From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 23 August [1884]

My dear George

I was very glad to have your pleasant acct of your journey or rather voyage up the lakes, & of your happy return to Maud— It is nice to think that this is my last letter to you in America, & that I shall soon be planning for your arrival here. The same wonderful weather— & I am starting a labourer at the well today for the public benefit. At Caroline came yesterday alone, as Sophy is gone for a few days into Monmouthshire. She bore the journey wonderfully well, & sat talking for an hr before she went upstairs. She does take so little food that I am sure it must keep her weak. Her digestion that used to be so perfect has quite failed, & she cannot endure beef tea or any of the slops that support invalids. The Litches came yesterday & are staying till tomorrow evg—to help me w. At C—when they go to Dover en route to the Black Forrest. Horace is better, but I don't believe he is up to much work— Claud is recovering but D^r Cassidy thinks he must absolutely give up Lawn Tennis, wh. will break his heart, as he really cares for nothing else— I don't suppose he will be considered quite safe till water on the chest is absorbed— Noel has proved a most kind & excellent nurse, always ready— Horace & Tom Farrer have been considering a plan of a trip to America. Horace has a great inclination for it; but as he is such excellent friends w. Tom he feels rather superstitious about doing any thing to lessen this— but with his own perfect temper I am sure he may venture. Tom is so entirely good natured tho' not perfectly good tempered. Talking of temper, we hear the most horrid accounts of that Lady L's mother, & nearly as bad of the daughter— I am afraid Sir J. has made a mistake. We hear that M^rs Van Zandt is perfectly happy— It is good fortune for you to have the certienty of Springfields for the winter, so as to have leisure for considering your plans—

I believe I sh^d consider the Lawn Tennis site the best tho' not the prettiest— It w^d be so very difficult to make that field at all private.

Bernard is making great progress in cricket— I am afraid he may make equal progress in the Kentish dialect, only luckily little Walter Skinner his principal play fellow never seems to speak at all— Frank & Ellen come on Sep. 13 & I hope you will find them here— He is very busy in the Lab. & about the Life— Sara, Theo. & Sally come here on Monday.

The hot weather makes me feel very weak, & it is provoking not to be able to enjoy what looks so charming— My Bath Chair is a great comfort & I go & camp out in the airiest place I can find in the poor brown field–- The harvest is nearly in. Give my love to Maud. How glad I shall be to see you both, yours my dear E. Darwin—

I am afraid I shall have no success about the schoolmaster, who turns out more of a brute the more I hear about him