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![Letter from Charles Darwin to [Grant Allen], 11891](https://digital.case.edu/sites/default/files/styles/islandora_imagecache_image_style_medium/public/externals/372dadb840abb68d3f6ff3e0ea4e8119.jpg?itok=8b8grQ9-&pid=ksl:ditalldar00165&iic=true)
Show moreDarwin writes to say that he has read Grant Allen's book (The colour-sense with "great interest" and also offers some criticisms and suggestions. Darwin does not believe Allen's theory of the origin of pleasure and pain, though he agrees with his defense of sexual selection. Darwin finds A.R. Wallace's explanations "mere empty words", and also doubts Wallace's scientific judgment. Darwin goes on to say that the possible effect of environmental color on the color tastes of animals. Letter is noted to be written before February 21, 1879. Letter from Down, Beckenham, Kent. Transcription: "Dear Sir Darwin Down Beckenham Kent I have read the [] of your book with [] without. This contains very many [] new to me + highly [], + some new facts. I read it, however to avoid fatigue in an [] spirit: [] [] of [] [] my mind of him. You [] me with having to [] a cave of truth, that I believe you will prefer hearing a few uncomfortable remarks rather than more []. [23 [] + Mrs Lubbock [] to be referred to about the mark "[]" quite [] my year I could not believe in [] meaning, would I find that their development was correlated with that of the rectory. see 373 [] of []] [Wiesman of Vicar. has shown the [] in gray + tender parts in [] an [] of light + he believes that the red scales are at end of [] + seem to portent the parts from [] [] which are the most [].]"
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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![Letter from Charles Darwin to [Grant Allen], 13594](https://digital.case.edu/sites/default/files/styles/islandora_imagecache_image_style_medium/public/externals/c52cffcfe787bf7d709e119437e2830d.jpg?itok=wrWnLzeo&pid=ksl:ditalldar00166&iic=true)
Show moreThanks Grant Allen for his article, "The daisy's pedigree", Cornhill Mag. 44 (1881): 168–81. Darwin writes that the evolutionary argument that petals are transformed stamens is “striking and apparently valid”. He doubts petals are naturally yellow. A. R. Wallace’s “generalization about much modified parts being splendidly coloured” is also dubious except as both are caused by sexual selection. . Letter from Down, Beckenham, Kent. Transcription: "Jan 2nd 188[9] Down, Beckenham, Kent. Railway Station Orpington.S.E.R. My dear sir I thank you for sending me the [], as your article has interested me much. Many years ago I thought it highly probable that petals were in all cases transformed stamens. I forgot ([] the water-lily) what made me think so; but I am sure that your evolutionary argument never occurred to me, as it is too striking + apparently valid ever to be forgotten. I cannot help [] about petals being naturally yellow. I speak only from vague memory, but I think that the filaments are generally white or almost white, + [surely] it is the filament which is [] with the petal. I remember some [] purple + bright yellow filaments, not [] seemed to me to [] by adding [] to the under []. It is not the pollen alone which renders most [] a [] yellow at a cursory glance? You my pupils like to hear that I have described cases (+ others have been described) where an [] [] has rendered a flower double. I can hardly [] that any great change of conditions (which has so [] a tending to cause []) [] to renders a flower double. [] [] breeding here a slight tendency in this direction, as has according [], a hybrid origin. With many thanks for the pleasure which your article has given me, I remain yours sincerely Ch. Darwin I suppose that you know Hr. Muller's [], as it contains much about colour of flowers + mean of variety insects. I must doubt Wallace's [] about much mobilized parts being splendidly coloured, except"
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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Show moreWallace writes to Allen on the subject of color perception of animals, including man. Significance of colored flowers and fruits interested Wallace especially. He also discusses Gladstone's paper on Homer's color terms in the letter. Transcription: "Rosehill,[Dorking]? Oct 7th. 1877 My dear Sir I have read the passages you marked, as well as a good many other parts of your book with much pleasure. I was particularly pleased with your suggestion (which had not occurred to me) that fruits, in our sense of the word, are more recent tdevelopments than flowers because they attract chiefly mammals + birds instead of insects. There is I admit a partial contradiction between the view that red excites animals on account of its glaring contrast, + that yet the perception of it by man is recent. The latter view [] I believe be incorrect, + should be stated I think more hypothetically that I have put it. I have just been reading Mr. Gladstone's interesting paper which is almost wholly on flowers' colour terms or rather the absence of them. The evidence is most curious, but I think it only goes to show that language was imperfect, and that colour was too infinitely [] + of too little importance to early man, to have received a systematic nomenclature. Flowers + birds + insects were despised, + the colours of more important objects as the sea [] earth, iron, brass etc. were not only not pure colours (generally) but subject to endless fluctuations. Your remarks on nuts are very good. I quite overlooked that case + shall refer to you when I [] my papers with there is a volume shortly. I think all the coloured fruits which are poisonous to man are eatable to some birds etc. They are far too numerous to be accounted for otherwise. With many thanks Believe me yours faithfully Alfred R. Wallace Grant Allen Esq." Letter, signed by sender. Written from Rosehill, Dorking.