From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [24 April 1861]

My dear William

Etty likes the Leonardo very much indeed you will be sorry to hear. Miss Pen. & the children went yesterday & Lizzy with them to her great joy. Rose prefers the boys so much that I am glad Lizzy sh^d be with her a little time while the boys are not there to distract her. Rose's spirits are quite too much for Mabel who said to Miss P. "I shall be glad when we get home for then Rose's spirits will be rather more depressed. We all agreed we did not mind Miss P. at all except for her precise way of speaking

We had wonderful luck in weather all the time so they got plenty of play. You will be glad to hear that Mary Peters is gone to school which is I hope the first instalmt of the departure of the family. Philip is well again & has sent out the most lovely little cards of thanks for enquiries.

Torquay is all the fashion now & Landudno has tumbled down. Etty has been nice & well these ten days. We have lit upon a most useful little horse of George Wood's now the bay mare is done up. It suits as well as possible but is said to be rather worn out. We are going to give the mare a year's run for the chance of her mending but I have not much hopes of it, but now we have grass enough it may be worth while. Aunt. Cath wants a copy of Papa. You had better make the man touch up Anne's eye a little. Your father is better than usual & I don't suppose that Malvern will get on the carpet again. Etty & I shall go to Hartfield in about a week.

Your affect mother | E. D

We have had much dancing in the evenings. Lenny dances capitally.