Alfred Russel Wallace 



sofa, and only worked at short intervals when he felt equal 

 to it. 



Supper, at seven, was a repetition of dinner, and he took 

 it with us in the dining-room. After supper he generally 

 read a novel before the fire except in the very hottest weather, 

 and he frequently dozed on and off till he retired at eleven. 

 He made himself a cup of cocoa while preparing for bed, and 

 drank it just before lying down. 



For the last year or two it was a constant difficulty with 

 him to secure enough nourishment without aggravating his 

 ailments by indigestion. During this time he suffered con- 

 tinuous discomfort, though he seldom gave utterance to 

 complaint or allowed it to affect the uniform equability of his 

 temper. 



In 1903 his daughter came to live with her parents, who 

 generously allowed her to take three or four children as 

 pupils. At first we feared they might bother our father, but 

 he really enjoyed seeing them about and talking to them. 

 He was always interested in any new child, and if for a 

 short time none were forthcoming, always lamented the fact. 

 At dinner the children would ask him all sorts of questions, 

 very amusing ones sometimes. They were also intensely in- 

 terested in what he ate, and watched with speechless wonder 

 when they saw him eating orange, banana, and sugar with 

 his meat. 



One of these early pupils, Keginald B. Rathbone, has 

 sent reminiscences which are so characteristic that we give 

 them as they stand : 



'* I have stayed at Dr. Wallace's house on three occasions ; 

 the first two were when I was only about eight or nine years 

 old, and my recollections of him at tbat time are therefore 

 necessarily somewhat dim. Certain things, however, have 

 stuck in my memory. I went there quite prepared to see a 

 very venerable and imposing-looking old gentleman, and 

 filled in advance with much awe and respect for him. As 

 regards his personal appearance I was by no mean dis- 

 appointed, as his tall, slightly-stooping figure, long white 



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