From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [30 June 1877]

Dearest Hen—

I have just got B's letter fixing your departure for July 2, & as we shall naturally be at home on the 4^th she will of course not come here now, tho' I dare say she will manage a little visit w. Horace or Leo. in the course of the summer— I am sorry you c^d not move down one storey.

The Beaulieu party returned by luncheon time having liked it; but not got m. good about worms. A quadrangle in the ruin was rather pretty.

W^m & Fr. went to a lawn tennis party *P [symbol for yesterday] *Q & Fr appeared to like it & they are going this P.M. to Hankinson's & poss. R. & Dickie will be here too. One of them will have to sleep at Dr Laugstaff—

It is quite cool w. a high wind which suits me much better, tho' I miss our sitting out on the lawn. I have tried Mrs Ruck's plan of putting a nosegay out of doors at night, keeping one of the same age & sort in the house, with the most marked good effect—on comparison of the two. It is worth knowing about roses especially which spoil so soon.

I am afraid Uncle Harry has lost all cheerfulness by U. Fr. account, as in general those 2 enjoy each others company so much—

Poor Major K—is in constant pain & that is enough to take away the spirits of so sympathetic a person as H. Sir J. Paget is to see Aunt F's knee, which makes me afraid some mischief may be going on but one cant conceive what.

Clark advises her soon moving to Abinger however & that looks well—

U. Hensleigh. has gt fun w. D^r Lynn, who has a medium & seánces w. a few of the audience in a blaze of light & the table has all sorts of vagaries—

At Eliz. has a good deal to do w. Ravensb. & our hay is cutting—

Also Toney has found a mouse hole in his dungeon w. is quite a pendant to somebody's spider or [Picciota].

W^m. is such a jewel & a teetotaller that I am not for letting him go, if he will stay under another so m. the better— F. says he always remembers any little alteration in his arrangements—

Uncle Fr. is selling his other horse— I will make some enquiry about it as Druid has answered so well—

yours my dear | E.D—

Kreuz—seems a good place for short expeditions. How nice it w^d be if you could give us a few days before you settle at home.