From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 19 May 1882

My dear George,

I shall like you to have Wives & D. very much.

The letter from F that you quote is I think almost conclusive that Mr Rich will not change his mind. I suppose W^m thought you had agreed to write, he has sent the letters almost the same as Henrietta & kept a copy with the few alterations he made— I do not believe it will make any difference, but I am glad that Mr Rich shd feel it in his power to alter his will in future if he shd wish to do so.

I wish you were better my dear old man. It is a hard struggle I hope you will keep your eyes open about the Vansittart house

This place looks so pretty & gay & the days so fine but almost all taste seems gone out of it. Bernard enjoys his lessons so much with Mrs Ducker & after the first said "She has got me on already". He is such a methodical boy, that there will be no difficulty after the gloss of novelty is gone off.

The Litches came on Thursday for only a day. It was rather painful to feel that we had better avoid politics. W^m keeps staunch to Gladstone & so do I but I feel I cd talk to you about it without either of us getting hot.

W^m went home on Wed—& will be back in 10 days or so. Leo is here without his Bea—she comes tomorrow—to rest his brain which he feels "a good deal used up & that he can't keep his attention

Yours my dear | E. D.