From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 7 August [1891]

My dear George

I am very glad to hear of your large class, it must make all the difference in lecturing, I am also glad to hear of the lecture you are going to give— I should think your difficulty w^d be to allow enough for ignorance— Leonard & Bee came on Sat. & Horace on Monday. It was nice that they should meet—

The weather with us has been quite depressing, showers every day, & yesterday at 5 o'clock so dark that it must have been London smoke— It ended in some rain, in which Leo. & Bessy were caught. The poor hay is half cut & a quarter carried. M^r Filmer told me that the cattle do eat the hard head when dried, tho' they will not touch it in the field. I think from the size of the patches a great part of the hay will consist of it. Leo. & B. leave us today to stay a few days in Gloucestershire with a Camberley acq. by name Edwards—& then they go on to a parsonage near Beaumaris, where they will have the little Sam Frasers while the parents go abroad, & Leo will look after the limestone Co. which he hopes to bring into better order.

Tomorrow Horace leaves us & he is expecting Sir T. Farrer for a week–- They have planned a lark to see Crowland Abbey, & stay a day at Peterborough w. the Creightons. Joanna Horner came w. Horace on Monday, She & H sat some time on the same bench at Charing X doubting, but not really recognizing each other till they met at Orpington. She is very pleasant. She left us for Cam. the next day— Susan's overpowering talk has made people give her the same quality, but she is really quite free from it. She says she is constantly mistaken for M^rs Pertz—wh. surprizes me—

On Bank Monday 2 villains got into an empty cottage at Farthing Street & before they had finished ransacking it, one of them saw the woman returning home; He met her & sent her on a fool's errand about her husband breaking his leg. They broke into every thing & found £10—besides clothes a watch &c— It has caused great sympathy & a collection was made not by the family themslves, but as Lord Derby gave £5 & I the same, I am afraid they will make rather too good a thing of it. I am going to invest my £5 in the savings bank; but the woman seemed quite resolved that they never w^d be so foolish again. What a worry you have had about a house— I hope you will succeed in the one you mention.

Did I tell you of the scheme of W^m, Sara & Lily going to Egypt for the winter. D^r Holland told William that he must have 6 months rest & they think this will be a pleasant plan— He says he has felt overdone for some years—

They will come here before they go, & their 1^st destination will be Geneva & so on to the South. Sara seems to dread the leaving home for so long; but I believe it will be good for her also, & so many of the sights on the Nile can be seen without fatigue which she will enjoy—

Poor Lady Maine! Hers must be a sad life— I don't wonder your 20 children were happy— Let me know when we shall have the chiks.

I hope you will now be better— what a long cold it has been—

Best love to Maud | yours my dear G— | E Darwin

I hope M^rs Dupuy is getting some good advice in London—