‘Dear Mr Nettleship

I have at once written to Mrs Leith, my friend at Bedford to whom I gave Pailee about fifteen years ago, and have asked that Pailee should be combed vigorously at once and the result sent to me. I will transmit it immediately on receipt. As the coat now being changed will be their [sic] after summer, the harvest may not be abundant.

You evidently thought that Pailee was in my possession. It is no trouble at all to communicate with Bedford, where I often see her, and Mrs Leith will, I am sure, be pleased to contribute all that is obtainable.

Yours sincerely,

George Brown.’

‘Dear Mr Nettleship,

The books arrived safely this morning and have already given me some hours of keen interest. Later I will write on any points that invite comment. I hasten now to offer my best thanks for your kindness and generosity. When your postcard spoke of sending me a book, my thoughts naturally jumped to “albinism” but I did not anticipate anything of this extensive character. It is not only the part devoted to Pekingese that I find fascinating, but the whole subject, much to my surprise, draws me. I say “to my surprise,” because years ago when I was breeding and exhibiting Pekingese, the sudden introduction by others of albino specimens was a great shock and I did my best to discourage adventures in that direction. Your investigations make me feel that at that very time a mass of material was passing through my hands which if properly recorded might, in its limited sphere of course, have been of value, because, as far as my experience goes, no breed of dog (I might almost say no animal excepting man) shows so many variations from the normal as the Pekingese. From albinism, which is I presume only one phase of imperfect development, I was always thankful to think my kennel free, but there were other fairly frequent manifestations (perhaps akin to albinism) among my puppies of an exuberant or eccentric or deficient growth-stimulus – e.g. extraordinarily large eyes, profuse coats, long feather, extra toes, broad flat horizontally curved claws, absence of tail, and diminutive size. Of none of these was anything put down methodically in black & white, and little remains but a blurred memory of details of which it is therefore idle to say more.

...’

‘Dear Mr Nettleship,

Lest you should think the book lost in the post, this is a brief word to say that I could not finish with it in Tuesday; yesterday I was obliged to go to London early and returned late; today I have an unfortunate attack of biliousness which has settled in the eyes and makes them well nigh useless for the time being. They will however be all the better for it after a day of starvation & rest, and I shall tackle the subject of Pekingese first thing in the morning.

Yours sincerely,

George Brown.’

‘Dear Mr Nettleship,

With reference to Page 4 of your memoranda which I have separated from the rest and inclose [sic] herewith, would it not be as well, if you are mentioning Mrs Albert Gray in any way, to communicate with her first. Her address is Catherine Lodge, Trafalgar Square, Chelsea.

She ought to be back home now after the summer holidays and would, I am sure, be most happy to give you a fund of information about Pekingese of which breed she has a lifelong knowledge. She will however probably show no predilection for albinos. Of course, you can say that I suggested your applying to her.

Yours sincerely,

George Brown.’

‘Dear Mr Nettleship,

Enclosed are a few odds & ends that may by chance be of interest. They are entirely at your service to deal with as you please. And I would take this opportunity to establish a rule that anything I may send you need not be returned – except especially mentioned as wanted again.

The pencilled romanizations and translations of the Chinese characters are mine.

Yours sincerely,

George Brown.’