From Francis Darwin to Emma Darwin 27 [October 1861?]

My dear Mamma

To day is Miller's birthday so the Govoner found it out and because he knows Miller's father, invited him and two friends to come and have desert at his house after dinner, so Miller chose me and another boy; this is before dinner so I cannot give you an account of it but after dinner I will.

Will you ask M^rs Evans to save me all the knuckle bones. Will you send me the waistcoat to suit my best trousers (the Torquay ones, not the grey ones but the reddish ones.

After dinner

Well now I am going to give an account of my desert. First of all I went round to the garden and walked up to the house and went in, (in an awful funk); so we went in as I said be fore and sat down and grubbed at grapes & bad wallnuts and ripston pipins and wine. M^rs P was there and she was quite gracious and two little she P's, one of whom was called Ada and the other Rosa (after M^rs P. I suppose)

The Govenor asked Miller some questions, and then he showed me a cage with a pair of tomtits in it and said I ought to know, he then showed me a big cage full of all sorts of birds: he asked me how much papa was with us so I said that he worked in the morning and was with us the rest of the day. so says he that is a great blessing so says I O! ah! dessay shouldnt be at all supprised.

You have sent us one of W's letters twice over. We are going to have some chemical lectures next week so my next letter will be scientific and not corse and wulgur

Your affec son | F Darwin

N B TOFFEE

N B | Toffee

Bring this back as I should be sorry to lose it. [ ED's writing at head of letter.]