From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [c. 13 April 1880]

Dearest H—

A codicil to this morning— I have heard from the other German, which does not sound q. so promising as she has never been long in any place—yes 5. years I see

I went down below & found At F. looking not v. comf—but she will come & dine w. us tomorrow & U. Hensleigh who has been q. bad in London w. his cough & cold. I wonder the elections don't keep her in better spirits; but it has been heavy work staying in all & w. no visitor but Mrs Teesdale— Fr. went to meet Mr Ff. as a sort of reconciliation at the Teesdales–- They shook hands but all the talking was done by Mr T. & Mr Ff. looked very sulky— There was a nice letter from Hope—Arthur P. was there. He talked too much sport & she does not think he will raise Mab— She thinks Hermann the most of a man of the 2—but the sport was q. enough to kill him in her eyes— The intense happiness over the baby continues & the letter began w. an immense bird's eye view of M.E.W. by no means flattering. When she wrote Cicely & Clarke had not done any thing civil to Hermann w. I call almost as foolish as any thing Effie c^d have done in similar circes— I was vexed at missing the only day of a small party we had at Abinger; but it answered capitally to F— Mr Atkinson the painter is drawing B. today—it is now 4^.^30, & from 1^.^45 till now 4^.^30 (it went on till nearly 6) (w. the exception of an interlude of running about) B. has been perfectly happy drawing & having things drawn for him by Fr. The Allen girls don't come on Sat. as she is going to Ireland with Mrs. Brooks.

The same dismal raw weather. It rained all yesterday—

yours my dear | E.D

Wed mg—

At Eliz. desires me to thank you very much for all the trouble you have taken about ears—