From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [7 September 1879]

Dearest H.

R. came down on Friday like a good man. He feel in w. Häckel whose frank naïveté, so like a great boy amused him, in spite of his subjects not being congenial. F. & I were positively bodily tired with the noise he made in talking at the utmost pitch of his voice— Fr said that when he talked German he was quite moderate.

He dined & slept here— He was staying w. Günther & w. F. did note know, & when he sent a civil message to him Häckel said ""Oh he vould not have come, he is ever vith his yung vife""— Who is 30 yrs younger than himself according to H— I think we must invite them some time.

I will send you Bessy's acct of her visit to Abinger as soon as I know that she has written a Ditto to Horace— It mollifies one finding that Effie was so dreadfully vexed about her interview w. Horace— I will certainly tell you exactly what we say, & I think we shall do something besides inviting her. She comes home tomorrow. A lovely day & Fr & Leo will have lawn tennis.

William & I were scheming greatly how to get some more room for flowers such as roses & thought of destroying the holly hedge down to the garden & widening that piece of ground; but I am scheming another plan, as I sh^d be sorry to lose the Holly hedge— I have cut down the Bay w. went to my heart but it cuts off such a quantity of light to the other side, & by taking away almost all the shrubs on the Left side of the walk w. keep off the sun I think we shall make more space— Possibly we might cut down a tree or two on the Right & make more room for Lilacs, [seringas] &c— At any rate we will see what the effect w^d be before we take such a step. Lett. is not any better yet & we can't get a man for love or money. F. has quite a fancy for an orchard house & that w^d settle having a new gardener—

I have never congratted you upon getting Mrs Johnson again. You will feel v. safe w. her— U. Harry says that for himself he sh^d like extremely to come to Petley's; but that Louisa wishes to be near a day school for Johnny—

I have enough of my mother in me to know that they wd be always on my mind tho' I sh^d fight against it more than she did; & if they do come I shall be obliged to favour the delusion & make them feel comf. about it. I do feel q. fond of Louisa. They have their own house for a year longer luckily—

Your pros & cons just come in— I certainly shall not tell Ida or Horace any thing—

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