From H. E. Darwin to H. E. Wedgwood [13 September 1867]

bear the punishment of all other mens sins— Their shoulders had need be broad to bear all you'll lay upon 'em— I'm afraid you'll not succeed on that principle of making the narrow path any pleasanter though you may make the broad disagreable. I think they are born selfisher & therefore I judge 'em by a diff^t. standard & thk no worse of them nor of myself—if it is original sin tisn't their fault—& I thk they have some merits we have not— I really believe without public schools universities & other inventions of the Devil they wdn't be found so v. m. worse than we are—as it is they are—but that is their misfortune not their fault— As you've been abusing y^r. young men I'm going to do the other thing to mine—I really do think George is no worse than he was before the university—you feel that kind of consciousness that you have with a girl & not with a boy, that there are no hidden depths of wickedness. I don't feel it with all of 'em but I do with George just precisely as m. as if he was one of us— He is m. the m. good hearted of every one of us—& I know he s many virtues  I might try for a 100 years & I shd never get a truthfulness of nature wh. is not the shallowness of Frankian simplicity—but the truthfulness of clear waters with no muddy bottom to hide—and an utter absence of all malignity & asperity—wh. I take to be a manlike virtue— Well as young men are in such bad odour with you I won't go on with my Hymn of Praise

Poor Ti. how dull you'll be without y^r. Eupha—Altogether I gather Rettas visit has been dismal & it makes me gladder than before that I came when we were all in our petticoats body & soul—I can't bear to thk of Landridge in its best gown—but dear Tuppence don't be so dismal—after this batch is over you & Ef will be in peace again—& Tuppence I think righteous indignation is bad for your soul. I do believe in its righteousness: but it is not the ointment y^r. soul needs— Keep y^r. paw little fot from being made hot with thorns & don't let indignation vex you so— Those are not the sins you'll ever have any temptation to foster in the world—& private indignation eats out y^r. own heart & does not mend the world. Did I tell we go up to Q. A. on Tuesday? Some of them are gone to L. H. P. W^m. amongst the number—? [illeg] he'll bear his Aunt! I spose I shall see him at Pyt on the 1^st. when we all go for a week—Amy Crofton along with us. I have sufficient youth to like that sort of party when seasoned with my own boys—& I shall much like to see Pyt in beauty— [some words obscured where someone has written over them possibly to clarify them but has not succeeded]

I hope y^r. weather is like ours—soft still autumn—which makes a gush of Heats come over me—& a robin sitting on every tree singing a peaceful lament on the death of summer— Did you look at the harvest moon last night—I never saw anything so perfectly lovely before—driving white fleecy clouds over deep blue gulphs & Jupiter almost the only star visible—though strange to say—he looked more beautiful than ever— We can see his moons thro' Papa's baby telescope—they look so pitty—Does Paris simmer It does with me hotly—

Yours my Dear [Sacker/Tacker] | with sincere sympathy always | Harrott