WCP80

[1]

Broadstone, Dorset.

Sept^r. 12^th. 1903

My dear Will¹

We have been so very busy all this week with a succession of visitors, & my work, getting off final proofs to the printer & to America that I have not had any time to spare, and quite forgot that you were going soon to Manchester. So I write now by midday post which you ought to get tomorrow morning. We know no one in Manchester but I have been studying my new Atlas and I find that the side of Manchester that will suit you best is the East towards Ashton or Hyde. This would be nearest to all the fine wild country — the Peak to the South-East — and the fine Yorkshire moors to the N[orth] E[ast]

[2] There is a height of 1880 feet about 15 miles N[orth] E[ast] from the very centre of Manchester,.

You thus have easy access to one of the finest wild districts in the north, from the Derbyshire Hills & vales to the country between Rochdale & Huddersfield — a stretch of forty or fifty miles.

If you go to some small hotel or boarding house for a week you will be able to look out yourself in that direction & find some place to suit you.

[3] After you left on Sunday evening I looked over that last chapter, cut out all the repetition you noted, & wrote some new matter, so as, now, to read pretty straight, — & I sent it to printer Monday & have had proofs, & sent all off to America last Wednesday. The Caseys read all the rest of the proofs and found out lots of small grammatical errors &c.

We have had a succession of visitors. Three boys — your Aunt, Flora² & now Dora Best³, and on Wednesday Miss Delvenham is coming on a visit for an [4] indefinite time.

Let us know as soon as you have a temporary address in Manchester, — and how you like your new bosses and office-mates. As far as society & scientific meetings, lectures etc. I sh[oul^d think Manchester will be A.I. as there are such lots of Professors in Owen’s College⁴, among others Boyd-Dawkins⁵.

Your Affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]