. October 31, 1900._

My dear Sir,--For some reason, though your letter is dated the 20th, it
has only reached me, along with the two volumes, to-day. I feel myself
greatly indebted to you for both. In older days I often mused upon a
passage of yours in the "Malay Archipelago" contrasting the condition of
certain types of savage life with that of life in a modern industrial
city. And I shall gladly turn again to the subject in these pages, new
to me, where you come to close quarters with the problem.

But my time and my mind are at present neither of them free for the
effective consideration of this mighty case. Nor can I promise myself
the requisite leisure for at least several months to come. What I can do
is to set your arguments a-simmering in my brain, and perhaps when the
time of liberation arrives I may be in a state to make something of it.
I don't suppose that I shall be a convert, but I always remember J.S.
Mill's observation, after recapitulating the evils to be apprehended
from Socialism, that he would face them in spite of all, if the only
alternative to Socialism were our present state.--With sincere thanks
and regard, believe me yours faithfully

JOHN MORLEY.

* * * * *

TO MR. C.G. STUART-MENTEITH

_Parkstone, Dorset. June 6, 1901._

Dear Sir,--I have no time to discuss your letter[52] at any length. You
seem to assume that we can say definitely who are the "fit" and who the
"unfit."

I deny this, except in the most extreme cases.

I believe that, even now, the race is mostly recruited by the _more
fit_--that is the upper working classes and the lower middle classes.

Both the very rich and the very poor are probably--as classes--below
these. The former increase less rapidly through immorality and late
marriage; the latter through excessive infant mortality. If that is the
case, no legislative interference is needed, and would probably do harm.

I see nothing in your letter which is really opposed to my
contention--that under rational social conditions the healthy instincts
of men and women will solve the population problem far better than any
tinkering interference either by law or by any other means.

And in the meantime the condition of things is not so bad as you
suppose.--Yours very truly,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO MR. SYDNEY COCKERELL

_Broadstone, Wimborne. January 15, 1906._

Dear Mr. Cockerell,--I ha