From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 27 September [1882]

My dear George

I will answer your letter to Frank— We are very comf. here & Hen. & Bessy with me   R. joins us on Sat. so that tho' it w^d be nice to have you here, we do not in the least want you, & I am sure you had rather take your outing & rest at Down. Frank hopes to get to Aberdovey on the 6^th as Mrs Ruck is not well yet & from home till that day—

This place is very superior to Hastings &c— & ther is a mag. tide this mg & crowd of children running the gauntlet just as they used to do. The waves came clapping like guns. One gets to the sea immediately & there is a stone beach all the way along. I made out our old houses which look older than ever. There are 3 grand Hotels & many new streets all with boulevards wh. look pretty; only they have planted elms wh. are so dingy— If I get a spurt here I hope to be home in a week's time, if not I may stay another week, but I hope not. A lovely day & feeling quite hot— I was in hopes to have heard of poor Hemmings death; but he lingers on, with m. less suffering however— It was terrible at first—pain & sickness—

We have made up our minds not to fix a day for leaving Down; but to stay on into Nov. if it is more convenient. It was a great drawback your seeing nothing of Lady Thomson— I am glad you got satisfac. talks w Sir W. Please to pass this on to Horace & Ida & thank him for being so kind as to write. I want him to settle my mind about a mowing machine as ours has utterly struck work & we borrow M^r Goode's—

yours my | dear G— | E. D