I am also glad to
hear of your new argument for non-inheritance of acquired
characters.--Yours very truly,
ALFRED R. WALLACE.
* * * * *
TO SIR W.T. THISELTON-DYER
_Old Orchard, Broadstone, Wimborne, February 8, 1911._
Dear Sir W. Thiselton-Dyer,--I thank you very much for taking so much
trouble as you have done in writing your views of my new book.[38] I am
glad to find that you agree with much of what I have said in the more
evolutionary part of it, and that you differ only on some of my
suggested interpretations of the facts. I have always felt the
disadvantage I have been under--more especially during the last twenty
years--in having not a single good biologist anywhere near me, with whom
I could discuss matters of theory or obtain information as to matters of
fact. I am therefore the more pleased that you do not seem to have come
across any serious misstatements in the botanical portions, as to which
I have had to trust entirely to second-hand information, often obtained
through a long and varied correspondence.
As to your disagreement from me in the conclusions arrived at and
strenuously advocated in the latter portions of my work, I am not
surprised. I am afraid, now, that I have not expressed myself
sufficiently clearly as to the fundamental phenomena which seem to me
absolutely to necessitate a guiding mind and organising power.
Pages:
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123