And thus
the event was postponed until the memorable year 1858.
Up to the year 1856 no correspondence had passed between Wallace and
Darwin, so far, at least, as the former could remember, for he says, in
a letter dated Frith Hill, Godalming, December 3, 1887 (written to Mr.
A. Newton): "I had hardly heard of Darwin before going to the East,
except as connected with the voyage of the _Beagle_.... I saw him _once_
for a few minutes in the British Museum before I sailed. Through
Stevens, my agent, I heard that he wanted curious _varieties_ which he
was studying. I _think_ I wrote about some varieties of ducks I had
sent, and he must have written once to me.... But at that time I had
not the remotest notion that he had already arrived at a definite
theory--still less that it was the same as occurred to me, suddenly, in
Ternate in 1858." It is clear, therefore, that the essay written at
Sarawak formed the first real link with Darwin, although not fully
recognised at the time. In May, 1857, Darwin wrote to Wallace: "I am
much obliged for your letter ... and even still more by your paper in
the _Annals_, a year or more ago.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173