202 



MY LIFE 



[Chap. 



me the honour of giving me the honorary degree of D.C.L,, 

 which I went to receive in November, when I enjoyed the 

 hospitality of my friend Professor E. B. Poulton. The Latin 

 speech of the Public Orator on the occasion has been trans- 

 lated for me by my friend Mr. Comerford Casey, and I here 

 give a copy of the translation. 



Addressing the Vice-Chancellor and Proctors of the 

 University of Oxford, the Public Orator spoke words to this 

 effect : — 



" In that department of natural science which is con- 

 cerned with the accurate study of animals and plants, be well 

 assured that no living man has laboured more diligently and 

 with happier results than Alfred Russel Wallace. 



" For having wandered long in early life through the 

 forests of Brazil, and among those islands which lie beyond 

 the Golden Chersonese, and beneath a burning sun, he thought 

 out and explained with wonderful insight the law accord- 

 ing to which (as learned men now believe) new species of 

 animals arise : namely, that a stronger and more vigorous 

 offspring is left behind by those individuals whom nature 

 has, in some way or other, best fitted to endure the vicissi- 

 tudes of life. Thus, in the course of ages, scions are pro- 

 duced which differ more and more widely from the original 

 stock. 



"When this law was discovered, almost simultaneously 

 by the distinguished naturalist, Charles Darwin, neither 

 begrudged to the other his meed of praise; and so high- 

 minded were they both that each was more desirous of 

 discovering new truths than of gaining credit for himself. 



" I need not enumerate the many and learned works which 

 Alfred Russel Wallace has published, since the facts which I 

 have related give him sufficient claim to the honorary degree 

 of Doctor of Civil Law which this University is about to 

 confer upon him." 



Finding my house at Godalming in an unsatisfactory 

 situation, with a view almost confined to the small garden, the 



