If you are able to bear reading, will you allow me to take the liberty of recommending you a book?  The fact is I have been so astonished and delighted with the perusal of Spencer’s works that I think it a duty to society to recommend them to all my friends who I think can appreciate them.  The one I particularly refer to now is “Social Statics,” a book which is by no means hard to read; it is even amusing, and owing to the wonderful clearness of its style may be read and understood by anyone.  I think, therefore, as it is quite distinct from your special studies at present, you might consider it as “light literature,” and I am pretty sure it would interest you more than a great deal of what is now considered very good.  I am utterly astonished that so few people seem to read Spencer, and the utter ignorance there seems to be among politicians and political economists of the grand views and logical stability of his works.  He appears to me as far ahead of John Stuart Mill as J.S.M. is of the rest of the world, and, I may add, as Darwin is of Agassiz.  The range of his knowledge is no less than its accuracy.  His nebular hypothesis in the last volume of his essays is the most masterly astronomical paper I have ever read, and in his forthcoming volume on Biology he is I understand going to show that there is something else besides Natural Selection at work in nature.  So you must look out for a “foeman worthy of your steel”!  But perhaps all this time you have read his books.  If so, excuse me, and pray give me your opinion of him, as I have hitherto only met with one man (Huxley) who has read and appreciated him.

Allow me to say in conclusion how much I regret that unavoidable circumstances have caused me to see so little of you since my return home, and how earnestly I pray for the speedy restoration of your health.—­Yours most sincerely,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

Malvern Wells.  Tuesday, March, 1864.

My dear Mr. Wallace,—­Your kindness is neverfailing.  I got worse and worse at home and was sick every day for two months; so came here, when I suddenly broke down and could do nothing; but I hope I am now very slowly recovering, but am very weak.

Sincere thanks about Melastoma:  these flowers have baffled me, and I have caused several friends much useless labour; though, Heaven knows, I have thrown away time enough on them myself.

The gorse case is very valuable, and I will quote it, as I presume I may.

I was very glad to see in the Reader that you have been giving a grand paper (as I infer from remarks in discussion) on Geographical Distribution.

I am very weak, so will say no more.—­Yours very sincerely,

C. DARWIN.

* * * * *

In Vol.  I., p. 93, of the “Life and Letters of Charles Darwin,” Darwin states the circumstances which led to his writing the “Descent of Man.”  He says that his collection of facts, begun in 1837 or 1838, was continued for many years without any definite idea of publishing on the subject.  The letter to Wallace of May 28, 1864, in reply to the latter’s of May 10, shows that in the period of ill-health and depression about 1864 he despaired of ever being able to do so.