From W. E. Darwin to Emma Darwin 23 April [1888]

My dear Mother,

We were very glad to get your pleasant letter so full of news, but you did not say how you were yourself; this means, I hope, that Eastbourne has set you up. Sara has got rid of her cold and is rested and I have now got over the voyage and am enjoying myself. I find M^r Shaler the Geologist a pleasant & interesting man; on Thursday he took me in to what is called the Thursday Club where some interesting papers were read, including one on Egypt by A. Agassiz: It is an odd club with a secret committee which fills its own vacancies, and elects whom it likes to the club. About 50 leading Bostonians were there. Last night I had a pleasant dinner with my friend M^r Winthrop of Ryde, who has married a rich widow and passes the winter here. Tonight we dine at old M^rs Agassiz to meer her son Alexander and the daughter M^rs Higgins who is a very old friend of Sara's.

So you see we have not been wasting our time; 4 or 5 days ago 3 inches of snow fell, but the hot sun cleard it away in 2 days.

Tomorrow night I leave for Washington with Dick Norton where we meet Arthur Sedgwick, and stay a few days, and at the end of the week Dick & I go a few days excursion in Virginia on May 2^nd

I start a 5 days tour of inspection with the Board of Directors of a Railway Co in Virginia & Tennessee. We shall travel like Princes, and are to inspect mines & new Branch lines and see a great deal of country. M^r Godkin got me the invitation, & I think it will be very interesting. Now you know my news; Sara has done very little but see her Aunts. They were much grieved to hear yesterday of the sudden death of the half brother W. Ashburner at San Francisco but know no details yet.

Theodora is wonderfully well and full of energy— Goodbye dear Mother. Sara is going to write as soon as I am gone

Yours affect son | W. E. D

I sail on June 1^st