inter of 1886, Wallace decided upon a series which would
embody those theories of evolution with which he was most familiar, with
a special one on "The Darwinian Theory" illustrated by a set of original
diagrams on variation. These lectures eventually became merged into the
well-known book entitled "Darwinism."

On the first delivery of his lecture on the "Darwinian Theory" at
Boston it was no small pleasure to Wallace to find the audience both
large and attentive. One of the newspapers expressed the public
appreciation in the following truly American fashion: "The first
Darwinian, Wallace, did not leave a leg for anti-Darwinism to stand on
when he had got through his first Lowell Lecture last evening. It was a
masterpiece of condensed statement--as clear and simple as compact--a
most beautiful specimen of scientific work. Dr. Wallace, though not an
orator, is likely to become a favourite as a lecturer, his manner is so
genuinely modest and straightforward."

Wherever he went during his tour of the States this lecture more than
all others attracted and pleased his audiences. Many who had the
opportunity of conversing with him, and others by correspondence,
confessed that they had not been able to understand the "Origin of
Species" until they heard the facts explained in such a lucid manner by
him. It was this fact, therefore, which led him, on his return home in
the autumn of 1887, to begin the preparation of the book ("Darwinism")
published in 1889. The method he chose was that of following as closely
as possible the lines of thought running through the "Origin of
Species," to which he added many new features, in addition to laying
special emphasis on the parts which had been most generally
misunderstood. Indeed, so fairly and impartially did he set forth the
general principles of the Darwinian theory that he was able to say:
"Some of my critics declare that I am more Darwinian than Darwin
himself, and in this, I admit, they are not far wrong."

His one object, as set out in the Preface, was to treat the problem of
the origin of species from the standpoint reached after nearly thirty
years of discussion, with an abundance of new facts and the advocacy of
many new and old theories. As it had frequently been considered a
weakness on Darwin's part that he based his evidence primarily on
experiments with domesticated animals and cultivated plants, Wallace
desired to secure a firm foundation for the theory in the variatio