WCP1816

[1]

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

Jan^y. 14th. 1909

My dear Dresser¹

I got your letter directly I had written to your wife.² As I should much like to meet Sir Wm Preece³ & his son,⁴ I shall be pleased if you will invite them to lunch on Saturday, & I will leave by the 4.10 train from Waterloo, which will give ample time. If Prof. Poulton⁵ is at the Lecture I should like you to ask him to breakfast [2] on Saturday, or if he cannot, then to meet us at the Insect room of the Museum at a fixed hour.

I do not know Dixon⁶ personally but have corresponded with him. He has written a whole lot of books on British Birds — &c. One of his last a Book on "Birds Nests",⁷ generally is a very interesting & useful volume. All this appears to have been the work of his life, & he is now like so many other writers on Natural History [3] in great poverty with a wife & family, and is trying to get a pension from the Roy. Literary Fund.

I gave him a kind of testimonial, saying much what I have said to you, & I hope he may get something — but there are so many applicants that I fear.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

P.S. The only thing I omitted to advise Mrs. Dresser was that the only kind of bread I eat now is a little thin toast cut off a "scone" or other kind of Tea cake.

A. R. W.