WCP3718

[1]

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

Sept[embe]r 21st. 1908

Dear Mr. Daydon Jackson¹

I write at once to let you know that the reference wanted has been found by Mr. A. Gepp² and Mr. J. Britten,³ at the Brit.[ish] Mus.[eum]

No wonder you did not find it. It is in an anonymous pamphlet of 7 pages without name of printer or publisher!

It is endorsed with the name of "J. J. Bennett Esq.⁴ with Mr. Clements R. Markham's⁵ Comp[liment]^s." It is a [2] rather detailed summary of Spruce's travels and work, no doubt drawn up by Sir C. Markham, for a memorial to the Indian Government in favour of Spruce.⁶ It ends with a "Note by Mr. Bentham,⁷ President of the Linnaean Society, on Spruce's Services to Botany" — with a few lines in addition to those I have quoted.

It was evidently privately printed for a special purpose, but it is curious that Mr. Bentham [3] note, at all events, was not published elsewhere.

Apparently there is no copy at Kew, as neither Sir Joseph Hooker nor Mr. Hemsley know (or remember) anything of it. Still I should think a copy must be there.

I regret that you had so much trouble about it.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]