WCP253

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset

July 14^th. 1894

My dear Violet¹

I send you a cheque for £10 — towards your Swiss Tour; after signing your name on the back you can hand it to Mr. Lund for the advance payment. The rest you must arrange for yourself. In your last letter, as in the previous one, you talk of £20 — for "the month", but the programme sent is for a tour of six weeks and 3 days — from July 30 to Sept[embe]r 12. Is that to be £25 or £30? or is it £20 for the whole tour? Anyhow you must cut your dress according [2] to your cloth, and arrange the extent of the tour according to what you can afford.

I have told Will² to come either on Monday 23^rd., or on Saturday 21st., if the latter can be managed, in which case you can meet at Waterloo & come together by the 4.55 train.

We had a delightful ten days in Devonshire, & the country quite came up to our expectations. The coast at Bolt Head near Salcombe is the finest I have seen, & we found quantities of flowers and many [3] rare plants & ferns. But our two days at Brent, south of Dartmoor, were the gems for ferns & beautiful scenery. In a walk four miles out & 4 back, we had lovely country all the way and everywhere the banks and walls were literally smothered with ferns, so that Ma³ could hardly be got along. Neither in any part of Wales nor Scotland, nor the Lakes have I ever seen anything like it.

The garden is looking well now. The blue poppies are out and I hope the pink water-lily will be in flower when you come. One bud looks as if it will open tomorrow. A little while ago [4] the big spider appeared! sitting on a water-lily leaf, & since two or three times. This morning it is sitting on the edge of the pond with its fore feet in the water. On Friday evening the house Mr. Clement Reid⁴ lodges in & the next one (the end house beyond & opposite the Marshall Hall’s⁵) were burnt completely out, beginning no one knows how in the attics or roof. Most of the things were saved, but the occupiers, who are very poor, have lost some furniture, clothing, & valuables and are not insured.

As you will probably write today our letters may cross. We shall expect you on Saturday if at 8 if nothing to the contrary.

Your affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]