something of the same kind, but very much less in degree and
importance, as Galton's fine discovery of the law of the average share
each parent has in the characters of the child--one quarter, the four
grandparents each one-sixteenth, and so on. That illuminates the whole
problem of heredity, combined with individual diversity, in a way
nothing else does. I almost wish you could introduce that!--Yours very
truly,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO DR. ARCHDALL REID

_Broadstone, Wimborne. January 19, 1908._

Dear Sir,-- ... I was much pleased the other day to read, in a review of
Mr. T. Rice Holmes's fine work on "Ancient Britain and the Invasions of
Julius Caesar," that the author has arrived by purely historical study at
the conclusion that we have not risen morally above our primitive
ancestors. It is a curious and important coincidence.

I myself got the germ of the idea many years ago, from a very acute
thinker, Mr. Albert Mott, who gave some very original and thoughtful
addresses as President of the Liverpool Philosophical Society, one of
which dealt with the question of savages being often, perhaps always,
the descendants of more civilised races, and therefore affording no
proof of progression. At that time (about 1860-70) I could not accept
the view, but I have now come to think he was right.--Yours very truly,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO PROF. POULTON

_Old Orchard, Broadstone, Wimborne. November 2, 1908._

My dear Poulton,-- ... You may perhaps have heard that I have been
invited by the Royal Institution (through Sir W. Crookes) to give them a
lecture on the jubilee of the "Origin of Species" in January, After some
consideration I accepted, because I _think_ I can give a broad and
general view of Darwinism, that will finally squash up the Mutationists
and Mendelians, and be both generally intelligible and interesting. So
far as I know this has never yet been done, and the Royal Institution
audience is just the intelligent and non-specialist one I shall be glad
to give it to if I can.

I have been very poorly the last three weeks, but am now recovering my
health and strength slowly. It will take me all my time the next two
months to get this ready, and now I must write a letter in reply to the
absurd and gross misrepresentation of Prof. Hubrecht, as to
imaginary differences between Darwin and myself, in the last
_Contempo