From W. E. Darwin to Emma Darwin 31 August [1890]

My dear Mother,

Sara has been having the most wonderful accounts of her Aunt++ Anne's recovery, it is just as wonderful as in the case of Uncle Hensleigh. She is now allowed to walk up & down stairs twice a day, & has written Sara quite a brisk letter. The state of her health has allowed Theo. to run off to Ashfield for the change & rest she so much needed, all this news has been very pleasant for Sara. I hope to hear that Uncle H. is none the worse for his bold journey to Idle Rocks. Please let us hear about Leo's start, if there anything to hear. During the next fortnight I am in sole charge of the Bank as Mr H. senior is at Harrogate, & the son is off to N. Devon with his wife & babies. On Tuesday Sara is taking the two girls to London for 4 days to do shopping & sight seeing which the old 'Victoria' was too selfish to let them do when with her. Sara comes back here on Saturday & they go on to the Burne Jones for a final visit. Have you read the article in today's Spec. on Dillon & Ireland, I found it interesting & damning to the Irish leaders. The weather has at last turned fine with a keen north wind, which I find very wholesome, our garden is now looking pretty, as a good many things have come out which have been checked by the cold summer. George is now I fancy in the Isle of Wight, & it must be very nice there now; the big party seems to have weighed very little upon him. You must be a small number at Down now, if you have Laura Foster, please tell her that the Madame Falcot rose which she gave us, or we got on her advice has turned capitally, the rose is in a warmer corner just in the angle made by the new drawing room & the dining room, & is growing wonderfully.

Mr & Mrs Dutton came to lunch with us Thursday, & he is better after his bad illness, she was interesting as usual; she strongly recommended "With Essex in Ireland" by Miss Lawless the author of Hurrish, but perhaps it may have too many horrors for your.

Good bye, dear Mother, please give Bessy my love | your affect. son | W. E. Darwin