From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [21 July 1877]

Dearest H—

I shall like to hear what Andrew said—

It will be too provoking if you have to be very cautious about Babsey—tho' now he is taking a new phase, of wanting to be walked every where & not caring so m. for jumping. C. L came *P [symbol for yesterday] *Q looking sadly altered & collapsed to my mind—

Dr A.C. says he is sure he can cure his giddiness but I can't make out that he cheered him m. Uncle Hensleigh came too v. comf. & pleasant; but giving rather a sad acct of At F. He says her night perspirations are better & appetite pretty good. She can only read a short time to herself & does not like listening. Lady D. came yesterday 5mQQQQ. too soon w. she apologized for—

She was v. open, so m. so as to shew that her feelings were quite Anti Turk— She said that she was accused of being corrupted by Schouvaloff— The programme of events w. she had heard of as probable (but not from the foreign Off). was that Alex. wd dictate a peace at Constantinople & set up a sort of dummy Sultan. The provinces w^d be tributary w. their own governmts— Austria have part of Bosnia & MonteNegro part of Herzegovina.

Ch. went to fetch something from the study & she asked to see the room Its untidyness gratified her much, she said ""I sh ^d like Lord D. to see this—he is always attacking me for not keeping things in order—but I know where my things are—he is painfully tidy.""

We did not venture to pump any thing about Dizzy.

Wm's Swiss tour is doubtful as he does not know w. he can get away soon enough— In that case he proposes a fortnight in Scotland now— Horace jumps at it & I think B. will not go as feeling it too [sad] about just now—

Did you see the World it is rather distasteful but no harm in it— The Gurneys come & I wish they were gone rather

Do you consult Laura about your case of conscience. I think she w^d be a good judge.

Yours my dear—

Your letter just come— I am v. glad Andrew allows Switzerland. & that he says you need not mind. F. knows who wrote ""World"" a M^r Bickers a German who wrote to him some time ago that he wanted to write a mem. of him & asked to see him— F. wrote to decline—sending him his printed form of facts—I guess he knows D^r Farr— Snow's dinner party went off v. well— Marian is housekeeper now—w. a diminution of £5 in the 1^st week. The young cook is gone, & the kitchen maid cooks—

Your gown was not finished in time yesterday; but I will send them today. It is so cold that I hope you are wearing winter things at Penn & do not want them—

yours my dear| with my best love to Laura—

Schau has got a situation in Russia to the great joy of Abinger; & I don't believe to the sorrow of Ida.