Scientist, socialist: The enduring appeal of Alfred Russel Wallace

Faced with writing Alfred Russel Wallace’s obituary for Science in 1913, Theodore Cockerell identified the challenge posed by Wallace: “It is impossible for any man to discuss adequately the life work of Alfred Russel Wallace. His activities covered such a long period, and were so varied, that no one living is in a position to critically appreciate more than a part of them.” Wallace is best known for his discovery, with Charles Darwin, of evolution by natural selection, but Cockerell recognized that this was just one chapter in the sprawling Wallace epic.