WCP185

[1]

Broadstone, Wimborne

August 14th. 1904

My dear Will¹

We hope you feel better for your short holiday, & that your disagreeable labours will not make you bad again. Before I forget it I want to ask if you have the key of my box of Chessmen? The key used always to be in it at Parkstone. Now the box is locked, & key must be found. I suppose that at the moving someone locked the box & took care of the key. Did you? Ma² & I have tried all the keys we have without success.

The only new event here is the arrival of the Autograph book from Bright’s. It is very large & thick but the inside paper is rather thin & poor [2] but that is no doubt to make room for more letters. It looks very well outside but is just too big for any of my shelves except those next the floor where the big Atlas is.

I am glad to say my eyes are nearly well and I can read again & have begun slowly at the Autobiography³ again. I begin to get more accustomed to the idea of writing about my own ideas, character &c. how it developed, & how "everything was for the best" &c. &c.

If I can but go on pretty steadily for another year I shall manage to finish it. Then I must get some good man — the publisher’s [3] Reader perhaps — to read it over cut out whatever he likes & make suggestions &c. I have now just come to when I was 21 & had to look out for my own living, and have been giving a sketch of my own character at that time, & showing how it, with the circumstances of my life with my brother, determined my future life — travels — writings &c. &c. I rather think that kind of thing will interest people.

Mr. Casey⁴ wrote me the other day ^and enclosed copy of a Testimonial Edw^d.⁵ had received from the College "Censor", & was very much pleased [4] & said it was the most flattering one he had ever seen. I send it on to you that you may see what a fine character your big young friend is. I gave him nearly as good a one.⁶

Violet⁷ seems to be enjoying Borth which turns out to be better than expected, but I dare say she has written to you. Sir Thomas Hanbury⁸ called the other day with Mrs. Casey.⁹ He told me a lot of interesting things about Italy & France, & the horrid behaviour of the various Town Officials &c.

Let me hear how you are getting on.

Your affect^te Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]