stages of growth.

The only point on which I differ from you--as you know--is your
acceptance, as proved, of the theory of sexual colour selection, and
your speaking of insects as having a sense of "the beautiful" in colour,
as if that were a known fact. But that is a wide question, requiring
full discussion.--Yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO SIR FRANCIS DARWIN


_Frith Hill, Godalming. November 20, 1887._

Dear Mr. Darwin,--Many thanks for the copy of your father's "Life and
Letters," which I shall read with very great interest (as will all the
world). I was not aware before that your father had been so
distressed--or rather disturbed--by my sending him my essay from
Ternate, and I am very glad to feel that his exaggerated sense of honour
was quite needless so far as I was concerned, and that the incident did
not in any way disturb our friendly relations. I always felt, and feel
still, that people generally give me far too much credit for my mere
sketch of the theory--so very small an affair as compared with the vast
foundation of fact and experiment on which your father worked.--Believe
me yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.