To A. R. Wallace 7 March [1867]1
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
Mar 7
My dear Wallace
The addresses which you have sent me are capital, especially that to the Rajah; & I have despatched two sets of queries. I now enclose a copy to you & shd be very glad of any answers; you must not suppose the P.S. about memory has lately been inserted; please return these queries as it is my standard copy.2 The subject is a curious one, I fancy I shall make a rather interesting appendix to my Essay on Man.3
I fully admit the probability of “protective adaptation” having come into play with female butterflies as well as with female birds.4 I have a good many facts which make me believe in sexual selection as applied to man, but whether I shall convince any one else is very doubtful.5
Dear Wallace | yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Summary
Grateful for addresses of informants, especially that of Rajah James Brooke.
Dispatch of queries on expression. Answers will make interesting appendix to his "Essay on man" [Descent].
Protective adaptation of female butterflies believed probable.
Believes in sexual selection as applied to man.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5992
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Alfred Russel Wallace
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- The British Library (Add 46434 ff. 20–20v)
- Physical description
- LS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5992,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5992.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 15
