WCP220

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

Feb[ruar]^y. 16th. 1891

My dear Violet

Leeds are no good when there is no sun. Your best way will be to go to Covent Garden Market some Saturday & you will see large stalls just outside in the street with lots of common flowers (roots) at 1^d. or 2^d. each. Double daisies, — creeping Jenny, & rock-cress (white) will grow without sun, — & you may find some other things. Or you may find such things in street-stalls but Covent Garden is the most certain. Snowdrops just coming out.

You can get nothing from the Nat[ural]. Hist[ory]. Museum, — but you can get flowers at Kew, I suppose by going there and asking at the Herbarium. You had better go some day,— go to the Herbarium the large building just outside the principal [2] Entrance: on the right hand,— and ask to see Mr. Baker. Tell him who you are & what you want and he will let you have all that any body can have. I dare say they arrange to send a few flowers by post once or twice a week if you find boxes & pay postage, but I do not know. Go once & you will find out everything. Mr. Baker is a very nice man, a friend of the Evans’ at Witley & knows me well.

Mr. Sharpe has been awfully bad, is now a little better but still in bed.

Our alterations still go on. The stairs just up — Friday night we had to go outside to get to bed [3] and Saturday & Sunday, — we could get up, but over a chasm, & with alarming creaks. Now it is all firm but no handrail yet. Painters still at work & whitewashers — Porch door up with 2 birds in stained glass — looks fine — proposed new name — "Dicky-Bird Lodge". — Bath fixed but waiting to be varnished — luxurious!

If you want to see a gem of a museum in miniature, go and call on Mr. Pascoe,¹

1, Burlington Road, Westbourne Park. W. You can walk there, less than a mile — you go down Ledbury Road. You could call on Sunday & make an appointment. He [4] has three daughters all oldish living with him. I & Will went to see the Museum.

He² has everything from Monkeys to shells & insects — all in 3 little rooms no bigger than our breakfast room at Nutwood, but all in beautiful order.

Willie’s holidays will be over three days before your’s begin. Give us your instructions about your room & we will try & have them carried out.

Your affectionate Papa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature] —

"A brick" is not quite young lady’s language. Think of the kids you are teaching the way they sh^[oul]d. go!! Think of Huck Finn’s girl who, he really believed was "all sand"! | A.R.W. [signature]