XXXVIII] THE ANTI-VACCINATION CRUSADE 355 



Two days later he wrote me again : — 



" I can see no answer to your statistics and arguments. 

 Of course I should like to see what the doctors can say in 

 reply ^ as it is difficult to believe in such a widespread blunder. 

 But so far as the statistics with which you deal go — and that 

 is very far — I cannot imagine a convincing answer. I am 

 much obliged to you for letting me see the pamphlet ; and I 

 shall hand it on to Sir John Gorst, with your letter and a 

 letter of my own. 



**The unveracity of W, B. Carpenter, and especially of 

 Ernest Hart, ought not to surprise me after what I already 

 knew of their standards in controversy ; but it is staggering 

 all the same." 



Such a letter from so clear a reasoner and so thoroughly 

 honest and impartial a writer, was very satisfactory to me ; 

 but some months later, in September 1898, I received the 

 following quite unsolicited testimonial from a perfect stranger 

 to me — Lord Grimthorpe — an opponent in politics, but being 

 a King's Counsel and a mathematician, as well as an able 

 writer, was well fitted to form an opinion upon a rather com- 

 plex statistical problem. 



The letter is as follows : — 



"Batch Wood, St. Albans, September 14, 1898. 



" To Dr. Alfred R. Wallace. 



" Sir, 



" I dare say you will excuse my troubling you with 

 this letter on a subject on which I do not profess to be an 

 expert, but on which it may again be my duty to form a 

 legislative judgment. Last session I was not able to go up 

 and sit through two probably late debates to vote ; and, indeed, 

 I had not then made up my mind as I have now, though I 

 had written a short letter to the Times on the vacillation of 

 the Government about the Vaccination Bill. 



" Since then I have been reading the chapter about it in 

 your recent book, the "Wonderful Century," and the sub- 

 sequent letters in the Times; and those of yesterday, 

 especially Dr. Bond's, move me to tell you that, absurd as his 



