I fully agree with what you say about H. Spencer's "Sociology"; I do not believe there is a man in Europe at all his equal in talents. I did not know that you had been writing on politics, except so far as your letter on the coal question, which interested me much and struck me as a capital letter. [pg 284] I must again thank you for your letter, and remain, dear Wallace, yours very sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
I hope to Heaven that politics will not replace natural science.
I know too well how atrociously bad my handwriting is.
The Dell, Grays, Essex. December 6, 1874.
Dear Darwin,—Many thanks for your kindness in sending me a copy of your new edition of the "Descent." I see you have made a whole host of additions and corrections which I shall have great pleasure in reading over as soon as I have got rid of my horrid book on Geographical Distribution, which is almost driving me mad with the amount of drudgery required and the often unsatisfactory nature of the result. However, I must finish with it soon, or all the part first done will have to be done over again, every new book, either as a monograph, or a classification, putting everything wrong (for me).
Hoping you are in good health and able to go on with your favourite work, I remain yours very sincerely,
ALFRED R. WALLACE.