WCP5660

[1]

Broadstone, Wimborne

Oct[obe]^r. 13th 1907

J. W. Knapman Esq[uire].

Dear Sir

I now return you Spruce's letters — in the same order as I received them. I have read them all, and I am glad I did so, as it gives me an almost complete picture of my friends life & work for 10 years after his return to England.

More than half the letters refer to Spruce's¹ own never-ceasing ailments — but even these would be of interest to any enquiring physician because he was such a careful observer of his symptoms and so acute a reasoner [2] as to their causes & probable remedies. The letters also abound with pharmaceutical and botanical information well worthy of being notes.

²I have extracted (copied) a very interesting series of letters Spruce from a Spanish friend in Ecuador ^Ecuador describing his ^often repeated efforts to get the flowers & the fruit of the "Canels[?]" or Cinnamon true pf Quito ^{for Mr. Hanbury} strange failure. Can you tell me if they have yet been obtained? Or is the species still unknown?

[3] I see there is a gap of 10 months between the last of Spruce's letters and Mr. Hanbury's³ death. Do you know what has become of the missing letters? It is a pity they should not be together.

Your very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]⁴