Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences, Vol. 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 332 pages of information about Alfred Russel Wallace.

Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences, Vol. 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 332 pages of information about Alfred Russel Wallace.

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TO PROF.  BARRETT

Parkstone, Dorset.  October 30, 1899.

My dear Barrett,—­ ...  Apropos of Nature, they never gave a word of notice to my book[63]—­probably they would say out of kindness to myself as one of their oldest contributors, since they would have had to scarify me, especially as regards the huge Vaccination chapter, which is nevertheless about the most demonstrative bit of work I have done.  I begged Myers—­as a personal favour—­to read it.  He told me he firmly believed in vaccination, but would do so, and afterwards wrote me that he could see no answer to it, and if there was none he was converted.  There certainly has been not a tittle of answer except abuse.

I am glad you brought Lockyer up sharp in his attempt to refuse you the right to reply.  I am glad you now have some personal observations to adduce.  I hope persons or corporations who are going to employ a dowser will now advise you so that you may be present....—­Yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

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TO PROF.  BARRETT

Parkstone, Dorset.  December 24, 1900.

My dear Barrett,—­ ...  I have read your very interesting paper on the divining rod, and the additional evidence you now send.  Of course, I think it absolutely conclusive, but there are many points on which I differ from your conclusions and remarks, which I think are often unfair to the dowsers.  I will just refer to one or two.  At p. 176 (note) you call the idea of there being a “spring-head” at a particular point “absurd.”  But instead of being absurd it is a fact, proved not only by numerous cases you have given of strong springs being found quite near to weak springs a few yards off, but by all the phenomena of mineral and hot springs.  Near together, as at Bath, hot springs and cold springs rise to the surface, and springs of different quality at Harrogate, yet each keeps its distinct character, showing that each rises from a great depth without any lateral diffusion or intermixture.  This is a common phenomenon all over the world, the dowsers’ facts support it, geologists know all about it, yet I presume they have told you that when a dowser states this fact it ceases to be a fact and becomes an absurdity!

The only other point I have time to notice is your Sect.  II. (p. 285).  You head this, “Evidence that the Motion of the Rod is due to Unconscious Muscular Action.”  Naturally I read this with the greatest interest, but found to my astonishment that you adduce no evidence at all, but only opinions of various people, and positive assertions that such is the case!  Now as I know that motions of various objects occur without any muscular action, or even any contact whatever, while Crookes has proved

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Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences, Vol. 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.