From H. E. Darwin to Emma Darwin [28 April 1866]

Dearest Mamy

I must begin a letter tho I devoured by sleep or it never will get off tomorrow & I hope & trust that I shall hear from Elinor tomorrow whether we are going to Cimiez or not. She is very sick of Cannes & wants a change but whether we are wise to go a step further from home I don't know. The pain in her back having formerly been high up is no good sign alas! for as it is still tender the doctor says there is still irritation there as well as low down. I'm afraid it may be very serious—but I want to know what Papa thinks? I don't think she is so nervous as I shd be—but she ought to have some one older & of use— I am sure it wd be madness to let her go to german baths with Miss Smith. If Miss Clough cd but come— Altogether I can't help feeling it will be a great rest to my mind when I come home— I thk D^r. Johnson must be a very inefficient doctor not to have discovered this— Of course now it makes the whole difference in Elinor's treatment of her back—I mean now she sees that each attack of pain is an absolute harm—& certainly this place will do her no good— Poor Elinor she says she will trust to her own instinct next time & when she hates coming abroad so much as she did this time she will not be goaded into it— The only comfort is that she is not alone with Hugh anywhere—& that I've been with her for I think she wd have gone mad alone with poor little Smith who is not fit to take care of herself much less poor E. Ever since seeing D^r [Lee] she has thought of nothing else— Well, as I am at Menton I won't write dismality— We left Cannes on Friday a sweet sail— The two girls stayed a day behind the parents & we had a lovely exped to Mont St [Cassier] where I found the most glorious of orchids Limodorum— Such a fine fellow—old [Batt] told me where to find it— Eff & I had a most sweet walk by the river with the nightingales singing like mad.—

Monday—I am very glad to hear via Snow that you are so well but why you naughty people don't write to me I can't think—as you do know I'm here— At last I am able to tell you where to write Pension Anglaise Cimiez Nice. Elinor goes there on Wednesday & I join her on Thursday—

This is a lovely place—far more beautiful than Cannes— Hope & I went a sweet exped on Sat—up the mountains & home through the most beautiful rich valley full of olives and lemons gilded by the evening sun—& the mountains beyond— The vegetation under the olives is so lovely now—the most tender green corn & beautiful flowers— We had a beautiful day for our drive here which is very striking indeed—but to make up for our two fine days Sunday rained nearly all day— I didn't mind so much as I was took bad with indigestion I don't know what from. Blue Pill & mustard plaister cured me in a short time 2 hours as soon as I thought of those two remedies & today I only feel a little squashy & am essentially quite well— It is cloudy & ugly again today so I don't lose much. Whatever I do will be in the driving line today as I shan't feel up for donkeying— Their maid has taken me under her protection— she evidently thinks I'm about 10 years old & must be treated with g^t. decision—""Yes Miss I thk you must 'ave yer window open now."" when I was feebly suggesting that musquitoes wd come in— The flies are driving me quite mad & I've got such a lot of flowers to make out I cannot write any more— I'm afraid I can't have a letter for more than a week as you wicked people didn't write whilst I had an address. It is lucky for me I've heard some by news of you from the Hs as my last letter was so dismal— Thank Lizzie for hers—as soon as I am clear of the Hensleighs I will write up some of my news. There is such an awful smell of cooking in my room I must go in the drawing room—

Your dearest Mamy | H. E. D