MI. 76.] WILLIAM COLCHESTER. 339 



W. Colchester to J. Prestwich. 



BURWELL, CAMBRIDGE, 25th Feb. 1888. 



MY DEAR PRESTWICH, On my return home last evening I 

 found your very acceptable and most generous present of the 

 second volume of your ' Geology.' I value it as the lifelong 

 labour of a lifelong friend. As I turned over its pages last 

 evening, how many pleasing recollections flashed on the memory ! 

 Thank you most heartily. The whole get-up of the work is 

 most elaborate, map and all. How delighted Mrs Prestwich 

 must be that you have been able to embody your knowledge 

 in this publication without injury to your health ! I was afraid 

 at one time the work would prove beyond your strength. I 

 begin to find the strain of threescore and fifteen years tells ; 

 but I am wonderfully well, and set this east wind at defiance 

 and we get it here in its bleakest form. . . . 



When the crows have picked up the dirt, I have planned 

 many a raid into the flint-knife pits. How I should like to 

 have the company of you and Mrs Prestwich and Evans to do 

 the district ! I am settled here now for the rest of my life, and 

 there is a most serene-looking churchyard at the other end of 

 the vicarage. Before that time comes I should like to see you 

 and Mrs Prestwich here. Alas ! there is no Crag, but we have 

 other interesting deposits. With kindest regards to you all and 

 Mrs Prestwich, I remain, dear Prestwich, your obliged and faithful 

 friend, W. COLCHESTER. 



Our village consists of a great number of peasant proprietors, 

 many of whom inherit their land with heavy charges upon it, 

 and, now that all agricultural produce is so reduced in value, 

 their lot does not favourably impress me with the three acres 

 and a cow system. 



I stumbled the other day on the grave at Wicken of the 

 Protector's widow buried there on her return from banish- 

 ment ! My wife is a Cromwell, and we had plenty of food 

 for meditation on the mutability of human affairs by that 

 grave. 



Prestwich's name was announced in the list of re- 



