WCP6947

[1]

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

Nov^r 17th 1908

Dear Mr. Slater

I have sent you today, by train, a good sized box containing the various books ^{and papers} you lent me for the "Spruce" book, and also, all of Spruce's actual Mss. which were used in printing the book. I also send back some ^printed papers of Spruce of which you sent me duplicates, your translation of the "Precis d'un Voyage" — and samples of the chief letters from Botanists. Of "Martin's" there were [2] only 3 or 4, so I sent them all to you. After reading them you can if you like send to Kew any that are specially botanical. They seemed to me more Anthropological.

They ^{(The Kew Director)} were very glad to have the Bentham, Hooker & other letters as well as the "Plantae Amazonicae" & Journals, at Kew. The Roy. Geographical Society have accepted all the "Languages" &c. and the [3] "Meteorological Registers." The letter from Daniel Hanbury, I sent to the Pharmaceutical Society (except two for you,), as they have all Spruce's letters to Hanbury which they lent me.

Being now free of a long and wearisome, yet often enjoyable piece of work, I am free to reply to the many letters of congratulation I have lately received, and to prepare an important lecture for the Royal Institution which I have undertaken to [4] give in January. I am glad to say I have now nearly recovered my usual health, though still rather weak.

Hoping you will enjoy the book when you see it,

Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

P.S. I have kept the small old Portuguese dictionary of Spruce's, which will be useful to me & wh. I suppose you do not want. | A.R.W.