From Emma Darwin to H. E. Darwin [1 July 1864]

My dear Body.

You will have a short letter today as I am virtuously copying your very entertaining account (omitting a little spice) as so many want to hear, one copy w^d nevcer do so I will send the copy to Susan Cath Caroline & Lizzy. & yours will do for the boys. I hope you will bring Hope & thank her for her nice note to me. Papa was poorlyish yesterday & is brisker today.

Billy was so unwell I expected him to die but I believe he was only too much stuffed today he is better, but his always eating grass shews something wrong. M^rs Peters & M^rs Edwards caled in a little basket carriage driven by M^rs E. very full of Philips marriage & all the doings to celebrate it; which as they included the workhouse children I give them credit for.

Then I caled on M^rs Spengle & found them all in high spirits about Brighton. Miss Thompson's spirits are not engaging & even dear Spengle might be a little less vulgar. I hope there is not any thing seriously the matter with him—

I am quite sorry about the rainy day till you c^d get rid of any remeniscence of the mariage it seems to have been as dreary as all marriage days must be. Don't I remember Uncle Frank's wedding day & the supernatural length of the day only we did not end so pleasantly in dancing, but sitting grinding conversation & trying to eat supper when we had already had too many meals. It shews the mistake of doing any thing extra on that day.

I hope we shall save some cherries as the crops are enormous. Parslow & Bobby each equally intent on the trees spend hours with a gun watching. We have put up a mawkin & a couple of enormous tin jars which clank against each other like a church bell on the stage. Goodbye my dear it will be great fun having you back mind you tell the news to Aunt Cath & Susan.

I am quite well today & yesterday & Horace Ditto