WCP91

[1]

Old Orchard

June 8^th. 1904

My dear Will¹

Yours to Violet² shows that your spirits have ris[en], and I was particularly pleased with your references to the Hush-pots of Manchester, with luxuries as yet unattainable here. Get the last "Clarion" & read Dangle’s article on p.3 — An American Discovery — It made me roar, being full of his best wit. The Royal Academy is also good; and a reply to God & My Neighbour by Margaret Benson³ is the best on the Christian side yet.

But what I write now for is, to tell you that we had a visit Monday from Mr. Charley Prideaux, of Armington, Dorchester, [2] a nice little young man who will do the exploration at Badbury if permission can be had. He is a genuine Archaeologist, & has just finished exploring some tumuli⁴ in Dorchester, & has found skeletons in all four tumuli and a cinerary urn, in more than 120 pieces which he has put together so perfectly that from the photograph it appears absolutely perfect. He brought photographs also of his excavation right through one of the tumuli, and also of one of the skeletons in situ. He always lives on the spot in two tents, & has a motor. He is [3] I believe studying medicine, & can only give three weeks continuous work, from July 10.

If not finished then he thinks his brother or a friend will carry it on. Mr. Huddleston the geologist will join in applying for permission, & I especially urged that the Mayor should head the application, with the clear stipulation that all the finds are to go to Dorchester Museum, where all his go.

I suggested that they should apply for permission to explore "on the downs around Badbury" and he quite agreed that that was better than naming any spot more particularly. I understand [4] he will take his own man who has worked for him already and was employed in Gen. Pitt Rivers’⁵ explorations. So he is evidently the gentleman who will spend £20 on it if necessary, and is evidently the best man to be had.

I told him, generally, what had been found, and he quite agreed that it ought to be carried on till the whole site or station is worked out. Under these circumstances I suppose ^{(when permission has been got,)} you have no objection to his seeing the things at Mr. Casey’s, and to beginning work before you come home. He seems quite earnest about the work.

Your affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]