[1]

Broadstone, Dorset.

May 18th. 1903

Dear Professor Darwin

I thank you much for your notes & those of Mr. Whittaker, which will be useful to me as showing how little is known, & how cautious I must be in my speculations.

However, I must trust a little to my scanty knowledge of the general laws of motion, though I know they are full of pitfalls for the unwary. If any special point occurs to me later on, I will take advantage of your kind offer to give me some further

[2]

imagination.

According to my astronomical critics it would seem to be their opinion that the stars are mostly rushing about at random, and that the Milky Way has come into the form of a ring, & verily circular, through such random motions.

This to me seems the wildest of supposition.

Yours very truly

Alfred R. Wallace