From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [9 and 11 September 1874]

Dearest H.

I will begin a letter though I shall have to wait for your address.

The F.D.s duly came at 12 yesterday. Amy is decidely fatter & has an unmistakeable look of health. They were very happy & busy unpacking more presents; & their room upstairs is now a solid jam of boxes &c. She does talk a little louder to everyone but Fr. Eras. is very languid & more silent than usual, & does not feel up to going to L. H. P. straight from here; but goes home on Friday & the Frs follow him & set on foot their furnishing. They slept one night at Paris —worked hard at pictures slept at Amiens & came across on Monday w. here Tuesday mg.

I have written to ask M^rs Ruck to come; but Amy seems to be sure she won't; & Amy is not going there yet as I thought she was. The Rieder Alp seems to have been a great success. It was disagreeable leaving with the impression about the idiot; but the folks here think you had very small grounds for your suspcions.

N.B. How m. power of enjoyment has Rose? I hope both their poor feet are better. George walked 4 miles [symbol for yesterday] without being tired. He goes on Friday to the Cooksons. He will be horridly disapted if he can't go, as he quite adores M^rs C. & she is most kind & friendly to him. Spiritualism is raging close by especially on rainy days at a M^r Marshalls where is also M^r H. Sidgwick ^ F. Myers; & M^rs Cookson owns to being vulgarly frightened at all the bumpings & tiltings that she has witnessed.

I hope George will see some of the fun. The only thing I fear for him is that there is no fire place in his bedroom, but she says there is a roaring one in the dining room which G. can have to himself.

F. has set Fr. to work & w^d find plenty for him to do. You need not exercise your mind about my dress, as I am going to copy one of Amy's in a modified form & no double skirt.

Well goodbye for today. F. gave Amy a kiss according to my advice; but he was horribly alarmed at taking such a liberty. It was B. thought of it. I trust your cold is not going to be vicious. The Fs are charmed with the Rejlander & the way it is framed. They are supplying us with the most magnificent grapes.

Friday  Here is your letter from Brieg, which makes me feel rather down-hearted about you, I will keep this till I hear again. George persuaded F. & Amy to start in the wag. with him to get beyond Keston, & walk home by the valley, 4 miles, a beaut. afternoon & he enjoyed it heartily. Also another walk of the same sort w. Frank the day before— If he can but keep up to what he is now!!!! F's are gone to work at Maple's & Eras & Geo follow. G. dines at Q. A. & travels all night. He takes a mag. basket of grapes for M^rs Cookson.