From H. E. Darwin to W. E. Darwin [22 February 1863]

Dear William

Are you never a goin' to write again? I should say it was about 3 weeks since we had the honour of a letter from you. Mama says you haven't been written to very lately but I suppose you know we are come back from London. Papa has kept much better, & I think it has done him real good. He is reading Sir Charles Lyell & is rather indignant that he does not say clearer that he believes in Papa. Yesterday Papa gave himself a headach with agitation about orchids & the heat of the hothouse. D^r Hooker sent us no end of things so that the hothouse looks quite pretty already. A great many of the things were sent out of pots & so when Papa went out he found Lettington had potted them all in common earth, the orchids I mean, & we had to send off instanter for M^r Horwood to undo them & pot them as they like with their particular kind of moss & peat & the exact sized bits of charcoal. Did you see in Friday's Times what a nice sort of a man has come to live in M^r Ainslies house? I haven't read it but he seems to be a most awful blackguard—smoking in a first class carriage & then slanging the man who tried to stop him. We hear he is going to build villas in the field opposite the Rd villas which is a great bore. J. Lubbock is coming today & the Lyells next week. The boys come on the 7^th or 6^th— it would be very jolly if you can meet them— George won't be here at Easter you know.

Hoping we shall hear soon

yours ever | H.E.D.