From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [17 December 1881]

Dearest H—

The happiness of these good accts has made me realize how horrid it was to have this little drawback— Ellen told me of Minne having a shivering fit on the 9^th day & the D^r gave her Calomel which shews he thought it something. Your letter arrived here at (I think) 3^.^30— D^r Clark came this evening & has cheered F. very much— He began his exam. with a firm conviction that it was the heart & ended it by finding the heart perfectly sound—better than most people's— He thinks he may have some internal eczema & only orders a very little change of diet— I told him about Ada's attack, but he said he shd order just the same prescrip. & that she ought to go on w. it for at least 2 months—

R. will tell you about the Vivisection Presidency, & his arguments have had a good effect— F. has been thoroughly uncomf all day— He set out w. me in a cab to Burdon Sanderson (I stopping at 31)—but he had not the heart to go on & came straight back—

George's coming in has been cheering— He is in a rapture with the little Baron & he certainly did him most thoroughly— He says ""What a good fellow is [Léonard]""!— The acct of Laura is better than I had any hopes of—

I want to see Ellen tomorrow— I shd have done more but I did not like to leave F—

yours my dear | E.D

G. says that Mr Ff. is in a fury about the fees for the tomb—& he believes we shall have to give in—

my best love to H. & Ida

Claudie & Noel are up. Claudie is not quite well—