From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 14 April [1883]

My dear George

Our pleasant weather is quite gone, & Cambridge is very unbecoming to shew Sophy— She is m. more cheerful than when I saw her last, when indeed she was quite unwell; also she talks more when At C. is not present—

We read aloud M^rs Carlyle's letters in the evening, which are most entertaining & one gets fond of her in spite of her extreme coarseness & spitefulness— also I am sure he & she were very fond of each other—

We have the Protheros, Newton & Bradshaw this evening— Horace came home on business, but went to Abinger again— Ida reports the visit as most pleasant Miss Schau is there & has literary appointments all through the day. An hours French with Claude & an hours walk w. him for French talking, Reading Plato w. Effie & Ida &c. I don't feel it out of the question that she sh^d eventually settle in Cambridge to teach B. She is now engaged to the F. Farrers.

Rasmus is supremely happy trotting about w. a cortège of admiring maids, & also Wollmar. I have had a spirited political letter from U. Harry (at 84) saying what a pity it is that the Dynamite did not manage to blow up Gladstone also the P. of Wales & a few more ending w. the Convocation w. might all be spared— Bessie goes to Cheltenham or more likely to Malvern Wells where the Kempsons will probably be—on the 24^th when Dubsy & I go to L.H.P.

The poor little twin is still alive & M^rs Jackson half killed w. the nursing— I shall write to M^rs Jebb in a few days to wish Goodbye to Springfield—

Yours my dear George | E. D

Did you know we had taken M^rs Guillemand's for a month from May 4