Asa Gray

Asa Gray in 1864. Gray is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century, and was instrumental in unifying the taxonomic knowledge of the plants of North America, as well as championing his good friend Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. He was a religious man, where Darwin was not, but it was Darwin's correspondence with Gray that, when presented to to the Linnean Society in 1858 along with extracts from an essay, cemented Darwin's reputation, and consigned Alfred Russel Wallace to the sidelines of history.


Original sepia photo.

Alfred Russel Wallace "The Other Darwin"

Alfred Russel Wallace, around 1895.

Charles Darwin is usually given sole credit for the Theory of Evolution, but it was a letter from Wallace, outlining very similar thought on the subject, that prompted Darwin to publish the manuscript that he had been too nervous for decades to allow the public to see.

It wasn't Darwin's fault that, until recently, history had largely forgotten about Wallace's contribution. Indeed, Darwin and Wallace intended to make a joint presentation of their theory to the  Linnean Society, but Darwin was too distraught to attend after his baby son died from scarlet fever.

Darwin later campaigned, successfully, for Wallace to be awarded a government pension for his lifetime contributions to science.

 


Original B&W photo.