Croft, Hastings. February 19, 1889._

Dear Mr. Poulton,--Do you happen to have, or can you easily refer to,
Grant Allen's small books of collected papers under such titles as
"Vignettes from Nature," "The Evolutionist at Large," "Colin Clout's
Calendar," and another I can't remember? In one of them is a paper on
the Origin of Wheat, in which he puts forth the theory that the grasses,
etc., are degraded forms which were once insect-fertilised, summing up
his views in the phrase, "Wheat is a degraded lily," or something like
that. Now Henslow, in his "Floral Structures,"[18] adopts the same
theory for all the wind-fertilised or self-fertilised flowers, and he
tells me that he is _alone_ in the view. I believe the view is a true
one, and I want to give G. Allen the credit of first starting it, and
want to see how far he went. If you have or can get this work of his
with that paper, can you lend it me for a few days? I know not who to
write to for it, as botanists of course ignore it, and G. Allen himself
is, I believe, in Algeria....--Yours faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

HERBERT SPENCER TO A.R. WALLACE

_38 Queen's Gardens, Lancaster Gate, W. May 18, 1889._

Dear Mr. Wallace,--A few days ago there reached me a copy of your new
book, "Darwinism," for which, along with this acknowledgment, I send my
thanks. In my present state of health I dare not read, and fear I shall
be unable to profit by the accumulation of evidence you have brought
together. I see sundry points on which I might raise discussions, but
beyond the fact that I am at present unable to enter into them, I doubt
whether they would be of any use. I regret that you have used the title
"Darwinism," for notwithstanding your qualification of its meaning you
will, by using it, tend greatly to confirm the erroneous conception
almost universally current.--Truly yours,

HERBERT SPENCER.

* * * * *

TO PROF. POULTON

_Parkstone, Dorset. November 28, 1889._

My dear Mr. Poulton,--I have much pleasure in sending you Cope's
book[19] (with the review of "Darwinism"), which I hope you will keep as
long as you like, till you have mastered all its obscurities of style
and eccentricities of argument. I think you will find a good deal in it
to criticise, and it will be well for you to know what the leader of the
Neo-Lamarckians regards as the foundation-stones of his theory. I
greatly e