From Francis Darwin to H. E. Darwin [spring 1870]

F. is not worth 4^d so I will copy the best (I will tell him again to write on thin paper) ""I had tea w. Sand & the 2 young Cecils. We got them talking of their peculiar habits in respect of fires, they talk of themselves as if they were a double acting curious arrival, which had only been observed by themselves"" We are rather warm in here—we get v. hot bycycling &c—The elder one made Sand. feel his shirt sleeve in proof he was hot sitting still, I was glad the perspiring lordling next me did not do ditto.

Goerge wants me to let it leak out that he is coming up next Sunday—it is a horrid thing to do, as it is as much as to say ask him to dinner, as I am liable to be asked now I am B. A. it makes it worse. I wish I c^d lay a plan for somebody else to spring a leak in me, it is so difficult to scuttle ones own ship without being found out when one feels one deserves the moral gibbeting ones gets. The ""ones" in this sentence are kindly lent by Mr. Crotch. He said he did quite know the best time to come to Down ""for beetles"" ? I mildly suggested. ""Of course as if I w^d come to anybody's place for any thing else."" From this remarkable speech, it appears that he intends to ask himself again sometime. So beware! the sleuth hound is on yr back, you had better not have any lambs about who are likely to be especially horrified by him. Though I must say if I know a man so well that he can invite himself to the bown of my family, I think I know him well eno' to say he can't come just then.

F. D. is sorry to hear that his Dissection Stems (Extra Strong for family use) do not give much satisfaction. He will be happy to supply his Ditto ditto (very mild for children) at the same price. He can confidently recommend these, they are delicious & do not affect the toes—.