WCP110

[1]

Broadstone, Wimborne

Oct^er. 17th. 1905

My dear Will¹

We have not had news of you for some days & hope you are progressing all right.

We had ice on the pond this morning, so winter is at hand. I am very busy as usual. The road is cut through & is practicable, & will be gravelled in a few days. Tom Harwood says he never in his life saw ground as dry — still no rain to penetrate the surface! The gate too is finished, and works well so far. We had to make a slight alteration in the latch, & have decided on a spring stop, which Clark is making, to reduce jar!

When the road is finished I have decided to [2] have a deep drain cut all along the back of the house to level of floor of cellar, & then along the front to empty in the gorse on rt. hand side of road near the first laburnum tree. It will cost with drain pipes and gravel above only about £7 — or £8 — & will intercept almost all the water which in wet seasons soaks under & through the foundations. I think it will be money well spent & I shall feel more comfortable as to the stability of the whole house.

I have had the first batch [3] of Reviews this morning — the usual style — butter, will a few drops of vinegar occasionally.

I enclose two of the best for your amusement. If you would like the book sent say so in your next.

I have started fires in the greenhouse. Ted keeps the fires going better than poor Pennington did, & the house feels warmer in consequence.

Since book² was out of hand have been very busy repotting &c. & have a lot of fresh plants (orchids & air plants) [4] from La Plata, so have lots to do.

I am also writing my Essay on "Evolution & Character"³ — nearly finished it — but it is a very hard subject, & the conclusion is rather like that of the old Chapter on "The Snakes of Ireland" — (There are no snakes in Ireland) — so — I prove — that there has been (so far) no Evolution of Character! I think I have hit upon one or two new points in the discussion.

Your affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]