tea, and showed us how to wear 

 it. So I shall be in duty bound to wear it on the only 

 public occasion I shall be seen again (in all probability), 

 when I give (or attempt to give) my lecture.* Then, I 

 had a letter from Windsor telling me that chalk portraits 

 of all the members of the Order were to be taken for the 

 collections in the Library, and a Mr. Strang came and 

 stayed the night, and in four hours completed a very 

 good life-size head, in coloured chalk, and so far, so good! 

 —Yours very sincerely, Alfred R. Wallace. 



Wallace regarded " Sunlight's " prophecy about " retro- 

 spection " as being fulfilled in 1904, when he received the 

 invitation of Messrs. Chapman and Hall to begin collecting 

 material for his autobiography which was subsequently pub- 

 lished in two large volumes, under the title of " My Life." 



Referring to this work he wrote to Mrs. Fisher : 



Broadstone, Dorset. April 17, 1904. 



Dear Mrs. Fisher, — Thanks for your remarks on what 

 an autobiography ought to be. But I am afraid I shall 

 fall dreadfully short. I seem to remember nothing but 

 ordinary facts and incidents of no interest to anyone but 

 my own family. I do not feel myself that anything has 

 much influenced my character or abilities, such as they 

 are. Lots of things have given me opportunities, and 

 those I can state. Also other things have directed me 

 into certain lines, but I can't dilate on these; and really, 

 with the exception of Darwin and Sir Charles Lyell, I 



* The lecture at the Royal Institution, -when he wore the Order. 



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