WCP1359

[1]¹

Coalburgh, W. V.

October 23, 1904.

Dear Mr Wallace,

Your letter of 4th was duly received, and would have been replied to sooner, but that I had to investigate concerning the Ivory Crucifix. Certainly I remember very well the call of yourself anr [sic] Mr Bates² in London. It happened on April 4th 1848. On that visit I kept a record of all events occur^ring to me, and on 4thh April, I entered: "This morning I was called on by two young men who were about to leave for the Amazon as a result of reading my book.³ They go as entomologists and general collectors, and propose to be absent three years. I gave them advice, and letters to Mr Leavens⁴ and others at Para. These Young men were Alfred R. Wallace and Henry W. Bates.["]

Now as to that Crucifix, in reply to your questiohs [sic]: It was broughr [sic] to New York about 1843 by C. Edwards Lester,⁵ the U.S. Consul at Genoa. It was carved from an immense piece of ivory by a monk of St Nicholas, Genoa. The name of this monk I forget, but a miniaturee [sic] of him accompanied the ivory. Lester sold the crucifix to my brother J M Edwards, for the sum of ten thousand dollars, part cash, part notes of hand, and half in Virginias lands. My brother exhibited it in many cities of the U.S. and took in muc<h> much money, but he died in February 1847, leaving two notes unpaid. One of them was in hands of one of our uncles in New York, and he w<as> anxious that the Crucifix should be sold in order to get his money. I was my brothers [sic] executor, and the proposal was made to me to go to Europe with the Crucifix and try to find a purchaser. So I went. In London it was thought best to exhibit the thing partly to call attention to it, partly to help pay current expenses. Very shortly after reaching London the revolution in France broke out, and all Europe was so disturbed the rest of the year that it was not possible to dispose of the Crucifix. It was brought back in the autumn, a [text excised] and in the course of one or two years it was sold to the Catholics, and I think rested in a church in Cleveland, Ohio. But I can not say for certain as to this. No one is now living except myself who had any thing to do with the Crucifix, and I have forgotten much that I knew of it.

I am glad to hear that you are writing your reminiscensses. It will go dowm [sic] with those of Darwin⁶ and Huxley.⁷

My health is good, as good as at 83 one could expect or hope for. I do not diet on system, but I am careful not to eat ex [text excised] excess, and I sleep well. I have not had an illness since I was 7 years old, except temporarily from a cold or something as light.

After I turnrd [sic] of 80 I learned to use the type-wruter [sic], which is a relief to my correspondents. I write and read a good deal, and am no<t> now preparing for a second edition of my "Shaksper not Shakspeare."⁸ I am satisfied that that individual was Bacon. [2] My daughter, Mrs Anne Smith for whom you kindly ask, is here and remembers you well. She tells me to give you her respects. Her daughter Catherine, now 20 years old, was married here in May last. We <at> West Virginia has become a vast mining camp. and new railroads are crossing the state in all directions.

Yours very truly | Wm H Edwards⁹ [signature]

Alfred R. Wallae [sic] Esq.

Broadstone, wimborne [sic]

England.