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Sirs,—As I do not wish your readers to suppose that I have altered the words of an author whom I quote in order to make them agree more closely with my own opinions, will you permit me to state, in reply to Mr. Maunder's criticism of my article in the Fortnightly Review, that when that article was sent to press I had not seen Prof. Newcomb's book on "The Stars"; but I quoted from his "Chapters on the Stars," which appeared in The Popular Science Monthly. The quotation beginning "If we should blot out," is verbatim, as at page 323 of that periodical for January, 1901, except that I have, inadvertently, substituted "Milky Way" for "galaxy."

A writer in the Daily News of March 31st has so well answered Mr. Maunder's criticisms that it is unnecessary for me to refer to them here. I am, however, indebted both to Mr. Maunder and to Prof. H. H. Turner, who has criticised my article in this month's Fortnightly, because,

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although I consider their objections to be rather weak, and with one exception not much to the point, they are yet of great use to me, as showing me where my argument needs strengthening or where I am likely to be misunderstood.

In a volume I am now preparing I hope to be able to present my views in a more complete and more convincing manner.

Alfred R. Wallace.
Broadstone, Dorset,
April 8th, 1903.