and of the living) I hope you will be able to come and see our
little estate, which is to be called by the descriptive name of "Old
Orchard." I have got a good architect to make the working drawings and
he has designed a very picturesque yet unpretentious house.--Yours very
truly,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

TO MR. W.G. WALLACE

_Parkstone, Dorset. March 2, 1902._

My dear Will,--This week's progress has been fairly good although the
wet after the frost has caused two falls in the cellar excavations, and
we have had to put drain pipes to carry water out, though not much
accumulated.... During the week some horses in the field have not only
eaten off the tops of the privet hedge, but have torn up some dozens of
the plants by the roots, by putting their heads over the 4-foot wire
fence. I am therefore obliged in self-defence to raise the post a foot
higher and put barbed wire along the top of it. Some cows also got in
our ground one day and ate off the tops of the newly planted laurels,
which I am told they are very fond of, so I have got a chain and padlock
for our gate....

* * * * *

We moved into the new house at Broadstone at the end of November, 1902,
before it was quite finished, and here Dr. Wallace lived till the end of
his life. The garden was an endless source of interest and occupation,
being much larger than any he had had since leaving Grays.

When writing he was not easily disturbed and never showed any impatience
or annoyance at any interruption. If interrupted by a question he would
pause, pen in hand, and reply or discuss the matter and then resume his
unfinished sentence.

[Illustration: THE STUDY AT "OLD ORCHARD"]

He seemed to have the substance of his writing in his mind before he
commenced, and did not often refer to books or to notes, though he
usually had one or two books or papers on the table at hand, and
sometimes he would jump up to get a book from the shelves to verify some
fact or figure. When preparing for a new book or article he read a great
many works and papers bearing on the subject. These were marked with
notes and references on the flyleaves; and often by pencil marks to
indicate important passages, but he did not often make separate notes.
He had a wonderful memory, and stored in his mind the facts and
arguments he wished to use, or the places where they were to be found.
He borrowed many books from lib