From H. E. Darwin to Francis Darwin 11 May [1866]

Dearest Bunker,

Many thanks for yr splendid long letter—when I arsted for a letter I never thought I whould get such a splendid billing. I wish you were going to come & fetch me from foreign shores or to be took home by me whichever way you like to put it— I should be able to show you about Paris quite nicely & send you off to the Play in the evening—though I did try to rush up to pay a call on the Emperor until the sentry assured me it was no go, when my intention was to get to the Louvre. I am beginning to think about coming home—& shant be sorry to see my parents again—but I shall be precious X if all Frosts haven't quite taken their departure by the time I get to England. I am going again to Mentone tomorrow with little Miss Miff. She wants somebody to go with her & as I'm not going again by the odious diligence I am quite willing— I didn't half see it before owing to the vileness of the weather— We come home on Monday or Tuesday so as to have a day or two here before our grand start— Mentone is a most galoptious place for flowers—but I've made sveral resolves wh. makes botany a much pleasanter pursuit— I never look at a labiate, cruciform & hardly ever a papilionace—neither do I ever look at anything I think grows in England—& you cant think what a lot of trouble I've saved myself—the labiates & their blessed ribs wd have maddened me. My drying has been singularly unsuccessful they are only damping & moulding into a kind of nasty mash instead of drying—but the poor dear things had a bad time of it when I was at Mentone before—& will have another now. Yesterday we went an expedition to a funny little town in the mountains—such funny dirty old houses. It was a grand fête day & every man jack of them were out of doors so we 3 étrangers caused some commotion & a deal of staring—& every child begged— Some chaunted a little song as they followed us up & down the town—Madame bo' quateri so'—i.e. Madame bonne quatre sous—but this didn't rhyme so they made this little alteration. You never saw such impident little black eyed wretches.

Goodbye dear F | Yours H. E. D.

We have glorious weather now