WCP3134

[1]

Rock House

Sep 29^th [1890]¹

My dear M^rs Wallace,²

I am delighted to know from your letter,³ that you are settling down with affection in your new neighbourhood, & finding nice neighbours around you. But I am sorry that you are giving up gardening, I think it a most valuable & healthy employment.

It must be delightful to have a little home in that Hamp [2] shire region, I am very fond of that sandy moor-land country, the air is delicious as well as invigorating.

I should like nothing better than to be one of your neighbours; but I cannot spare the time to look out for a new locality.

I am deeply interested in doing what I can to reform medical education, I guide our women-students, who ought to be a very ennobling force in medicine. So this & some other matters keep my thoughts & energies fully occupied on work which I seem specially called on to do,

I quite agree [3] with you that if we could persuade M^r Swinton⁴ to establish a little homestead on Hind Stead, it would be the very best thing for his suffering wife — & also, I think, for May, for I have no doubt that the place is now large enough to afford suitable opportunities for instruction. If, however, this cannot be, then a move to your neighbourhood would doubtless be the next best settlement, for not only is the country delightful, by M^r Wallace's companionship & influence would be invaluable to M^r Swinton himself.

Your suggestion of boarding for a winter in Bournemouth [4] seems to me a very good one, & I shall be glad if they decide to act upon it.

I saw M^r Rowland Estcourt⁵ & his nice little wife, yesterday, he, you know is a convinced Land Nationalizer, & very desirous of being able some time to form the associated neighbourhood, that I am so much interested in. He has at present an auditorship in Northamptonshire but if he should ever be transferred to Hampshire, he would have wide opportunities of seeing the country & possibly discovering a suitable tract for Home Colonization.

This, as long as I live, will be one of my hoped for ideals, so I am always looking out for people who can help to promote it.

[5] I am very glad to hear that your son⁶ & daughter⁷ are succeeding so well in their different occupations; & it must be delightful for them to come down & refresh themselves in so charming a home.

I believe Miss Marian [sic] North,⁸ who has just died so sadly, was a friend of yours. Miss North⁹ feels her loss keenly, & said the other day "how strange it is that another of my nieces is gone, & I am left". She is a wonderful old lady, I see her constantly getting in & out of her carriage, shopping, & managing the affairs of her household.

Miss Barry¹⁰ desires me [6] to send her very kind regards to you; she is well, & has been much pleased this summer. by the visits to Hastings of several American friends, who were children when she was a child, & the revival of old recollections has been very pleasant to her.

I think you may be interested in seeing my letter to our American students, in relation that erroneous method of research — vivisection, so I have pleasure in forwarding a copy.

With kind regards to M^r Wallace

I remain | very sincerely yours | E. Blackwell¹¹ [signature]