From Emma Darwin to Leonard Darwin 29 July [1874]

My dear Leo

I hope nobody will have told you about the wedding. Bessy & I started at 8 a. m. on a lovely mg. Poor Old G. did not feel up to going, which was a disappt to him. We got first to Q.A. St & found Frank in his work a day clothes & rushing about full of care, but what he was doing we did not know. W^m. was there all prepared in his wedding trousers which have been at so many. Ten minutes to the time we walked across to Langham church & just caught a glimpse of Amy running up the steps in her cloak over her gown.

They were lodging at Cav. St close by, so she & Mrs R. walked over. She looked m shaken & agitated before the wedding; but after it was over as calm & comf. as poss. eating her own wedding cake, when we assembled at the lodging. She was in a white muslin & bonnet w. some of our Stephanotis in it. Dicky was prevented coming by some duty, & Edwal did not appear. I suppose nobody thought of wishing Ithel to come. Arthur was there. We had a cheerful assembly at the lodging chiefly occupied in looking at Amy's beautiful jewelry, which w^d rival Lady L's if she put it on all at once in Lady L's fashion. (The clergy. did the service nice & short, & seemed to me to excuse all the responses) Bessy & I came home with the jewels & George had great satisfaction in looking at them before putting them away in the strong box. We left G. very unwell, after a week of false hopes, & these down falls are v. depressing. He sometimes says it w^d be almost better to keep at one level. We came here Sat. & it is v. pleasant. The new house quite beautiful. The weather showery & cool & the party rather too large to compare the snugness of our former visit. We go to W^m tomorrow, & the house is as good as bought! He offered to take it & run the risk if they w^d accept £200 less in the price— which they have done, & he thinks he shall give up all thoughts of the covenant. F. was v. well for 2 days; but ran riot rather—bilberry tart peaches & grapes &c. He has promised to reform. He has m. botanical talk w. J.H.F.

The little boys had a most animated game of cricket of 3 hours yesterday with the men & maids, & I was astonished how well the maids played. M^r. Arch is to speak at J—ton tomorrow night. I shd like to hear him. W^m & Bessy will do so, but I guess I shall not venture. We had a jolly letter from Frank from Paris, after a beaut passage & might journey in a coupé.

Amy quite brisk.

Edmund is w. At Eliz. & Geo gone to Cambridge

yours | my | dear | E. D.