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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Show moreWallace writes to Allen about the color vision theory that was put forth in Allen's recent book ('The colour-sense: its origin and development; an essay in comparitive psychology', London 1879), which Wallace has just read. Transcription: "Waldron Sage, Duppas Hill, [Grogdan?] Feb. 17th. 1879 Dear Sir Very many thanks for your book on "The Colour []". I have just finished reading it through + I have seldom read a book with more pleasure. It is full of original and suggestive matter, and is admirable in its clearness and the thorough manner in which many aspects of the subjects are discussed. Of course I totally dissent from your adoption of "sexual selection" as a vera causa though of course you are quite justified in following Darwin rather than we as an authority. I think you [] many parts of your argument especially the connection of bright colours in animals with the colours of the food. I also think you lay far too great stress on our knowledge of the first appearance of certain groups of plants + insects, but I shall probably deal with these questions in a [] I may write of your book. I must say I do not see the least force in what you say on the probably identity of colour sense in ourselves + which. For it is clear that the optical [] of these two, have been developed separately, and if the causations were alike it would be a coincidence which we have no reason to expect. The fact that insects differentiate most of the contrasted colours, by us means [] a [] afford any probability, that their causations are any thing like ours, and I still maintain that the probability is they are unlike. With birds + ourselves, on the contrary, we may be almost sure the causations are similar, because our eyes + nervous systems are derived probably from a common ancestor who had both well fairly developed. A day or two ago I received from a gentleman reading in Germany a very clever article on the "Origins of the Colour Sense", in which he shows physiological grounds for the belief in the great inferiority of the colour sense in all mammals, + the inferiority even of ourshelves + birds. I am trying to get it publised w/ one of the Reviews. I am very sorry you did not put a good index to your book. It is most difficult to find any special point you want + causes endless trouble. I feel so strongly on this that I think the publication of indexless books should be felony without benefit of []! I will not wish your book success, for it is sure to be successful, as it well deserves to be. Believe me. yours very faithfully Alfred R. Wallace. Grant Allen Esq. P.S. In my original paper in [Macmillains Mags??] I spoke doubtfully about the [] work of colour sense because the subject came upon me suddenly just as I had finished my paper. I still think however that colour blindness is an indication of imperfection, + I hope evidence will soon be obtained as to its equal prevalence or absence in some civilized rave. I doubt its being a product of civilization, since civilized man makes more uses of colour than savage man. It is an interesting and important question. A.R.W." Letter, signed by sender. Written from Waldron Edge, Duppus Hill, Croydan.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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Show moreWallace encourages Allen to write a novel with an "enthusiastic socialist" as the hero, after reading Allen's "At market value". Wallace continues to say that he is simulated by reading Craig's "Ralahine", and adds that it is "perhaps the most interesting and successful experiment in cooperation and socialism ever tried". Transcription: "Parkstone, Dorset April 4th 1899 My dear Grant Allen When I read Mrs. H.Ward's "Marcella", a few years back, + I saw how thoroughly she had got up the arguments of the Socialists + how in all discussions she made Marcella have the best of it, I said to myself, how at last we shall have a Socialist in a Novel who does something worthy, + does not turn out a fool or a []! But alas! When the opportunity came, Marcella did no more than apply the usual plaisters + palli"atives" of the parliamentary philistine. Now, I have been reading your "At market Value" - which I enjoyed very much as a story, and also admired the character of the self-sacrificing hero - who I am glad to see you made to recognize that he had not acted heroically at all, but had wickedly thrown away a great opportunity of doing good by his self-sacrifice. Now why did you (who know so much better) follow the weak example of Mrs. H. Ward? Is it impossible that a sensible socialist should inherit wealth, and do something with it worthy of his creed? Surely it would not be difficult to make his struggles + trouble and efforts to do good both successful + interesting. I have been led to write this by reading Craig's "Ralahime" - perhaps the most interesting + successful experiment in Cooperation + Socialism ever tried, but narrated in such a confused and discursive way as to be puzzling to most readers. Now why do not you write a novel of an enthusiastic Socialist - the outcast of his family - who yet inherits a great lauded estate - + uses it to teach cooperation, land- nationalisation + socialism? He might try many methods. Lord Carrington's plan of giving small plats on farms to all who wants them. then gradually bringing them to cooperate, or real socialistic cooperation as at Ralahime, and also one or more of Mr. Howard's "Garden Cities" in which the Municipality gradually takes over all public work, + then absorbs all private manufacture, resulting in a Socialistic City! I admit it would be difficult to make this generally interesting, but I think you could do it. With best wishes yours very faithfully Alfred R. Wallace" Letter, signed by sender. Written from Parkstone, Dorset.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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