[in pencil in unknown hand] Mrs Besant
Parkstone, Dorset.
Feby. 21st. 1892
My dear Violet1
I enclose a rough diagram2 showing why Venus & Jupiter were in conjunction. It happens in a little less than every two years, I think. If you drew the orbits out on a large scale & marked the position of each planet each month, you would see exactly how often. Of course Venus appears to move backwards & forwards during its revolution inside our orbit. You have I suppose heard that poor Mr. Bates3 is dead. He [2] was 2 years younger than I am but being weakened by constant indoor London life the influenza was too much for him.
I have found one small collecting box. Is it any use to you now? It is about 5 inches x 3 inches.
I have got rid of my cough at last & shall begin gardening again next week. The chess games still go on slowly. I think I shall win one & lose one. I have been playing also with Miss West [3] and Mr. Pocock.4 Also Mr Linton5 from Bournemouth, who is the best player of the lot.
Mrs. Besant6 came here for a couple of hours last Tuesday morning & Mr7 & Mrs. Sharpe came over to meet her. Ma8 & Mrs. Sharpe had been to her lecture on Monday at Bournemouth, & Ma & Miss Webb went again to Poole on Tuesday. We did not get much out of her as Mr. Sharpe was doing his metaphysical jaw most of the time.
[4] Let us know how you liked Hamlet. It is supposed to be a much grander play than Henry VIII.
Must shut up as Ma is going to post.
Your affectionate Papa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]
The diagram referred to is WCP284_E1564.
< https://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/scientific-resources/collections/library-collections/wallace-letters-online/284/1564/S/details.html>
Linton, Edward Francis (1848-1928). Studied at University College, Oxford. Ordained and appointed to parishes in Preston, Manchester and Sprowston, eventually moving to the Bournemouth area around 1890. He was an active member of the Botanical Exchange Club.
<http://www.natstand.org.uk/time/LintonEFtime.htm>
Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP284.284)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Diagram of position of Earth Venus and Jupiter when the two planets are seem near each together.
Jupiter revolved in 12 years Venus in 8 months
[Sketch by Wallace of the diagram of relative positions of Earth, Venus and Jupiter in February 1892]
Next September and October Jupiter will be nearest us & opposite the sun — ∴ seen at midnight. Venus can never be opposite the sun, but is seen only at morning or evening.
Status: Draft transcription [Enclosure (WCP284.1564)]
For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon
Please cite as “WCP284,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on