WCP2922

Letter (WCP2922.2812)

[1]1

Zoological Museum

Tring,

Herts., England.

28.1.1909

Dear Mr. Wallace,

Many thanks for your very kind letter, hinting at the prospect of a visit of yours to Tring in the summer!

I most sincerely hope you will come. As far as the seeing of beautiful birds from the Eastern Archipelago2 etc. etc. etc. is concerned I can assure you, you will never regret it, nor will we tire you and be inconsiderate;

I have been to Germany [2] lately to celebrate the Golden Wedding of my parents, my father being 80 years, and therefore you can imagine that I am accustomed to be considerate with aged persons — although both you and my parents are so very well and strong for their age.

Needless to say you can also sleep in Tring, if it would not be convenient for you to come from London and return in one day. I have quite a comfortable [3] spare room with all accommodations near by, and my house is only a few hundred yards from the Museum. Had I known when and where to see you I would have some to the Museum too, but I was afraid to trouble you with looking you up at Dresser's3. Rothchild4 [sic] only heard it on the day before and he did not see me that evening. — I am going to Algeria [4] with Mr. Rothchild [sic] next month.

Looking forward to seeing you in Midsummer,

Yours very truly | Ernst Hartert [signature]5

1
"Hartert" is written in pencil at centre top of page.
2
Situated between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, includes Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, E. Malaysia and E. Timor. ARW used the term "Malay Archipelago" as the title of his influential book documenting his studies in the region, published in 1869.
3
Dresser, Henry Eeles (1838-1915). English businessman and ornithologist and friend of ARW.
4
Rothschild, Lionel Walter, 2nd Baron Rothschild, (1868-1937.) British banker, politician and zoologist. Founder of the private Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum, now under the control of the British Museum (Natural History) and known as the Natural History Museum at Tring.
5
British Museum stamp.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP2922.2812)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by O'Dell, Sandra [2015-03-12] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2015-03-12] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10]

Please cite as “WCP2922,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 2 May 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2922