From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [22 September 1879]

Dearest H—

It was pleasant seeing R. walk in yesterday just before dinner, giving such a good acct of your passage & the big ship; & I hope you are now settled & resting. He enjoyed the sight of the brilliant scene at Boulogne as he will have told you— He went off w–-W^m.^ in a fly this mg.. Bessy takes Canterbury & [wag.] to Croydon— A very pleasant note from Ida, asking her from Effie to sleep there before returning home, so she means to be cordial.

What weather! this is the 3^rd lovely day & such sunshine as we certainly have not had for a yr— It comes in time to save the remnant of Mr Harris's hay—

One can't help wishing we c^d have had 1 such day at Coniston. I think several nails have been driven about the new gardener, & F. himself is bitten w. the thoughts of an orchard house. It is pathetic to hear of Ida saying more than once how m. she longs for the unreserve of Down—& she is afraid of Dubba being grown up before she sees him— H. wishes so much that F's view of the matter shd be set straight w. T.H—that F. has a letter on the stocks but is doubtful of sending it— It must be done w. the utmost caution & carefully avoid any sort of lecturing to T.H— The only point that alarms me is whether this w^d make it more difficult to invite Ida. & if it makes him angry, it certainly w^d—but I can't fancy him angry w. F—

We shall consider deeply before sending it—

Yours my dear | E . D—

Leo. had v. little satisfac. at Chepstow—tho' Abney joined him & they took one or 2 good ones of Tintern.

There was actually lawn tennis on the lawn for some hrs yesterday.