To Alfred Russel Wallace 1 January 1864
Summary
Asa Gray’s high opinion of ARW as a reviewer [reference to S. Haughton’s paper on bees’ cells, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 11 (1863): 415–29, reviewed by ARW in "Remarks on the Rev. S. Haughton’s paper", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 12 (1863): 303–9].
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Date: | 1 Jan 1864 |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add. MS 46434: 31) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4376 |
To A. R. Wallace [c. 10 April 1864]
Summary
Has seen that ARW has read a paper to the Linnean Society.
Thinks that Herbert Spencer’s Social Statics (Spencer 1851) would be too deep for him.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Date: | [c. 10 Apr 1864] |
| Classmark: | The Argyll Papers, Inveraray Castle (NRAS 1209/856) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4378F |
To A. R. Wallace 28 [May 1864]
Summary
Response to ARW’s papers on Papilionidae ["On the phenomena of variation and geographical distribution", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 25 (1866): 1–71; abstract in Reader 3 (1864): 491–3],
and man ["The origin of human races", J. Anthropol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1864): clviii–clxxxvi].
The former is "really admirable" and will be influential.
The idea of the man paper is striking and new. Minor points of difference. Conjectures regarding racial differences; the possible correlation between complexion and constitution. His Query to Army surgeons to determine this point. Offers ARW his notes on man, which CD doubts he will be able to use.
On sexual selection in "our aristocracy"; primogeniture is a scheme for destroying natural selection.
[Letter incorrectly dated March by CD.]
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Date: | 28 [May 1864] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add. MS 46434: 39) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4510 |
To A. R. Wallace 15 June [1864]
Summary
Short reply to ARW’s long letter. Reaffirms belief in sexual selection.
Postscript on M.-J.-P. Flourens’ "little dull book against me" [Examen du livre de M. Darwin (1864)].
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Date: | 15 June [1864] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add. MS 46434: 47) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4535 |
| Darwin, C. R. | (4) |
| Wallace, A. R. | (4) |
