WCP382

[1]

Hurstpierpoint.

April 26. 1867.

Dear Wallace

I have not written to you for a good while, & indeed scarcely to anybody, for after doing a little writing on my own account every day I have had no strength left for writing letters. Besides as you told me you had fallen in for an extensive spiritualistic correspondence I considered it w[oul]^d interest you much more than letters so purely materialistic as mine must ever be. I am glad however to learn that you do occasionally deign to touch worldly subjects. When you come over here (as Mitten¹ now tells me he expects you will shortly) I hope you will bring a copy of your memoir on Malay Migrations² (I think it is) for us to read.

Do you recollect a couple of white kittens that had just opened their eyes when you were here last summer? One of them had odd eyes — one blue the other grey; the other had two blue eyes. I asked Rose³ to keep the blue-eyed one for me (wishing to test the assertion that such cats are invariably deaf) if it should turn out a She. Oh, said she, they are both Shes. But how can you tell when they are so little? Why, we looked! — Very laudable practice this of looking before speaking; but alas! I have reared the cat, which proved an unmistakable Tom, [2] having the characteristic thick tail and other matters, propria quae maribus [Latin: things appropriate to males] (but not necessary to mention here). Moreover it can hear as well as I can.

Hanbury⁴ is at Paris, having been named a Juror at the Exposition.⁵ Do you go there?

As I hope soon to see you, you must excuse this brief scrawl. My best regards to Annie⁶, and believe me

Yours ever faithfully | Rich^d. Spruce. [signature]