I sincerely hope your health is improving.--Believe me yours very
faithfully,
ALFRED R. WALLACE.
P.S.--I fear Lubbock's motion is being pushed off to the end of the
Session, and Hooker's case will not be fairly considered. I hope the
matter will _not_ be allowed to drop.--A.R.W.
* * * * *
_Down, Beckenham, Kent. August 28, 1872._
My dear Wallace,--I have at last finished the gigantic job of reading
Dr. Bastian's book, and have been deeply interested in it. You wished to
hear my impression, but it is not worth sending.
He seems to me an extremely able man, as indeed I thought when I read
his first essay. His general argument in favour of archebiosis[92] is
wonderfully strong; though I cannot think much of some few of his
arguments. The result is that I am bewildered and astonished by his
statements, but am not convinced; though on the whole it seems to me
probable that archebiosis is true. I am not convinced partly I think
owing to the deductive cast of much of his reasoning; and I know not
why, but I never feel convinced by deduction, even in the case of H.
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