ALFRED R. WALLACE.

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TO PROF.  MELDOLA

Parkstone, Dorset.  April 27, 1897.

My dear Meldola,—­ ...  I thought Romanes’ article in reply to Spencer was very well written and wonderfully clear for him, and I agree with most of it, except his high estimate of Spencer’s co-adaptation argument.  It is quite true that Spencer’s biology rests entirely on Lamarckism, so far as heredity of acquired characters goes.  I have been reading Weismann’s last book, “The Germ Plasm.”  It is a wonderful attempt to solve the most complex of all problems, and is almost unreadable without some practical acquaintance with germs and their development.—­Believe me yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

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TO PROF.  POULTON

Parkstone, Dorset.  June 13, 1897.

My dear Poulton,—­ ...  The rate of deposition might be modified in an archipelago, but would not necessarily be less than now, on the average.  On the ocean side it might be slow, but wherever there were comparatively narrow straits between the islands it might be even faster than now, because the area of deposition would be strictly limited.  In the seas between Java and Borneo and between Borneo and Celebes the deposition may be above the average.  Again, during the development of continents there were evidently extensive mountain ridges and masses with landlocked seas, or inland lakes, and in all these deposition would be rapid.  Anyhow, the fact remains that there is no necessary equality between rates of denudation and deposition (in thickness) as Geikie has assumed.

I was delighted with your account of Prichard’s wonderful anticipation of Galton and Weismann!  It is so perfect and complete....  It is most remarkable that such a complete statement of the theory and such a thorough appreciation of its effects and bearing should have been so long overlooked.  I read Prichard when I was very young, and have never seen the book since.  His facts and arguments are really useful ones, and I should think Weismann must be delighted to have such a supporter come from the grave.  His view as to the supposed transmission of disease is quite that of Archdall Reid’s recent book.  He was equally clear as to Selection, and had he been a zoologist and traveller he might have anticipated the work of both Darwin and Weismann!

To bring out such a book as his “Researches” when only twenty-seven, and a practising physician, shows what a remarkable man he was.—­Believe me yours very truly,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

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TO PROF.  MELDOLA

Parkstone, Dorset.  July 8, 1897.