From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [8 August 1891]

Dear William

I hope you are settled at home & feeling the benefit of your stay at S^t Moritz— It will be a pity if you don't meet your Monsignore again— Thank Sara for her letter. It feels a g^t undertaking leaving home for 6 m— unless you can take my view of time, in which it passes so much too quickly. We have had the Leonards & Horace for a few days.

The Leo's went yesterday to some Camberley friends in Gloucestershire, & from thence they go to a parsonage house they have taken near Beaumaris, where Leo. will be within reach of the limestone quarries— It was pleasant for the 2 brothers to meet Horace goes home this mg. to receive Sir J. Farrer for a week— Effie will be at Bayreuth hearing Wagner— They have planned a dinner or 2 for him & an exped. to see Crowland Abbey combined w. spending a day with the Bishop (Creighton) at Peterboro'. The weather for the last week has really depressed one's spirits, emphasized with the sight of the poor blackening hay— Yesterday there was actually no rain & they managed to carry a few loads— I wish I knew how to improve the pasture & lessen the hard head which forms large lilac patches all over the field. On Wed— the fog must have consisted of London smoke— It was so dark & yellow— I have been driven by stress of books to read De Quinceys articles & Autobiog— I quite dislike the man himself; but he gratifies my spite by telling all sorts of stories against Coleridge, professing the greatest admiration for him at the same time. I also think his style most fatiguing & I am surprized at Erasmus' admiration for him— We had Joannna Horner for a day—very pleasant—She had spent a day with Miss Grace N. She found her very little altered after 18 y^rs & very agreeable & comfortable & well in a damp little house under dripping trees.

Leonard thought that you w^d learn a great deal of wisdom about Egypt from Col. Fraser. Bee said that a maid would be a great comfort esp. in the Hotels as the attendance is very bad—

I fill up this with some letters which I do not want returned. Lena is very jolly at Gunby, making every thing gay & pleasant & warm w. fires. The Litches are gone today to Lincoln for 2 nights.

Lena & a friend drove one evg. to a Temperance meeting 10 miles away— I sh^d like to hear one of her discourses—

She preached at the station another evg—

Marg^x Lushington & [Step] & Mildred are off to Bayreuth w. no particular chaperone— People certainly do what they please in these easy days—

We expect Laura on Monday & the Hookers the week after for 3 days— with the 2 boys—which makes Lady H. come w. much more satisfaction & I am interested to see them

I went to the Rookery yesterday to call on M^rs F. Lubbock & see the rookery & Alpine gardens entirely made by F. Lubbocks own hands. It is v. pretty & w^d make Ida die of envy. He had water trickling over wet beds— The flowers were much past but it must be lovely at the right time

yours my dear W., & Sara | E. D—