From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [4 June 1861]

My dear William

Your father thanks you for your very satisfactory letter. He did not understand that you had waited for the 2^nd letter. He was just beginning to fear before your letter came, that your heart might have failed in some degree. He seems to think you will be sure of a holiday once a year of 3 weeks or so which in these railroad days quite brings Switzerland within your reach, besides your weekly holiday. However there is no doubt that you would sometimes feel it irksome. You ought to be poorer to appreciate it. How comes Skipworth to be an under master at Brighton I thought he was very well off in the world. I hope we may hear something in a day or 2—

Montagu is going on very well. Our lives are quite embittered by W^m Peters who we meet at every turn smoking his pipe & however often it is he will shake hands with all.

Erny is taking his month's holiday in a yatch, chiefly in Scotland but devoted to Regattas & not scenery. The others viz. Hensleigh F. & Effie are thinking of [Kissingen] chiefly for Hensleigh's sake.

We expect Miss Pugh on Thursday for 2 nights. She has left the American family who treated her dreadfully by her account but she gives not particulars. Your father is better & has taken to sugar again but he is altogether demoralized & can't enjoy his tea either way now. M^rs Peters calls M^r Engleheart "The person next door." I suppose they are extra spiteful at his having been called in to Montagu as M^r Edwards was out.

The Edwards are really going next week. Goodbye my dear old man. I have not much hope of the Welch tour at least it can only be if the things falls thro'

yours E. D.