WCP6935

Copy of letter from Dr A.R Wallace

Broadstone, Wimborne.

Oct^r 18th. 1907

Dear Mr. S.

As I have now just finished a small book I had on hand, I want to get on steadily with the Spruce book during the winter, as I have other work in view after it. Will you therefore ask Mr Backhouse, to allow either you or your daughter, to look over the whole of the letters he says he has at York, and sort out those of Spruce, which you can easily do as you are so familiar with his handwriting. Then I shall know what materials I have to deal with. ^{I have just finished} (in the intervals of other work) reading through the whole of Spruce's letters to the late David Hanbury, near 1000 in all,— They were became very dear friends & Spruce wrote more familiarly & more intimately to him than to anybody. I have copied a few letters of great interest for the book, but the whole were interesting to me, though fully half were merely requests for drugs &c. and details of his constant ailments. Hoping you will be able to get the Backhouse letters somehow,

I am Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [2]

P.S. If he wrote to Backhouse from S. America the letters are sure to be valuable because Mr B. was such an enthusiast for plants and such a true lover of them, as was Spruce himself.