From Emma Darwin to Sara Darwin [28 October 1881]

My dear Sara

I only wrote a single word of the needful; but yr pleasant cordial invitation must receive a p.s. in answer. If I c^d have persuaded F. to leave home again so soon & go straight to you (w. w^d have been the best) we c^d not have managed it this time as we are expecting Hope & G. today for 3 or 4 days—

We do not forget that we missed our usual happy spring visit with you this year, & I hope we shall manage it as early as we can so as to avoid actual cold weather— I think F. is quite set up by our happy week at Cam—(privately I am a little disappted in the size & retirement of the garden now it is naked)  The 3 last days were fine & we went about a little, one sight was the prostrate trees at S^t John's & the twin elms who grew quite close together are worth seeing, 120 feet high, & each having raised a large platform of earth & roots, which last penetrate so little into the ground that I wonder they have not been blown down long before. Ida went about w. us & she only minds the evenings when she becomes oppressed—

We saw many pleasant people F. Balfour—Prof. Hughes—M^r Vines Prof. Newton; & F. called on old Dr Kennedy of Shrewsbury who was partic. pleased to see him—

We went to see the red picture & I tho^t it quite horrid so fierce & so dirty— However it is under a glass & v. high up so nobody can see it—

Our chief dissipation was going to King's for which the train was v. handy—

H. Tasker gave us most elegant dinners & has the same turn as Mrs Miles for little unexpected dishes. She looks quite content & will stay as long as she is wanted. I was glad to see Ida's chief adorer Mrs Cox—a very pretty engaging woman—it is on babys & such like they fraternize a pretty young American student called & begged to see Mr D—a pupil of M. Foster. Mr D. gave her a kind reception & admired her eyes— She was modest & shy—