From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [25 February 1861]

My dear William

That wretch M^r Wood pretended the last time he was here that he was just going to write to you. He had had some difficulty in getting the right thing but now he said he should be able to get it & he w^d send it to you. I will write to him again   He had got your letters. Papas visit to London answered very well & did him no harm. He dined at the Phil club & made a little discourse on Drosera unexpectedly to himself but some enquiries were made & that started him. He thought them all much interested in it. Afterwards he went to the Royal Soc. & heard John Lubbock speak capitally on some of his Nat. History points. The next morning he saw M^r Huxley, who gave him such a melancholy account of his wife who has never recovered the death of her little boy, that he has asked her to come here in hopes that a change may do her some good. It will be rather serious her coming without M^r H. He is too busy to leave town but she must consider this as an Inn as I am so much in Etty's room. I will send for the Ghost book you mention. Next Sat. will be the boys day for coming home. On the paper you see the Programme of what the little boys did in London. They cared very little for the blue legs

Hear the band play at St James Palace

British Museum

Zoological Gardens

St Pauls }

Tower } Tuesday Colosseum evening of Wednesday with Bessy