e condition of the workers to
a higher level; and nothing was more striking than his intense
sympathy with every movement for the relief of poverty and the
betterment of the wage-earning classes. The land question, we
agreed, lay at the root of the matter, and land nationalisation
the true solution. In fact, ever since I read the proof-sheets of
his book on this subject, which he corrected when staying at my
house in Kingstown, I have been a member of the Land
Nationalisation Society, of which he was President.

Needless to say, Dr. Wallace was an ardent Home Ruler and Free
Trader,[71] but on the latter question he said there should be an
export duty on coal, especially the South Wales steam coal, as our
supply was limited and it was essential for the prosperity of the
country--and "the purchaser pays the duty," he remarked. I
heartily agreed with him, and said that a small export duty _had_
been placed on coal by the Conservative Government, but
subsequently was removed. This he had forgotten, and when later on
I sent him particulars of the duty and its yield, he replied
saying that at that time he was so busy with the preparation of a
book that he had overlooked the fact. He wrote most energetically
on the importance of the Government being wise in time, and urged
at least a 2s. export duty on coal.

We talked about the question of a portrait of Dr. Wallace being
painted and presented to the Royal Society, which had been
suggested by the Rev. James Marchant, to whom Dr. Wallace
referred, when talking to me, in grateful and glowing
terms.--W.F.B.

Perhaps it should be added to Sir William Barrett's reminiscences that
the movement which was set on foot to carry out this project was stayed
by Wallace's death.

During the last years of his life his pen was seldom dry. His interest
in science and in politics was fresh and keen to the closing week. He
wrote "Social Environment and Moral Progress" in 1912, at the age of 90.
The book had a remarkable reception. Leading articles and illustrated
reviews appeared in most of the daily newspapers. The book, into which
he had put his deepest thoughts and feelings upon the condition of
society, was hailed as a virile and notable production from a truly
great man. After this was issued, he saw another, "The Revolt of
Democracy," through the press. But this did not exhaust his