From W. E. Darwin to Emma Darwin [29 April 1877]

My dear Mother

Here I am and feel as if I can be conveyed in the night by demons; it is awfully bracing with a cold N. E. wind, which luckily means fine weather. I am unfortunate in the season as everything is 3 weeks late so that not even the larches are out, the flowers give them a dull greenish yellow look in the distance which is ugly enough. The birches are not at all out, but the birches and beeches have a chocolate haze over them from the buds swelling; the hills are still dull in green as the young grass is not out, and there is snow on the hills in good patches still. It is a beautiful place anyhow, and I like to see it in winter clothes.

Parry & I & his fishing friend have this big hotel to ourselves and have a comfortable sitting room; Salmon Fishing all day is the rule & talking about fishing all the evening. I am going out to see the sport and perhaps shall try my luck.

I am very glad I have come now as I think it will [illeg] me up; I was getting worried & done up & relaxed at work. It was a great temptation to take my week at Down, but I have such a strong faith in bracing air & a thorough change & faith being $\frac{3}{4}$ of the cure that I settled to rush up; especially as [H] is going off for 3 weeks holiday as soon as I get back.

I have not heard one jot of your London visit how it answered & what great guns you saw.

I fancy this place in Summer would be prettier from being more treed than Braemar

Your affect son | W E Darwin