From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [2 May 1861]

My dear William

I think you might combine your walking tour with part of our stay at Torquay well enough. I believe we shall go there the 7^th of June or so & stay 6 weeks viz to the 20^th July. The boys holidays end generally the 5 Aug. so we sh^d be part of the time at home with them. Your father (& I too) are rather doubtful about your ancles. It might damage them a good deal if you got embarked in too long a mountain expedition, you w^d be so tempted to go thro' with it whether you were bad or not. Who were your two jolly fellows & are they alarmingly strong on their legs? Tim cam over yesterday & I am afraid he will find it rather dull. He is going a ride on the pony today & tomorrow perhaps we shall manage the Crystal P. Edmund's pictures must give you severe pangs I am sure. Etty & I are going to Cumberland P. next week chiefly for her to have her teeth stopped by M^r Woodhouse but I expect that the change may do her some little good. She was walking in the garden last night with the eider down round her trying in vain to hear nightingales  She drives out pretty often too & once has been on the donkey so that she is going on well.

The donkey is mowing today which is cheerful. Tim brings word that little chit [Blosset] Alderson is going to be married to the son of the Bp of Oxford. She is exactly Etty's age. We have just finished reading aloud Silas Marner to our great sorrow. We like it better than Mill on the Floss, tho' not so well as Adam Bede.

Lizzy has been very prosperous at Hartfield & writes nice letters tho' she tells us that there is tappas'ry on the walls at Penshurst & very ugly picture

The boys are mad about riding just now & are setting up a periwinkle club with rules written in blue pencil: Lenny Sec. & Treasurer (over 2 sixpences) which they had out of their savings bank. Goodbye my dear old man. We hear a very charming acc^t of Torquay

Y^rs | E. D