From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 18 June [1893]

My dear George

It is pleasant to think that we shall soon have you here. I hope you will stay as long as you can after Maud retires to her imprisonmt & let the children stop with you— They will be no sort of fatigue to me, & a pleasure to see them about— I conclude that Maud has had a return of her former complaint— I hope she will take up her abode at K. Sq— It will be more airy & light than any lodging she could have. Who is her London D^r? Last Friday is the only day I have really minded the heat & I find that if there is a brisk E. wind I can do as well now at 70° as I used to do at 60°. It is dismal to look at the brown fields & not be able to enjoy it—

We have had it at 80° for several days— Anne Snow says there is great distress from want of work— An enormous crop of gooseberries is quite spoilt which I sh^d think had never been known before— They are perfectly hard & dry. I was so glad to see a respectful mention of Leo's 2^nd amendment in the Times leading article— I thought he m^t be mortified at Sir E. Clarke quashing his 1^st amendment— I think his 1^st was warding off a real danger, tho' there may technically be no such thing as Martial law. Hen has been talking w. M^rs R. W. Gray, who says that Morley hates all his work— & Lord Spencer thinks the bill a bad one—but has to follow W. E. G— It was nice to read the insolence of the Irish on Friday & one thinks that the Gov^t (all but W E–G) must begin to be indignant.

I have not been out for several days as I find keeping quiet in the heat gets me through the best— I long to see the dear little faces on my sofa—

My best love to Maud | yours my dear George | E. Darwin

If Maud wants a novel Miss Latimer of Bryans is nice tho' it has the fault f 3 vols—

I am reading Tom Paines' life, who seems to have been an excellent man—

Moncure Conway is unpleasant & does not keep himself in the background—

Poor Maud— I suppose she may have the children to see her—

Bessy has had a pleasant time, both at Basset & 42 K. Sq^r—

She did not v. m. care for the Effrontié tho'

Jane Hading is charming it is v. Frenchy but proper enough