From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield 2 March 1880

Dearest H—

The accts today are less distressing & I hope he is sinking ""I will only send a line to say since Sat. there have been no more of those suffering attacks, but he is weaker & more ill, tho' he has no pain""— On Friday he had 9. of those dreadful attacks, which however only lasted 5 or 6 m.

R's bright thought of making enquiries about the C. P. Hotel has turned the scale, & we may still do it at a pleasanter time. It will be nice to fall in w. Sara & I shall like to see all the Cavendish Squares more satisfac. than I shd have done by merely coming up for a morning. I don't think we need put off this whatever news there is from L.H.P. as it is coming to a brother's house for health's sake— F. is better & not m. alarmed at T.H. all to himself as unluckily we can't have Leo. I don't think Fr. w^d have done m. good— I am not at all afraid of him & can talk politics & family matters to any extent. We have just been reading Justin ['M.Carthy] & I do agree w. him in the insolence of telling any large body of people ""We will not hear what you have to say, or consider the question""—

He thinks Home rule nearly as necessary for Scotland—

Such a storm this mg. I can hardly get down to Eliz.

Bessy is zealously organizing a Penny Reading on the foundation of Mabel & Mr Hoole & Leo's Cornet a piston.

Fr. has accepted the 2^nd invite to Mrs Shaen because he c^d not help it; but it is all the better. It is wonderful how well [Be]—organizes.

F. has rec^d the M. S. from Col. Chester carrying the Darwins back 200 yrs— I don't know how it is; I sh^d care a little if it related to Wedgwoods— F. is intensely interested, & the old wills are curious in some cases leaving a shilling— yours my dear |E. D—