From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 29 March [1891]

My dear George

Here is Leo's account of Canton— It is much more odious than Japan & also more interesting. They landed safe and well at Marseilles on the 26^th Leonard had continued to feel weakness & sore throat on the voyage to Alexandria. He also writes his reasons for declining the app^t—which seem to me good ones. The chief one being that he knows he cannot work well at an employment not to his taste, tho' he says a g^t deal of it w^d be interesting. To be from home in hotel life for nearly $\frac{1}{2}$ his time w^d be a g^t sacrifice.

You will find his letter at Basset tomorrow—& I had better address this there—

Sara finds the children as good & nice as ever. Make Maud tell her of Bessy's lesson in arithmetic to Monkey donkey. Hen came on Thursday & we are both picking up slowly from our colds—

The weather still v. sharp & bitter. Bernard goes on Tuesday to Abinger, & I am afraid his costume is not quite up to the mark–-but in Easter week there is no hope of remedying that—

He has the satsifac— of dressing v. smart ev. evening, but his stick up collars rather distress me, also his tailcoat. He rode out yesterday w. the young Clarks— Poor Tommy is getting old & slow—

I shall be sorry if Down falls thro'—but I am rather afraid of the cold—

yours my dear 2 people | E. Darwin

The Litches have given up their visit to the Diceys—neither party being well enough—

Mary Anne's account of Parslow & the precautions taken is quite satisfactory