164 BEDFORD. [1861. 



will suit him to meet me. Can you come ? I am in a state of 

 disgust at finding that we have a long-standing engagement to 

 dinner on Saturday, the 26th. It is to meet a bishop with a 

 beard, which in this shaving diocese of Eochester is a rare priv- 

 ilege, and under all circumstance cannot be neglected. If you 

 cannot come any other Saturday, you must come all the same 

 that day, and arrange for Monday being spent somewhere " in 

 the Drift " : but if you can go to Bedford this Saturday, perhaps 

 Miss Prestwich would meet you here on our return and arrange 

 to spend a few days. You can go backwards and forwards to 

 Suffolk Lane just as well from here as from Kent Terrace, and 

 sleeping in the country will do you good. I don't wonder at 

 Wyatt being half crazy at his discovery. It is most wonderful 

 and satisfactory. We must go down and have a regular day 

 there without delay. Excuse this hurried and distracted letter. 

 Ever yours, JOHN EVANS. 



J. Prestwich to J. Evans. LONDON, Thursday. 



MY DEAK EVANS, I also had a note from Wyatt, and rejoiced 

 to hear of his discovery. Two other notes (to Sir C. Lyell and 

 Mr Homer) turned up at the Council yesterday. Sir Charles 

 proposed going down as soon [as] possible. I told him of my 

 visit to you on Sunday week, and fixed to meet him at Bedford 

 on the following Monday. I might alter the day, but, after the 

 long postponement, I think it had better stand, notwithstanding 

 the Bishop. If I am down early on Saturday I can find plenty 

 of amusement and occupation in your library. Besides there are 

 the children, and I have no doubt Master Norman will feel him- 

 self fully equal to receive his papa's guest. So I come on the 

 understanding that it makes no difference in your and Mrs 

 Evans's proceedings. In fact, consider me in the nursery for the 

 evening. 



I have asked Wyatt to have a pit opened for our visit, and I 

 am ever truly yours, Jos. PRESTWICH. 



This discovery of flint implements in the Bedford 

 Gravel was of great importance. In the year 1858 

 Prestwich had known of the occurrence of remains of 



