From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 18 August [1886]

My dear George

I have been staying 3 days with the Hookers, & Lady H. told me all about the shabby treatment & injustice of the Gov^t to (the late Gov^t I think) Sir J. in the matter of his pension, which was due to him last Nov—& of which he never heard a word until June—& has not yet received. It is a complicated affair, as you will see by the enclosed copy of Sir J's letter to the Sec. of the Board of Works— He is very anxious that this should be seen by Lord Salisbury, & it occurred to me whether you could influence M^r Balfour in the matter. It is unluckily long & the matter itself involved, & Lady H. does not believe & that the Sec. or some others to whom it was shewn have taken the trouble really to understand it. They have treated Sir J. just as they w^d have done in taxing the grasping account of an Attorney—

The Sec. has refused to do any thing in the matter— I was sorry to see how very much Sir J. had lost his cheerfulness & spirits— He was either reading or silent except at meals— He is working hard at the India Flora & Lady H. hopes he has greatly thrown this disagreeable affair off his mind— It is however very inconvenient in a money point of view, as he is living on money borrowed from the Bank for wh. he is paying interest, & he cannot begin to pay off the building debt of his house— The injustice of it is however, what has given him the most pain— I liked my visit & the place very much. Lady H. also told me about his resignation; which was really caused by his not being able to bear the strain of working w. M^r Dyer, tho' he generously put it upon other reasons—& Lady H. felt it very bitterly for some time, & it was also most inconven^t in the money point of view— There w^d have been the alternative of getting rid of M^r Dyer; but he felt that w^d be his ruin— They are now on outwardly friendly terms.

I found W^m & his carriage at Bishopstoke & we had a pleasant drive home thro' N. Stoneham Park— Sara & Button rec^d us at the door—

The new drawing room is charming. It was an ugly blustering day yesterday & I do not approve of their doing away w. the bit of wild ground below the contour walk planned by Horace, but I keep my opinion to myself— Bessy joins us tomorrow from W. Hackhurst & we go home on the 26^th & it is nice to think we shall have you on the 27— Thank Maud for her pleasant letter, & ask her which room she w^d like Gwen to have?—

Yours my dear G— with love to Maud & Carrie & I think she is very wise to stick to her work—

Yours dear G. | E. D—

I hope Gwen will not be much altered—

I suppose you saw Leo's arrival at "Hog Island" on the 16^th— It sounds so small it must be a hot place