From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [February 1852]

My dear Willy

We forgot your map book after all & so I send it by Post. I want to know if Johnny is come & if you are settled to lessons & how disagreeable they are & how the holiday tasks went off.

Poor M^r Snow has lost one of his best horses. It fell down the shafts of the waggon & broke both its legs & had to be shot. John Thorley goes tomorrow by the new Bus. They have played at Cricket every night. We have given Franky some physic which has sent away his crossness almost entirely & he looks grinning & happy as usual.

The house feels dismally quiet & empty without you my dear old man. You had better get Uncle Tom's cabin from the Library.

Goodbye   Papa's best love. He has often talked about you & how well you bear twitting & plaguing about strait backs &c.

Your affectionate moth | E. D.

You can get the hat & pay for it.