Letter from F. Howard Collins, Churchfield, Edgbaston, to William Angus Knight, 1898 July 14 : autograph manuscript signed.

Concerning Knight's leg injury, Collins' climbing trip to the Austrian Alps and the use of the subjunctive case; saying "I am exceedingly sorry to hear such a bad account of your tendon : However we will hope for the best, better that is than being restricted to walking, fishing & to standing outside a covert 'potting' pheasants & such like small deer - not a bad lot of strings to one's bow, many a man would say when restricted to less! I am sorry I cannot offer you my spot this year, as fishing has given way to a bit of climbing in the Eastern Alps - at least my arrangements are made for that during next month;" relating an anecdote on the use of the subjunctive saying "...one of the authors quoted in the article tells me that he was proud to have on his door 'Do not ring unless an answer be required.' But calling on one of the others - who he evidently considers a 'bigger-wig' - he saw on his door 'Do not ring unless an answer is required.' he says his feelings were best described by the work 'shock!' I am pleased to say that all those who have written to me agree with my generalization , altho' my knowledge of the mood amounts to nothing absolutely. I was rather gratified this morning to learn that a paper on heredity which has taken me 4 or 5 years has been thought good enough to be recommended by the best authority for publication by the Royal Society - coming so near to your letter, the thought struck me whether the oldest University in the Kingdom ever recognizes such non-graduate attempts at spreading the area of truth. If it does, it would be 'rather' an honour to think such a thesis would be presentable before such an august body! You see even I have at times a very powerful imagination! Now be sure & get well quickly - many thanks for your kind invitation but Austria is a long way from St. Andrews altho' they begin with A! "Epitome" is not out yet - it's not forgotten."