WCP133

[1]

Broadstone, Wimborne

March 6th. 1908

My dear Will

I have just heard from Mr. Waugh, that they are glad to hear you will do the book, and that 2 months will do very well. They have sent you 2 sets of sheets.

You will therefore not be hurried, but nevertheless, you will have to keep on at it, without hurry, so as to do it as well as you can.

I suggest, that you begin reading steadily through, — and crossing out by a single score [2] in pencil every page or par. that you are clear had better be omitted — keeping in view the general notes that I enclose.

Having done this — see if fully half has been cut out.

If not — then during the 2nd. reading or looking through, cut out more of the less generally interesting matter, so as to bring it closer to well under a half or towards one-third of what it is now. [3] Then go through again, (with Mss. paper ready.) and see if any connecting words or sentences seen required, and write them as nearly in my style as you can.

At the beginning of the "Notes" — I have indicated the chief omissions to be made.

That will be your general guide all through. For "conclusion" I may perhaps say — "when in doubt — cut out!"

[The following one sentence appears vertically on the left-hand side of the current page] When final reductions are made cross out the omitted parts of pages in ink and reject all whole pages.

Your affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

[4] P.S. Wherever you find that a passage wants shifting to another page or chapter, or when you write any new connecting par — it will be better to cut up the page where the Mss comes & stick it together with gum, so as to form good "copy" in proper order. All whole pages cut out to be taken away altogether, — & when finished the whole to be made up into fresh chapters (when necessary) and paged regularly. [The following one sentence was written vertically on the left-hand side of the first page] Of course the better it is done the better property it will be.

A.R.W. [signature]