WCP4544

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

July 15^th. 1900

My dear Meldola

A letter from you is always acceptable. We were all very sorry to hear of the accident to Mrs. Meldola which was so near being fatal, but which we hope will leave no bad results. Pray give her our best wishes for her speedy recovery.

I am fairly well, although feeling the weakness & some other disabilities of age. I have been much occupied the last nine months getting together & preparing for republication [2] my various review articles[,] addresses &c under the title — "Studies Scientific & Social["] — and what has added much to the work I have been hunting high & low for materials to illustrate such as are susceptible of it — those on Anthropology — Glacial Theories, General Biology &c. This had led to several of the articles being greatly enlarged, and will, I hope make the book fairly popular, though it will be in two volumes & rather expensive. I have also [3] been preparing a "Reader" for schools from my "Wonderful Century" — also illustrated, which my publishers think will sell very largely. These involve quite as much work as writing new books, — & with an increasing correspondence, and writing a few articles — chiefly for America — have kept me fully employed. I have also been house-hunting, for we think of leaving here as we are getting entirely built round, & the place does not agree with any of us. I am going on Tuesday into Sussex [4]¹ to see about a dozen places. We want to be quite in the country with a few acres of land, but with easy access to town & elsewhere.

Will came back from America in March ^{(after 3 years absence)} & has only now just got work with an American firm ^{in London} — Macartney & McElroy — who are doing chiefly doing traction work. Violet is in London as head-mistress of a Kinder-garten belonging to the Fröbel Institute, & likes it much, but she too wants some day to get into the country & bring children up with a love and knowledge of Nature, — so if I find a really nice place she will perhaps join us.

When you have time to write again a few lines, I should be [5] glad to know if that wonderful invention of "seeing at a distance" (discovered by ( a Hungarian or Pole I think) that there was so much about in the papers a year ago, ^{is yet at the Exhibition.} The same man invented an electro-photographic mode of pattern-weaving, by means of which it was stated your portrait would be taken & that portrait woven on to your pocket-handkerchief "while you wait". If there is any good popular account of either of these inventions to be had I should like to have a copy.

Also is the big-telescope in [6] working order yet? There was an article on it in one of the illustrated magazines, but as it was evidently written by a man who did not understand the ^elementary principles of the telescope-construction, it was quite worthless & unintelligible.

From the accounts I have seen as yet the whole Exhibition seems dominated by sensational shows rather than by instructive expositions of the advances in science &c.

With very kindest wishes

Believe me| Yours very truly| Alfred R. Wallace [signature]