Ɛpsilon

WCP3250

Letter (WCP3250.3218)

[1]

PINEWOOD GRANGE,

CAMBERLEY.

Feby 19. 1907.

My dear Wallace,

I am sending you my book, it is one of a series — The Earlier Adventures1 — The Adventures2 — and if I can write it — The Later Adventures: the second was published first.

The present Rajah3 is a curious specimen: he thinks his uncle4 a very overrated man, and that he [2] himself has been sadly overlooked; the latter is perhaps true, but his manners are so reserved, and his claims so great, that he never could be popular. It is a pity, as he has plenty of talent: he has wonderful health and strength and rides to hounds twice or thrice a week. My wife5 and I generally visit him during his stays in England this time however we have not heard from him; I expect his house is full of old Sarawak familiars. [3] Crookshank6 is dead, and I heard that his widow7 died last year of course all the old set has disappeared.

We have settled down at this place which is wonderfully healthy, until a few weeks ago I kept up my strength wonderfully well, but now I am undergoing a long rest cure, which I hope may restore me to fairly good health.

We will not forget Miss Wallace's8 "home" should a chance arise.

Every sincerely yours, | Spenser St. John9 [signature]

Dr. Alfred R. Wallace. LL.D.

[4]10

1
St. John, Spenser Buckingham. 1906. The earlier adventures of a naval officer. London: Digby, Long & Co.
2
St. John, S. (as Hunter, C.)].1905. The adventures of a naval officer. London: Digby, Long & Co.
3
Brooke, Charles Anthoni Johnson ("Charley") (1829-1917). The second White Rajah of Sarawak and nephew of James Brooke.
4
Brooke, James (1803-1868). British. The first White Rajah of Sarawak from 1842-1868.
5
St John (née Armstrong), Mary. Wife of Spenser St. John. Married in 1899.
6
Crookshank, Arthur Chichester (1824-1891). British cousin of James Brooke; Police Magistrate and Government Secretary of Sarawak 1843-57, 1860-3; Resident of Sarawak 1863-73.
7
Crookshank (née Lechmere), Bertha Jane (1839-1912). British wife of Arthur Chichester Crookshank.
8
Wallace, Violet Isabel (1869-1945). Daughter of ARW; teacher.
9
St. John, Spenser Buckingham (1825-1910). British private secretary to Rajah James Brooke 1848-54.
10
In ARW’s handwriting, “Sir Spenser St John GCMG”.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3250.3218)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Sherwood, Danni [2020-06-09] Transcription checked by Lo, Yen [2020-10-30] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3250,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3250