From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [28] January 1880

Dearest H.

I am v. sorry about poor Pussy. I shd try a bit of fish. This day is quite depressing & we are using candles— U. Harry is more cheerful than I have seen him for a long time; but L. is r. heavy work— The children are gone to Carry for the day & a Pantomime. It is r. feeble of Louisa letting them sit up till 10 o'clock as it a good deal stops what little conversation there mt be— Snow came to lunch yesterday & I had a talk w. her afterwards of all the vexations about Alfred & M. besides the great & serious trouble, all sorts of minor ones—jealousy of each other about the child. Each coming to Fanny to complain of the other &c & great jealousy about Berry liking to be w. Snow—

It is all horrid & one feels it so bad for both parents to be leading an utterly useless life at 31— Maggie is fond of keeping her cottage nice. I asked how Hensleigh stood it & she said, Oh quite well now he has found that Maggie is a medium. He put her into a trance & she has dreams. She thinks Berry very engaging— She left her trumpet for U. Harry to try & it was wonderful how well he heard; but I don't expect that he will persevere or get one. She said her mother had rec^d an affecting note from At Caroline, thanking her for the sympathy she had shewn her in the death of her first baby, 40 years ago— She said she had never been able to do so before— I begin to believe that U. Jos. may make a sort of recovery. Katrine is delightful.

I am not v. well. I went out for 10^m. yesterday & it did not suit— I hope G. will be tol—at Worthing, or the visit will be most irksome. I think it was r. a pity you did not speak to Mrs Rodney— Her dress sounds more like Mrs B. C— I think Old Lady L's things did not tumble off, tho' they were rather pitched on— yrs my dear