From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [10 May 1881]

Dearest H—

I am very glad you will stay till Tuesday as you can't come on Sat.

Please return the enclosed.

I do trust W^m is really better I think more of Effie singing before Ida than any thing I have heard— Poor Ida! how tiresome it will be for her. When you come we will talk the Lakes a bit more over w. you & consider about engaging the house for a week into July, tho' I shall not broach the plan of 5 weeks to F yet, till we see how things are— I find Fr. is just as m. struck w. Mrs Dickie's dullness as we are— She is utterly harmless so one has not the satisfaction of either disliking or quizzing her. I am rather glad we have not Miss Clark's poor Tom on our hands—

There has been the most virulent outbreak of smallpox at S^t M. Cray, beginning as we hear in the paper factory. They say 50 or 60 have it & many are in the Union— I suppose we shall have poor [Dub.] re— vaccinated w. will be unpleasant—& we can't get any shoes made for him just now— I think we must send you a pattern to order him a pr— It is so pleasant to feel the air soft & to see the grass grow.

Isabel Akers came to lunch yesterday— Poor Mr M'. thinks he is dying now & said he had taken leave of George— They have a man attendant at last, as Mrs M' was utterly worn out. George was doubting whether he w^d go & see him again today; but we thought it m^t only distress M'. as he has taken leave— G. walked to Combe Bank *p [symbol for yesterday] *Q & found them at home (with their room arranged for electric light) Mr Spott—walked part way back & he liked his call & was not over tired w. is certainly a v. good sign. [Dont] you think we had better order the fly for Mrs Haliburton so as not to come w. Huxleys? We think Romanes letter v. good—& serious. He sh^d beware of a joke like poison—

yrs my dr | E D

I copy Wms scrap

After a long passage about worms (shewing there are hardly at Malvern) which shews how m. better he is.

""I am m. better & we are both enjoying our visit. Effie is most pleasant in every way & the Palgraves & Hawkshaws I am glad to meet— also to have had a sight of H. & Ida. — — — — —

I am so glad you did nothing but crush that lying venomous toad with the Blue Book—

are not you tired of Lord B— when shall we have done w. him