done is, to have shown that all the evidence we have, be
it much or little, is decidedly against not only other solar planets
having inhabitants, but also, as far as probabilities are concerned,
equally against it in any supposed stellar planets--for not one has been
proved to exist. There is absolutely no evidence which shows even a
probability of there being other inhabited worlds. It is all pure
speculation, depending upon our ideas as to what the universe is for, as
to what _we_ think (some of us!) _ought_ to be! That is not evidence,
even of the flimsiest. All I maintain is that mine _is_ evidence,
founded on physical probabilities, and that, as against no evidence at
all--no proved physical probability--mine holds the field!--Yours very
truly,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO MR. E. SMEDLEY

_Broadstone, Dorset. July 24, 1907._

Dear Mr. Smedley,-- ... I write chiefly to tell you that I have read Mr.
Lowell's last book, "Mars and its Canals," and am now writing an
article, or perhaps a small book, about it. I am sure his theories are
all wrong, and I am showing why, so that anyone can see his fallacies.
His observations, drawings, photographs, etc., are all quite right, and
I believe true to nature, but his interpretation of what he sees is
wrong--often even to absurdity. He began by thinking the straight lines
are works of art, and as he finds more and more of these straight lines,
he thinks that proves more completely that they are works of art, and
then he twists all other evidence to suit that. The book is not very
well written, but no doubt the newspaper men think that as he is such a
great astronomer he must know what it all means!

I am more than ever convinced that Mars is totally
uninhabitable....--Yours very truly,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO PROF. BARRETT

_Broadstone, Wimborne. August 10, 1907._

My dear Barrett,--Thanks for your letter, and your friend Prof.
Stroud's. I have come to the sad conclusion that it is hopeless to get
any mathematician to trouble himself to track out Lowell's obscurities
and fallacies.... So, being driven on to my own resources, I have worked
out a mode of estimating (within limits) the temperature of Mars,
without any mathematical formulae--and only a little arithmetic. I want
to know if there is any fallacy in it, and therefore take the liberty of
sending it to you, as you are taking