egin next October.
Should you happen to know any of the Trustees, or have any influential
friends in Birmingham, perhaps you could help me.

I think this book will be my last, as I have pretty well said all I have
to say in it, and I have never taken to experiment as you have. But I
want some easy occupation for my declining years, with not too much
confinement or desk-work, which I cannot stand. You see I had some
reason for writing to you; but do not you trouble to write again unless
you have something to communicate.

With best wishes, yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

I have not seen the _Fortnightly_ yet, but will do so.

* * * * *

_Pen-y-bryn, St. Peter's Road, Croydon. October 11, 1880._

My dear Darwin,--I hope you will have received a copy of my last book,
"Island Life," as I shall be very glad of your opinion on certain points
in it. The first five chapters you need not read, as they contain
nothing fresh to you, but are necessary to make the work complete in
itself. The next five chapters, however (VII. to X.), I think, will
interest you. As I _think_, in Chapters VIII. and IX. I have found the
true explanation of geological climates, and on this I shall be very
glad of your candid opinion, as it is the very foundation-stone of the
book. The rest will not contain much that is fresh to you, except the
three chapters on New Zealand. Sir Joseph Hooker thinks my theory of
the Australian and New Zealand floras a decided advance on anything that
has been done before.

In connection with this, the chapter on the Azores should be read.

Chap. XVI. on the British Fauna may also interest you.

I mention these points merely that you may not trouble yourself to read
the whole book, unless you like.

Hoping that you are well, believe me yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

_Down, Beckenham, Kent. November 3, 1880._

My dear Wallace,--I have now read your book,[113] and it has interested me
deeply. It is quite excellent, and seems to me the best book which you
have ever published; but this may be merely because I have read it last.
As I went on, I made a few notes,[114] chiefly when I differed strongly
from you; but God knows whether they are worth your reading. You will be
disappointed with many of them; but they will show that I had the will,
though I did not know the way, to do what you wanted.

I have said not