From Emma Darwin to H. E. Darwin [24 January 1870]

My dear Body,

I hope you have got the M. S. all safe by our not hearing. I am glad you are got to feel intimate with Godfrey— He is one of the few men who care for women's friendship. It is lucky for you their being there. I am afraid Ed. will be able to do v. little in the way of driving w. prudence— We can hardly realize here what it is to take a lovely drive & eat your luncheon out of doors &c. Frank appeared on Sat in v. g. spirits but he thinks he is only a junior Op.— Dr Günther, Swinhoe, & Mr Newton (all intimate w. each other) came together & Dr Hooker on Sunday. The dinner & evening were v. v. pleasant. Newton is too genial & jocative, but when y^r F. got him on serious topics he liked him v. m. Günther was really the most agreeable & the image of his photo. He talks the most wonderful German English in spite of having been 13 years in England. Talked of Grumbling his shirt & a broplematical question. Swinhoe was handsomer than ever & v. pleasant in his Chinese talk & gave a most curious account of the language. He talked of his children, but where Mrs S. is & whether she is Chinese or English we can't make out. He looks dreadfully ill. Gunther went to church to my surprise. Sir John came to luncheon; & all the party & Bessy walked him home & went in to High Elms (meeting Dr Hooker on the way). They saw an optical delusion called the Sphynx shewn off by young Hamilton. Then I set in for a headache & so did not come down & thought how we missed you to keep things going—however every thing did capitally, for all the boys enjoy that sort of soc. so much & Bessy sat alone in her glory at dinner, but not at the head. I was sorry to miss such a pleasant set. Dr Hooker had the greatest difficulty in making his way over here on a Sunday. Mrs H. gave him wrong information, & then they squabbled a g^t deal & at last she & Charley carrying his bag took him to the station & found only a train to take him to to West Brompton, however by means of walking a g^t deal he got to Charing X at last.

There has been a g^t controversy in the Pall Mall about Huxley's Celtic article. It has ended in Huxley ""polishing off"" his adversary v. m. to his own satisfaction but it is a wonder any body could get hot upon such an abstract question. It was too peppery in my opinion but all the males stood up for him, & Newton went so far as to say he did not think Huxley enjoyed that sort of thing. F. was but had the 1^st day & enjoyed the 2^nd v. m.