From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin 30 August [1893]

My dear George

I am glad you are safe w. the dear chicks. You have been v. unlucky   I am sure you will want good fires— The cold has quite set me up—- (Please thank Gwenny for her nice letter to me & the picture of the house, which gives a very good idea of it—) Also thank Maud for hers—

Bernard came on Monday v. amiable & long in the legs— I am glad to see he is learning manners tho' I don't know how— He actually gets up to open the door for me! He has always been v. obliging. Willy Clark is working hard; but I don't know how B. has got on this $\frac{1}{2}$— He condescends to croquet w. Bessy & she actually beat him yesterday.

Hen. writes such nice accounts of your children' but I dare say she wrote the same to you— They are certainly the darlings of H. & R— they are so cordial & responsive—

I wrote the enclosed scraps to Horace & then thought them dangerous & tore them off so I enclose them not to be wasteful—

It is risky to report anything about Lord F. to Ida. The F's go to London from the 5^th to the 8^th— I think Lord F. is to blame for not having studied the Bill before accepting the Peerage— He will have his eyes opened unpleasantly by the D. of D—

Fr. & Pat come tomorrow & the Leos today.

Askrigg seems a beaut place I do hope you are getting better my dear old man   my best love to Maud— E. Darwin

The Godkins have been at Basset— He is a warm Home Ruler; but thinks the Bill unworkable