Letter to Grant Allen asking if there is any room in the theory of evolution for "designing mind... behind the first steps..." Transcription: "[filter Show moreLetter to Grant Allen asking if there is any room in the theory of evolution for "designing mind... behind the first steps..." Transcription: "[filter] of Temperance Movement from Albert Wilberforce The Deanery, Southampton Aug 16 (1881), 20 [Dennis yard?] Mr Allen [] During my long spell of illness I have read among other things your quite delightful volume of articles under the title of "[The] Evolutionary at large" I have no [filter] to learn your writs a question + shall not be surprised if you are too busy to reply to me but it would interest me to know whether in your work of proving that the beauty order + [] of nature are due to other [] interaction of a vast number of natural laws and not to any distinct aesthetic intention on the part of nature you mean to exclude any aesthetic intention on the part of some initiating mind behind Nature. I have considered [] evolution if satisfactory, proved [] added to [] [] [] the [] are a majority of the [] [] that never have been [] the first steps and [] [] make out whether your conclusions leave room for the designer in other words where the [] excludes the idea of god, how does he get on [] [] With many apologies for my intrusion I am faithfully yours Albert Wilberforce" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from The Deanery, Southampton. The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts Show less