WCP20

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

March 5th. 1893

My dear Will¹

I had intended making up your bank acct. to £50, for your birthday, but was short of cash at the time. I now send you £.20 which you can pay into the P. Office. I expect they will take the checque at the P. Office; if not any of your tradesmen in Charlton will take it.

I enclose you a circular from the College which came the other day for you to fill up and return. I expect they mean you to put the works address in the line [2] for Address, & to give your private address separately. They have also sent a Programme for this year, but as no doubt they will have sent one also to Portheim I will keep it. There is no particular news, except that Violet² is going to Liverpool on Wednesday to see a lady who wants someone to be head of the Infants department of a big girl’s school there. If she gets it, it will be first-rate for her, as Liverpool is a splendid [3] place for Libraries, Museums, &c. & also with a fine country not far off. They offer £.75 a year.

I have bought a Chambers’ Encyclopedia 10 vols — full of woodcuts, maps, &c. and really first rate. Got it at £3.15 — (£5 less 3^d. in 1s. discount). Handsomely got up. Tells you something about everything — the newest information by the best writers, & probably the cheapest good book ever published: As I have been poorly & Violet has been away in London & Hurst³ all the week I have not yet got the stamp album but will in a day or two. [4] The new sovereigns & crowns are out I hear, but not the other silver & copper yet. If you have an opportunity of seeing the "Nineteenth Century" for this month you will see an article of mine on "Inaccessible Valleys"⁴ — which led me to read Lorna Doone again, which I enjoyed greatly. I gave Ma⁵ on her birthday a complete set of Dicken’s works, with all the original illustrations. On Violet’s birthday I gave her all Scott’s novels — so we have plenty to go on reading in the intervals of Library Books. I hear Mr. Ponton has brought out a shilling pin-hole Camera with stand complete! I am getting better.

Let us know how work goes on.⁶

Your affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]