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

Dearest Hen—

Good old Leo did appear yesterday & enlivened us much— I went down in the carriage w. Bessy (who went to the Union) & finished up what I had left the day before—

The maids are evidently more than satisfied with their legacies—I thought they had known the sum before, but I think not from their way of speaking.

Today it has poured all day, & I have been writing tiresome letters to people I don't care for Miss T. Mr Innes, Julia Hall & Miss Collett (who says poor soul that she is not going to be married yet as the curacy Mr G. has is so poor) 

Si John, Mr Norman Lockyer & Conny called in the pouring rain— I did not see them & Bessy unluckily had gone down about books & so missed her- –-

Goodbye my dear—wishing you well over this week—

Lady Derby writes one of the most feeling notes I have had—

Harry Allen's was peculiarly nice, from the moderation of the expressions—

U. Hensleigh agrees ab^t the annuity, but evidently thinks it unnecessary—

yours E. D

B. was shewing his noo soot to the maids— I brought him in to F. as a strange boy, which made him very modest— The rat story continues in vogue 

Fr. has heard that Fritz Müller is driven out of house & home by an inundation & F. will be quite disappointed if he can't find an opp. of sending him £100 or so to help him.

I thought I had something to tell you & it is Lord & Lady D. who came yesterday. Lady D & I sat on one side & did not talk m. & the 2 gents on the other side (she is certainly not at ease while he is present)—

There was a good deal of pleasant general talk before they got upon the Irish question; he is utterly at sea about Ireland & can't conceive what can be a remedy for such an awful state of things. He does not think the repeal of the Corpus wd have been of any use except just for the moment (but that is what we want it seems to me)— He said as soon as the 15^th Nov—passed without called Par^t he thought it wd be too late before X mas as it wd take at least a month to get it done (w. surprised me much)  He was quite genial in his manner & went away w a pretty compliment to F— Lady D. was actually reading ""Movements of plants""- –-F. told her it was out of the question to read any but the last Chap. & she owned that was what she had turned to— They came in a shabby little vehicle & she drove & not he—

We expect Kowalewsky tomorrow. Lady D told me that Lord B. had got £10,000 for Endymion— They had both read it & Lord D. said it was not one of his best—but clever certainly.

Murray has had 500 fresh copies of the ""Movements"" printed. I suppose the fruits of the Times article. The Pall Mall has a good review too—

yours my dear | E. D