From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [11 August 1878]

My dear William

I think I might have written sooner; but I never thought of it— We have been very pleasant except that F. was so very uncomf. & languid till yesterday, when he cheered up— We have had people here every day, which is irksome to him when he is not tol. brisk—

On Thursday Mr Bowman & Sir Ruth—Alcock—whose talk about Japan was interesting, & wd have been more so, if he had given us the half of it instead of the whole; but he talked without a gap for more than an hour. Bessy took Bernard to the station to meet Frank & B. took to him at once, but w. no effusion, as if he had only been away $\frac{1}{2}$ an hour, Fr. thought him very much altered. B. found the rough play & towsling of Fr very delightful, especially going to the pond to throw stones.

On Friday came Lord & Lady Arthur Russell, who have taken Tanhurst He is very nice; but so quiet that talk does not flow fast, & she is lively & pleasant, exactly like an Englishwoman tho' she was a Mad^lle Peyronnet—

Then yesterday they had Mr & Mrs Pennington of Brougham Hall— She is a nice simple mannered woman but a tremendous lion—hunter. They brought a large party w. them, which she apologized for, saying she had left many at home who were all longing to come too— One was a Mr Leonard Courtenay M. P. & wrangler— They were all in the Radical line & deeply interested in the ""Earl of Beaconsfield the 100 cartoons about him in Punch, which have just been published & which R— sent me as a delicate attention— There were the other day at the Levison Gowers 9^.^ M.Ps just after the celebrated division all Whigs & Rads—including Fawcetts & Mr Chamberlain—

Yesterday we had some rain, but it is lovely again today— Bessy went yesterday to Laura's to chaperone Laura & Leonard. She had invited him to meet the Edward Forsters but they c^d not come

We go to Abinger tomorrow & Frank & B. home. At C. has been well & the quantity of talk she can endure without being tired astonishes me; 2 hours is nothing to her— These children's animation is pleasant after the solemn little Kempsons & the quiet little Langtons.

Miss Brander & Lena left Eliz on Monday (Bank Holiday) & Miss B. started on a little walking tour carrying her knapsack & began by walking to Sevenoaks!! Ch. L. had warned her it might be disagreeable on such a day, & the Inns m^t not like to receive a lone woman without luggage, but she had a pistol & did not mind—& wrote to At Eliz. from Rochester to say she had been q prosperous—

There is something decidedly nice about her & a very quiet modest expression—but it is really against her that she shd not object to the chance of any thing so disagreeable as mt happen for the sake of amusement.

Give my best love to my dear Sara—

We had a nice sight of you both & I am sorry to think it will be the last of her for some little time  yours dear W | E^.^D