From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 1 February [1884]

My dear George

I am impatient to hear your impression of Tunis— I wonder whether there is any society there. M^r Ward dined here the other day (you know he is engaged to Miss Martin)— He is an agreeable man tho' not flowing. He was talking about your lectures. I was saying that it was dull work lecturing to only 2 or 3 persons—& he said you w^d have plenty of audience if you lowered your standard of Math. I suppose you feel it most worth while to stick to what is your own domain in Math. but I think it has also to be considered what w^d be most useful on the whole— We had M^rs Adams to luncheon yesterday. She is very pleasant & friendly & the Prof. was so cordially sorry not to come that I shall ask them again some time.

Bessy attends Leslie Stephens lectures on Lit. of the time of Q. Anne & finds them dull. He reads them in an agony of shyness & never looks at his audience. They are 3 times a week. A friend of Laura's–-a Miss Dawkins has announced to L. that she is going to be married immediately to C. Langton. She is well off popular, & well connected so it is unaccountable except that she likes him: He certainly wants companionship & care but I think long visits w^d have been m. safer. His aged 82 or 83— She about 45—

Hen went to M^rs V. Lushingtons funeral— The poor girls were there. It was such a storm they c^d hardly stand wh. made it more horrid & dismal— The girls seem in a sort of excited state constantly talking of her— I expect that Hen. will find a g^t interest in them & that she will be of some comfort— She has g^t sympathy w. the young

Please to give my kind remembrances to the Baron