From Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield [18 December 1881]

Dearest H—

I have a good deal to tell so I begin regularly. We got to the Huxleys by 10. & saw a flock of young ones all about a foot taller than when I saw them last Leonard v. attractive & handsome  Then F. had his talk w Huxley who gave exactly the opinion I wished, viz that it was far too anxious & worrying an office, & also that it was not right to be only a dumby—& that he wd be worried to death (I am writing now while D^r Lauder Brunton is having his talk & you shall hear the upshot).

I received the enclosed note this mg—& went there at 3— I was decidedly encouraged by Laura's expression of face it had not the sunken immoveable expression of a person who is very weak or ill. Nor did she look to me very thin. I conclude she was a little flushed—

She talked a little with interest—about Ida & Claudie (who looks very poorly) & I was so m. afraid of staying too long that I believe I stayed too short a time— She was r breathless but had a tolerable voice. Then I called on Effie & sat I dare say $\frac{1}{2}$ an hour. Claud was in the room most of the time; when he was gone she told me that D^r Jenner thought there was nothing the matter with the heart & nothing serious with any thing else— He must take care not to play hard or read hard when he returns to school— We talked a little about Ida & when she heard that the nurse had been alarmed at the feverish fit, she was not at all surprized that Horace had been so uneasy— She said she shd not write to Ida for a few days longer (on my saying that Ida's nerves had been made uncomf at the time), for she had not written to Ida herself yet— I told her that all that was passed now & that Ida was quite comf—

She spoke of Godfrey's health as v. miserable suffering from sudden fainting among other evils—that he began to be ill as soon as he reached Abinger—

The talk w. Dr Brunton most satisfac. & the Committee had before thought it was better to apply to Dr Risdale Bennett— yours my dear E.D

The lunch yesterday was rather bothering & noisy but v. good physically— At F. came to lunch today in her Bath Chair  I am so glad I thought of asking her—

yours my dear | E.D—

F. & I have been a little turn in the Square since Dr Brunton & every thing is bright & prosperous & F quite comf—

I hope R. caught his train  I don't wonder that he left my note on his plate in the scurry