From Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin [December 1878]

My dear W^m.

I have ordered on Hooker's charming note to you. He is a warm friend. Fr must have rather felt as if he was lecturing to his 2 uncles H. & Huxley. Romanes & Dyer have also written warmly to him—

Sir John came in at the R.S. but cd not stay— he asked Fr or Geo. to dinner next Sat to meet Gladstone! Fr will not go but Geo. likes it. I can't make out whether it is this Monday you may be in town— F. & I quite agree w. you about Macaulay's Hist. It will never do for a book of reference. I think his whole mind was occupied with the outside of things. Very difft from Kingsley but his speculations give one little satisfac. as he had the faculty of believing whatever he wished & whatever was pleasant. We are all m. pleased about Fr success— It will give him a feeling of self reliance & knowing that he can express himself & keep cool is a real thing to lean upon— I am now for his giving a lecture here, tho' the subject is a difficulty. Horace came home before he expected, having done his work—he got Mrs Baker to submit to be paid too, w. was m. pleasanter. No fresh news from Leo—but it seems he has long kept his sly old eye upon this place, but said nothing because of disapp&mt. Dickie feels v confident about it. Godfrey keeps very poorly; but I hope 0 to be uneasy about— Bessy comes home this week. She has liked v. m. being w. Mrs Ruck in spite of Ithel, who is cantankerous & disagreeable & snubs his mother. I hope he is gone today to Edin to study medicine

yours | my dear W | E.D—