known.  I hope that you have received Hooker’s splendid essay.  So far is bigotry carried that I can name three botanists who will not even read Hooker’s essay!!  Here is a curious thing:  a Mr. Pat.  Matthews, a Scotchman, published in 1830 a work on Naval Timber and Arboriculture, and in the appendix to this he gives most clearly but very briefly in half-dozen paragraphs our view of Natural Selection.  It is a most complete case of anticipation.  He published extracts in the Gardeners’ Chronicle.  I got the book, and have since published a letter acknowledging that I am fairly forestalled.  Yesterday I heard from Lyell that a German, Dr. Schaffhausen, has sent him a pamphlet published some years ago, in which the same view is nearly anticipated, but I have not yet seen this pamphlet.  My brother, who is a very sagacious man, always said, “You will find that someone will have been before you.”  I am at work at my larger work, which I shall publish in separate volumes.  But for ill-health and swarms of letters I get on very, very slowly.  I hope that I shall not have wearied you with these details.

[Illustration:  A.R.  WALLACE SOON AFTER HIS RETURN FROM THE EAST]

With sincere thanks for your letter, and with most deeply-felt wishes for your success in science and in every way, believe me your sincere well-wisher,

C. DARWIN.

* * * * *

Of the letters from Wallace to Darwin which have been preserved, the earliest is the following: 

5 Westbourne Grove Terrace, W. April 7, 1862.

My dear Mr. Darwin,—­I was much pleased to receive your note this morning.  I have not yet begun work, but hope to be soon busy.  As I am being doctored a little I do not think I shall be able to accept your kind invitation at present, but trust to be able to do so during the summer.

I beg you to accept a wild honeycomb from the island of Timor, not quite perfect but the best I could get.  It is of a small size, but of characteristic form, and I think will be interesting to you.  I was quite unable to get the honey out of it, so fear you will find it somewhat in a mess; but no doubt you will know how to clean it.  I have told Stevens to send it to you.

Hoping your health is now quite restored and with best wishes, I remain, my dear Mr. Darwin, yours very sincerely,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

5 Westbourne Grove Terrace, W. May 23, 1862.

My dear Mr. Darwin,—­Many thanks for your most interesting book on the Orchids.  I have read it through most attentively, and have really been quite as much staggered by the wonderful adaptations you show to exist in them as by the Eye in animals or any other complicated organs.  I long to get into the country and have a look at some orchids guided by your new lights, but I have been now for ten days confined to my room with what is disagreeable though far from dangerous—­boils.