From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [7 September 1876]

Dearest H—

I had forgotten what a horrid thing confining was— Yesterday morning at 8. we heard that D^r Willey had been sent for. I went over about 10– –30 to see what progress, & found Amy walking about & coming down to breakfast. She looked shaken & ill poor soul, but ready to talk about other things.

D^r W. came about 11.30 & said it w^d be a long affair but that every thing was quite right—so it went on all day— I backwards & forwards.

Poor D^r W. made an attempt to go away & come again, but the nurse took a high hand & w^d not hear of it. I was going over for the 4^th time about 8 when I met Frank coming about choroform, of which they gave her little whiffs to her immense comfort— She suffered most stoically & never made a sound— I came away at 10 & we went to bed having left orders to be informed when it happened. F. & I woke about 12.30 & began to get more & more uneasy at not hearing—when we heard some one at $\frac{1}{2}$ past 3— It was William to say it was over & a boy—but what gave us a fright was to hear that he had fetched Mr Hughes—

I went over early this mg. & found Mrs Ruck writing telegrams as fresh as possible. She told me she thought every thing was q. right till 11. when D^r W. said he wanted to send for his instruments, that there was no progress making & they should have to resort to it at last when she was more exhausted. Mrs R. came over to our kitchen where W^m was sitting up & sent him off & was charmed w. his willingness & activity.

Mr Hughes came too, & I am so sorry they did not have him instead, Mrs R. says he was such a support & was a man of power, & D^r W. is only nice and gentle, (to be sure he is Welch & they talked Welch together.) He agreed w. D^r W's opinion & the child was soon brought into the world with a great cry.

The child is enormous so I am not surprised. Amy was not at all frightened, having read that is the fashion now to use instruments in America when every thing is quite right only by way of hastening the labour.

When it was all over Mrs R. & Fr indulged in a good cry— And he went to bed utterly done up— He had been giving chloro. for 6 or 7 hours–- - Amy finding it an immense comfort but never insensible. Mrs R. comes out in the best light, so calm & cheerful & self forgetful.

I saw Amy for a minute owing to the nurse telling me she w^d be sure not to wake & I was a fool to believe her. She looked bright & happy & wanted to talk so I came straight away— She has been sleeping peacefully ever since— They say it is never likely to be necessary again. It was so fine I let the little Langtons & Smiths come all the same & Bessy undertook them & worked very hard & with Lily & the nice governess they did very well playing out before tea & afterwards at the boat & slide upstairs which they enjoyed the most judging by the noise they made— Yours my dear— George came *P [symbol for yesterday] *Q looking unwell, but having had rather a favorable turn & still hoping to go to Strathconan There was gt talk at Minto about Sir Henry Elliott (brother to Lord M.) & they of course think him hardly treated—

E. D