WCP143

[1]

Old Orchard

Broadstone

Wimborne

Dec^r 23rd. 1908

My dear Will

Violet 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, 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 specs[?], &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! [The following one sentence was written on the left-hand side of the current page] I asked him his price — £25 guineas!

Violet went off this morning to London, & to Hurst tomorrow I believe. We have had continued fogs & 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. [signature]