WCP2528

[1]

24 Southfield Gardens,

Strawberry Hill,

Mdlx

9.iii.'14

Dear Miss Mitten¹

Only quite lately I became aware that a request had appeared for the loan of correspondence from the late D^r. A. R. Wallace. Whether the appeal was special or general I do not know; but I am sending, addressed to you, some 18 letters with permission to extract anything considered to be of sufficient interest.

My first acquaintance with Dr Wallace was, I believe, in the late sixties, when he and your Father² often visited the nurseries at Hassocks — on Sunday mornings.³

[2] There may be nothing. I have not been through them, as I am very busy, working against time, on a supplement to the Botany of Salvin and Goodman's "Biologia Centrali-Americana"[.]⁴ My main work was finished in 1888!

I am putting in my cards, because I am sure you will be pleased to know that a Doctorate was conferred on me last year. If we go to Worthing again I [3] shall hope for an opportunity to go to Hurst⁵ but I fear that is rather remote. Our young people are now at Broadstairs, where we spent a five weeks' Xmas holidays. Altogether we were nine months away from home last year.

With all good wishes | W. Botting Hemsley⁶ [signature]

Miss Flora Mitten

P.S. Please give my kind regards to Mrs Wallace⁷ when an opportunity occurs[.]