Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences, Vol. 2Wallace, Alfred Russel
Science
Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters and Reminiscences, Vol. 2
Wallace, Alfred Russel
Naturalists -- Correspondence; Wallace, Alfred Russel, 1823-1913
wilds of Colorado, who had merely communicated a list of more or less
trifling criticisms, can only be explained as an instance of Dr.
Wallace's eagerness to help and encourage beginners. It did not occur to
him to question the propriety of the criticisms, he did not write as a
superior to an inferior; he only saw what seemed to him a spark of
biological enthusiasm, which should by all means be kindled into flame.
Many years later, when I was at his house, he produced with the greatest
delight some letters from a young man who had gone to South America and
was getting his first glimpse of the tropical forest. What discoveries
he might make! What joy he must have on seeing the things described in
the letter, such things as Dr. Wallace himself had seen in Brazil so
long ago!"
Wallace's critical faculty was always keen and vigilant. Unlike some
critics, however, he relished genuine and well-informed criticism of his
own writings. Flattery he despised; whilst the charge of dishonesty
aroused strongest resentment. Deceived he might be, but he required
clear proof that his own eyes and ears had led him astray. Romanes, who
had propounded the forgotten theory of physiological selection, charged
Wallace with adopting it as his own. This was not only untrue, it was
ridiculous; and Wallace, after telling him so and receiving no apology,
dropped him out of his recognition. During Romanes' illness Mr.
Thiselton-Dyer wrote to Wallace and sought to bring about a
reconciliation, and Wallace replied:
* * * * *
_Parkstone, Dorset. September 26, 1893._
My dear Thiselton-Dyer,--I am sorry to hear of Romanes' illness, because
I think he would have done much good work in carrying out experiments
which require the leisure, means and knowledge which he possesses. I
cannot, however, at all understand his wishing to have any communication
from myself. I do not think I ever met Romanes in private more than
once, when he called on me more than twenty years ago about some curious
psychical phenomena occurring in his own family; and perhaps half a
dozen letters--if so many--may have passed between us since. There is
therefore no question of personal friendship disturbed. I consider,
however, that he made a very gross misstatement and personal attack on
me when he stated, both in English and American periodicals, that in my
"Darwinism" I adopted his theory of "physiological selection" and
claimed it as my own, and that my adoption of it was "unequivocal and
complete." This accusation he supported by such a flood of words and
quotations and explanations as to obscure all the chief issues and
render it almost impossible for the ordinary reader to disentangle the
facts. I told him then that unless he withdrew this accusation as
publicly as he had made it I should decline all future correspondence
with him, and should avoid referring to him in any of my writings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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