WCP4253

[1]

University College

Dundee

Monday 21.6.[18]86

My Dear Grandpapa,

May & I hope to go to London on Saturday for a week. We shall go and return by boat, which is pleasant and very cheap so we shall not see you on our way: but I hope to be in Edinburgh before long.[2]

I shall have plenty of people to see in London, & may take a run to Cambridge to see Foster.

This is our closing week & I am very busy.

The infirmary will give me some additional work. I spent a considerable time there today, engaged chiefly in planning a new pathological room in museums. [3]

I do not quite understand or agree with what Uncle Arthur says about your eyes. Argyll Robertson is knowing to be weak in the mathematical questions relating to glasses, but in diseases of the eye, I sh[oul]d. think he is good enough. Also I cannot see how in the world reading could do you any harm. It is not as if the retina were weak or affected. If I were you, I should [4] read more books, and less newspapers. It will be no great hardship to avoid the Scotsman a good deal nowadays. But I am absolutely convinced that Muciland would tell you that reading good clean print would do you no harm but rather good.

Alfred Russell Wallace, the naturalist was here last weak, & stayed with me, he was a great friend, & [5] fellow worker with Darwin, & you will find all about him in 'Men of the Time'. He look is an old man now, but is very active. In September he is to lecture in Boston, as the beginning of a lecturing tour round the world. He expects to reach California by spring. He sat talking with me [6] till 1 o’clock in the morning, & then left by train at 6!

Pat Geddes[?] was also here lately. He was delighted with the condition[?] of my department.

We hear today that Roscoe has requested Cainelly our chemist. will have a good chance of [7] the Chair, but his depart — we will be a terrible misfortune to us.

Three valuable parcels of specimens are on their way to me; one from Naples, one from Balin[?], & one from Prague.

Much love to Par, from, | Y[ou]r. very aff[ectionat]e. grandson.| Darcy W. Thompson [signature]