From Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin 26 December [1875]

Dear Mother

Every one in Malta is saying that it is a blessing that Christmas only does come once a year. The worst thing that has to be done is the soldier's dinners  Our men had taken immense trouble in decorating their barrack rooms, and had really made them look very pretty. The men had dinner in the middle of the day and according to old custome, all our officers and their wives and friends walked round the rooms as the men were commencing. This was all very well, but in each room the men expected one to drink some wine, and by the time all the rooms had been visited there was a most fearful mixture in one's inside  We had to go about a 10 miles walk, to work the effect off before dinner. In the evening all most all the married officers gave dinners and the mess was nearly empty. I had a very pleasant dinner with one of our married lieutenants; one of the opera singers was dining there he is an English gentleman a very pleasant man, and sings excellently in a room, but I am afraid he will never succeeed in a professional way, as his voice is too weak. There are generally about half a dozen singers come out here in a season, the poor wretches are so fearfully nervous the first night that it is rather painful to hear them, the best prima donna here is said to have cried steadily the whole afternoon before she appeared. I dont know whether George will have left home, but if you have a chance of writing to him on the way, tell him that the railway from Bari to Reggio is open, and that he can, if he likes, get from England to Malta with only 17 hours at sea. I dont know where to catch him en route, or I would write. I want coaching in the Allens fearfully; there is a M^rs. Codrington and her sister Miss Allen, who directly they heard my name, were down on me. I suppose I ought to go and call on them, which is rather a bother as they live over on the other side of the water. There is so little to do here that anything extra is always called a bother. I believe all letters here after Jan 1^st. are 2$\frac{1}{2}$ but I cant make out, because it is raining so hard that I cant walk as far as the post office.

Your affec son | Leonard Darwin