From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [13 April] 1873

My dearest Body

Here is a charming letter of Dr H. & a v nice one of Miss Buckley's.

They are both interesting about poor Sir C. The account of him is v. affecting

& I am glad he has the relief of tears.

Another nice letter of Huxley today, but not about the affair—

We had a levée *P [symbol for yesterday] *Q—first Sir John & Lady—

She still looks v—ill but Says she is quite well & eating like a person

recovering from a fever. They were both pleasant & begged F. to shew them his

letter to Huxley—& he read the Copy to them which rather moved Lady L.. Then

we were expecting Alice & Jane Norton about 3.30 but meanwhile in came Mr & Mrs

Nash. He is gentlemanlike & pleasant. They had been walking about the village &

talking with people about ""this wretched clergyman of ours""— Mr Allen had

told them if things went on this way he w^d appeal to the Bishop—w. Mr Nash

said he tho^t w^d be of little use. Before they went in came Alice & Jane &

had only $\frac{3}{4}$ of an hour to stay. Jane has the wonderful faculty of being

pleasant in 10 minutes time— Then came Miss Allen but we had the luck to be

denied to her & I can't think what she came for, as she had never done so

before.— F. stood all the talk v. well—& he is certainly better—

I am sorry George has had such bitter cold weather in London—