WCP6588

[1]

To george C. Silk

Broadstone, Wimborne

Oct^er 7th, 1903

My dear George

I hope you are pretty well & comfortable. Having now just finished a book which the publishers think will be a ^great success — (Man's Place in the Universe — Chapman & Hall) I am thinking of beginning to write a little sketch of my early life partly to please Will & Violet,— but I am very hazy in my recollections of dates at Hertford. Will you therefore help me with your recollections as to the following [2] landmarks —

(1) Our first meeting in St. Andrews Street — 1828?

(2) Move to Old Cross —

(3) " to house next Brewery — ?name.

(4) " to house next yours with Mulberry Street tree.

I forget which of these had the garden down to the River. I think no. 3.

(5) When I was boarder at Crutwell's and for how long?

(6) When we moved to Hoddesdon.

(7) When I went to my brother William Surveying.— [3]

All these dates are vague to me though I recall the houses & many details of our life there pretty clearly — I appear to have not a single document or old letter to fix any of them.

Before we came to Hertford I was for some months?, at a child's school, Miss Marks' — somewhere in Essex — I think at Ongar, where I know my father had a friend, I think a Mr. Dyer.

Of my subsequent life with my brother William I have a clearer recollection though here [4] also I found it almost impossible to fix any dates.

Please give me all your recollections, & look up any old books or letters that may give any clues.

____________________

Another episode of my boyhood I should like to find the date of, is, my going to London as a boarder with Mr. Webster, to whom John was apprenticed. I used to go every day to the shop & see the men work & hear their conversation, — but when it was & for how many weeks or months I cannot remember.

____________________

Also date when I first went to Crutwell's.

Can you remember how the nick-name "Buzz Wallace" arose by which I was generally known at school? [5]

We are getting on pretty well. This house cost me about £200 more than I had saved or could raise for it & I was obliged to have an advance from my bank to that amount. I had sold the Godalming House, & all the odds & ends of stocks I held to raise the money. By an extraordinary piece of good fortune I was asked to write an article for a New York literary paper "The Independent." The idea had just occurred to me about our unique position in the Universe, & I wrote the article, & insisted on having £50 for it. At first they refused, but their Agent in London having read the Mss & having arranged with the Fortnightly to issue it simultaneously — they agreed. Then [6] the Agent suggested I should write a book on it for which he was sure he could get me a large advance Royalty. So I started at once reading up for it, & for eight months did nothing else, and have now just finished proofs & Index. & have got an advance of £200 which just clears my debt, & if it sells, as both the English & American publishers think it will, I shall get as much more in a year or two.

Violet has now been with us 2 months & is going to stay permanently if she can get 3 or 4 small children to educate. I enclose 2 of her [7] prospectuses which you can send to any likely persons you correspond with.

Will, is now at Manchester as Engineer to his firm's branch there (the Houston-Thomson Electrical Engineering Company). That shows they have confidence in him, & though they give but small salaries, it may either lead to something better, or be a valuable introduction to some permanent Government or Municipal post.

Do you see much of Dr. Haig Browne, & does he [8] hold much personal intercourse with the Brothers? Has he any receptions, for instance, to which you are all invited [?] How do you pass your time? Do you ever got to the Victoria Park, or to Epping Forest, or to the Guildhall, or B. Museum Libraries [?] You have never told me anything about yourself in these respects.

Yours sincerely & | affectionately | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]