From Elizabeth Darwin to H. E. Darwin 17 [February 1870]

Dear Henrietta

I have just come back from Cumberland Place where I have been staying one day more than a week  I did not mean to stay so long but the weather was so bad that the roads were blocked up and unpassable so I could not get home. Oh what weather it is has been, never did I feel anything like (the) cold. All the people (ran) along in the streets looking so cross. I have found poor Mamma in bed with the influenza which always lasts such a time, her head seems very bad. I have very pleasant visit at Cumberland Place. But my pleasure at being there is always rather decreased by the fear of boring them; which is not difficult to do.

When I first went there, Miss Develt a devonshire friend was staying there. The first day, she, Hope, George and I went to a play, Effy wanted to go very much as Miss Huller acted in it but she could not because she had such a bad cold. The first piece was Little Emily which was very painful. It nearly put Hope into hysterics she said and had such an affect upon her that she said she felt as if she might be led astray herself. Miss Huller acted Mrs (Gummige)and did it very well. The second thing was a burlesque on Tennyson's princess which was very amusing and made us all laugh. One afternoon Effy and I went to see German Reads which was very good fun. Then I went to see the old pictures with Emily Thorley and to the Dudley gallery with Hope. Just think what a mad scheme Effy had she meant to have gone to Holland with the Hales, but when she read in the newspaper that the weather was quite dreadful in the chanel, and that the Southamton boats had stopped running she thought better of it and they have gone to Oxford instead. The Leithhillians were up in London at Uncle Rases for a few days and came to dine at Cumberland Place on Sunday, and were reqlly quite brilliant, but of course the evening was rather long as they had dinner at six, I am afraid I shocked them rather by working cross stich but as Hope knitted I could not see why I should not work too. Yesterday Tueday Aunt Fanny Uncle Hensleight and I dined at Queen Anne, Hope had gone to Clapham, Effy to Oxford but as Aunt F had asked Mr Farah and Ida and as Earnest and George dined there too it was quite a brilliant dinner party. Ida is a very sweet mannered girl and looks nice. Sophy and Lucy were very silent, however I am sure there is something in the (drawring) of Queen Anne Street which prevents talking there is never anywhere to sit. Suppose you have heard that Snow has gone to Hitchen to teach Greek there, she seems to like ti very much. But for some reson or other she was going off to Edinburgh but then had to put it off because Mrs Rich did not like the idea of her travelling in such cold weather which I think very hard, she surely might be allowed to travell when she liked, and Aunt Fanny and Effy seemed to have settled it all for her. I got your letter about a week ago you certainly do seem to have pretty bad weather in Italy but nothing like what we had here. I read your account of your over (turn) to Hope

We are all very much overcome by Henry Parkers great condecension in travelling with you. Papa says it is the greatest honour the family has ever had. He says he should like to have any account or extracts of the Montegaza very much.

Thursday

Still snowing and very cold. Papa has never been able to try the cob since he has had it but seems to think it too fresh for him, it is a very pretty horse I believe, but I have not seen it yet. We were going to Queen Anne Street soon, but we shall have to put off going till the horse has been thoroughly tried. Mamma is rather better to day her head is not so bad and she has a little appetite, so I hope she is on the mend now. Elinor was calling here yesterday so we let her take your letter to Frank to read and then send on to him.

Your 2^nd letter has just arrived which interested us all very much  Aunt Elizabeth said when she read that part of your letter about the shortness of her visits at Barlaston, that it was not Aunt F, and she did not know exactly why it was, she had not much time to spare, but she seemed pleased at their wanting her so much. Louisa Ludwig was coming but she has been put off.

Well there seems nothing else to say so good bye. | Yours ever | Bessy

Cecil and Lilly are not going to Aunt Elizabeths.

Aunt Elizabeth wrote to Godfrey to Poste Restante Genoa