TC-AJS, [25 Jan.]. Addr: 66. Lincoln's Inn Fields. PM: 25 Jan. 1838. MS: Wedgwood Papers, Univ. of Keele. Hitherto unpbd. For Rev. Alexander John Scott, see 5:351. After his deposition from the Church of Scotland ministry in 1831, he had pursued an independent ministry at Woolwich, a dockside borough S of the Thames. From that time his differences with Edward Irving widened, and he expressed disbelief in the speaking in tongues by Dec. 1833, openly tried to dissuade Irving by 1834, and disagreed with his high church doctrine. At Woolwich he was able to develop his studies in languages, theology, modern history, English literature, and general science, and began to exert an important personal influence on several leading theological reformers. Erskine wrote of him in 1848: “Scott is, in point of intellect, one of the first, if not the first, man that I have known” (Hanna 1:328). His circle included, among others, Mary Rich (Fanny Wedgwood's half-sister), the Wedgwoods, the Rev. James Dunn, John Sterling, F. D. Maurice, and eventually George MacDonald.

1. Erasmus. Unless otherwise stated, all references to Darwin are to Erasmus Darwin.