From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 23 March 1881

My dear George

I will write just to tell you we are all well tho' I don't expect you will get my letter—

We have had a return of winter sharp frost & snow; but it is gone again—

U. Harry & Arthur & Rowley are here. U. Harry is wonderfully well & thinks nothing of walking to Cudham very slowly—

Rowland has almost lost the use of one eye owing to a formation of liquid & there is the risk of the other going— He is q. cheerful & talks away & I think keeps his father more alive than Arthur does who is so m. nicer— At. Fanny has had a sharp attack of asthma & bronchitis & was in qt danger; but her wonderful constitution has conquered; & I hope they are at ease about her— Ernest was in the S. of France; but I hope the Tel. they sent to tell him of the favorable change w^d be in time to stop his return.

We are reading Carlyle's Remeniscenses—which lower my opinion of him very much. He shews such low & disagreeable & cynical feelings at every turn, e.g. Jeffrey pressed him 3 times to accept 100 a year when he was poor & he is not grateful for it but $\frac{1}{2}$ attributes some poor motives for the offer—& such odious things he says about persons whose sons & dr may be still alive. Frank is hard at work observing the movements of mould which he has got to grown 5 or 6 inches long—

We have taken the house on Ulleswater for the 1^st June & I hope you will join us— W^m's head is not quite right & not fit for business but he seems pretty well & I think he will soon get over this unlucky fall—

Yours my dear G. | E Darwin