WCP758

[1]¹

Broadstone, Wimborn<e>^2,3

July 20th. 1906

My dear Fred

Yours of July 6th. (receiv<ed> 16th.) was exceedingly welcome, a<s?> it seems to offer the conditions for you to go to the Andes which will be in every respect the most favourable. I congratulate you most heartily on your great good fortune in having found a true sympathetic soul in Mary Thayer,⁴ & that she will share your difficulties & dangers and add th<us?> more than double the enjoyment to be derived from a life amid the glories of tropical nature. I have said nothing about this before, because there might have been disencha<ntment> when you met; but now it see<ms> this one possible cloud has <vanished?> and you are rejoicing <?> of ^mutual love!⁵ <?> [2] (what I have dwelt upon) that in some favoured cases, each seeming misfortune is a blessing in disguise. Your first disappointment — your long & weary waiting in Trinidad — your being prevented from going to St^a. Catalina — even your dreadful illness which alone caused you to accept Mr Thayer's most kind invitation⁶ have all contributed & directly led to your present happiness, and I hope that of your whole life, as well as to the much greater probability of your making a successful exploration <of?> some of the richest & least known <par>ts of S. America. Again I congratulate you!

<un>der these circumstances, & <?> an adviser as <?> necessary for [3] me to say anything. I can only wish you success in quickly findi<ng> some employment that will, by sa<y> six month's work, give you sufficient means to start for Iquitos. I shall be most interested in hearing how that is to be done, but, but, considering the excessive activity of American Collectors at home I can hardly thi<nk> any collections of U.S. specimens wi<ll> suffice. However, that you will soon know by advices from England an<d> France. Perhaps you can get prom<ises> from several of the great American Museums to take sets of the Am<erican> insects at liberal rates, and <these?> promises, with those you have <?> would justify you in accepting sufficient advance for <?> expense. <?> your <?> [4] glad to have a photo of "Mary", — or if you send one to your sister, ask her to let me see it.

Excuse short letter, & believe me

Your sincere friend | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]