From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [6 May 1859]

My dear W^m.

We heard of your dissipation thro' Louisa & so I suppose you saw the charming Amy, which made y^r giving up the Opera not quite such a sacrifice

We have been very quiet  Amy going yesterday & we have nice weather now all our visitors are gone. Edmund is to come up to the ball which I am glad of. Papa is going to vote at Bromley today.

Hope is not so constant at the billiard table as Amy. We find Pickwick most popular in the evenings  only Lizzy is too anxious to know whether M^r Winkle is nice or nasty, & the constant drinking is a great blemish in my eyes as well as Lizzy's. A nightingale has come into the garden. Brodie goes to visit the Thackeray's next week & returns to us afterwards  Miss Legge is confined & has a daughter the image of herself. It is to be Eva's.

It was very nice of you going to Church on Sunday in the midst of your bustle, because you saw I wished it, but I should be very sorry if you got to consider going to Church on Sunday as only a decent form (which may be put aside for a small reason) & not a real duty. I think the daily Chapel is very injurious in almost inevitably making you so weary of the service & taking away the solemnity of the prayer &c. I hope you will try to consider the Sunday service as a different & much more real duty.

Goodbye my dear old man. The carpet is quite surprised at its repose. We will send your chefs things.