From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 25 June [1883]

My dear George

We have had a great deal of talk on the subject w. Horace & Ida— She thinks there is a great depth in Ellen, beneath the merriness & chattering, & that she is very affectionate— I have liked her few lines to me as shewing strong feeling.

Bessy sets out on her Chaperonage (wh. is highly needed at present as Miss Martin is ill & confined to her room & Frank says the table d'hote fixes them with its grey eyes) on Wed— at first it was much against the grain, but she has got more spirit for it now—& she hears from Frank that it is a lovely place—

He arrived on Thursday & Ellen met the steamer & they rattled up in an einspanner— all of which is not conventional—

We are rather on thorns till we hear that Oxford is given up—& I believe M. Foster still thinks that Fr. had better stick to Cambridge even in a worldly point of view— It w^d certainly be a great sacrifice for B. & me to leave Cambridge & you all & the Grove

Bernard is taking greatly to cricket & sketching & I have given him a solid sketch book, wh. delights him— He is also devoted to Cricket whenever he can get Jackson & I think he promises well. His life w^d be very different w. a small garden at Oxford— The weather is quite lovely & the air so sweet w. seringa—

Leo. comes on Sat. (without Eliz. who will be on her way to Marseilles to meet M^rs Fraser) I like her for going as Major Fraser quite let her off— I hope you will be able to give him the meeting—

yours my dear | E D—