From W. E. Darwin to Emma Darwin 4 October [1878]

My dear Mother

Sara received your letter today, it feels very odd getting a letter about things happening at home a fortnight ago instead of the day before yesterday. Certainly our angel from heaven would not convince Uncle H. now, I am very glad that sly rascal William is exposed. I am now getting pretty right but am still a little billious and am taking taraxacum.

I had two very pleasant days at Newport staying with Miss Wormley & M^r Olmstead; she is English but has lived since a girl in America and is an old friend of M^r Olmstead having worked with him in the sanitary commission during the war. She lives in a delightful wooden cottage built in the Norman shaw style but less exaggarated.

Newport is the most charming seaside place, but it is also a most fashionable place & more like Torquay than any other place in England. I was driven about it in every direction and dined & lunched out— I was sorry not to see M^r Agassiz's laboratory but it was shut up. I met Prof. Rogers the geologist a pleasant old fellow & Tom Appleton of course. He was very amusing— He said "let me see you're not scientific it is your brother, anyhow the drippings off the roof make you more scientific than most people"

The brilliant sky & blue sea was most delicious and if there was any place in America where one could settle down to an idle life it would be Newport.

I was much interested in my two days with M^r. Olmstead he strikes me as having something of the character of Col. Gordon; he is out of health & his friends want him to go through the South & write another book, but he doubts if his health is strong enough.

I am getting quite at home here and like the Aunts very much, and find something especially charming in Aunt Anne. The number of callers is still terrifying the day before yesterday they actually began at 9 & went on coming till 2 & poor Theo. was nearly dead; there were several yesterday & 3 different sets came in after tea. Today we dine at the Nortons which will be pleasant   Grace N is much better than I expected and is in very good spirits in Society. I ought to go to N. York tomorrow so as to go to the Century Club in the evening, but rather doubt whether I am brisk enough. Arthur & I go up the Hudson on Tuesday & go to Niagara.

Sara is uncommonly well for her and I am sure the voyage has done her good, but everybody says that she is thinner than she was 18 months ago.

I am writing with a patent stylograph pen which needs no dipping, and it runs so easily that I write in a drunken style.

I hope this afternoon to call on D^r Asa Gray. Yesterday I had 2 hours with a first rate dentist who has saved a tooth that [illeg] Cronin overlooked though I asked him particularly to examine it.

I have just broken off to see M^r Howells who wrote those novels you like, he is a pleasant man and seemed really delighted to hear that Father enjoyed hearing them; he is sending one by me called "Suburban sketches" for him— I am going to see him at his own house when I return.

Goodbye dear Mother

Sara's & my love to all she will soon write to you

Yours affect | W. E. D.