WCP143

[1]

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

Decr 23rd. 1908

My dear Will¹

Violet² sent you a parcel yesterday ^{Monday afternoon} by Rail carriage paid — & in it was a book I sent you for ‘Xmas. It is the Stephens’ book on Yucatan that I told you about, the same Stephens as the "Arabian Desert" man whose book you had. The numerous engravings of the ruins are very interesting, & I dare say the book is too. It will afford you some solid reading. [2] I have also got for you, for your birthday, a quite new book on "Earthworks of England" which is very interesting & has plans &c. of all (or almost all) the Earthworks known from the prehistoric to the medieval — It is a large thick 800. vol. about the heaviest I have met with — weights 3 ½ pounds! Please let me know if you would like it sent to you next week, or shall it be kept till your return. Perhaps you have enough ^solid reading to go on with. [3] On Monday at 3pm. the artist, Mr. Strang,³ came & began his drawing at once in the study. He is a pleasant, interesting, little man — a S. W. Scotsman with rather a strong accent which he says is quite different from that of the E. coast Scotch.

Yesterday he worked from 9.30 — to 1- with two 5 or 10 minute intervals — & finished it. It is done in red, white, & black, ^{blue also for spaces, &c.} chalks, on slightly tinted paper — the head only, nearly life-size, — the coat &c. only indicated by a few lines. [4] It is an excellent likeness — & being in full, but delicate colouring — quite life-like. But you will never see it unless you go to Windsor on purpose, & by appointment, as they are not allowed to be copied or even photographed! I⁴ asked him his price — £25 guineas!

Violet went off this morning to London, & to Hurst⁵ tomorrow I believe. We have had continued fog & rain here — just a gleam of sun for an hour or two, & very mild.

I have sent my Lecture to London to be typed (2 copies) for reading, and as it will have to be much reduced, to come in the hour, I will, if you like, send one copy to you, for you to read & suggest omission.

Your affectionate Pa, | A.R.W.