From Emma Darwin to Leonard Darwin 17 March [1875]

My dear Leo

Yesterday we got yr letter from Wellington of Jan 8. I am so glad you are going to Australia it will take off the flat feeling of yr disapptment. & it wd have been a gt pity not to make the most of your being out there. I wrote to San-Francisco about a month ago & you will find some ancient letters waiting for you at Boston.

See if you can buy in San Francisco Nordhoff's Calefornia. It is a capital guide book & tells of some charming places to the South of Frisco, Santa Barbara is one— I don't know whether you will have any time to spare, or whether you will not be too early in the year for the big trees & Yosemite. We have had a severe winter which has killed many old people— Old Mr Duck for one. Sir C. Lyell's death is supposed to have been hastened by a fall down stairs 2 months before. The coroner Dr Hardwick has excited great indignation & brought on himself a wigging from government, by insisting on having an inquest & a most unseemly scene of breaking open the lead coffin to see the body. As nobody knocked him down it was most meddling— Some of our folks went to the funeral in West. Abbey— It was such a bitter day that there was not m. of a crowd which diminished the grandeur of the spectacle. The following Sunday the Dean gave a very charming notice of Sir C. & Lady L. too was brought in just at the end. not in the style of the sermon I heard last Sunday which spoke of ""this Godless place""—& of ""Science, alias foolishness.""

The Nashes have made up their minds to go, w. is bad news— This place is too far from his work & I guess too expensive— I am sorry to lose the only nice people we ever had near— It entails the loss of the Desboro's—who will be a decided loss to Aunt Eliz. Marriage is very rampant in this neighbourhood no sooner are Ella Norman's & Herbert's marriage safe off the [tapis] (Frank was quite tired of seeing Herbert's in all the papers—& always to the same person as he added in an injured tone) than we hear of Edward Norman's engagement w. Elinor Akers. We called there the other day & found her very smiling & happy. She told Bessy she must live on Hayes Common & she must have her beagles. Edward is Clerk to the H. of Commons w. very little to do & hates London, so I have no doubt she will have both wishes.

She is a ridiculous chit to be married, as her mother said. George went up yesterday to read his Cousin paper at the Statistical Soc. His long cold has made him very unwell, but I hope he got thro' with it, tho' it wd take an hour—w. is too long. I am very glad his immense trouble has not been thrown away tho' he does not think his results very reliable— As far as they go he thinks there is little or nothing made but against cousin marriages. He began w. a strong bias the other way—

Laura [Foister] comes *P ⁠⟨⁠symbol for tomorrow⁠⟩⁠ *Q & Mr Alexander & the lovely Adelaide on Sat. to dinner. If you have any choice at Boston about accepting civilities you will find the Sedgwicks or Nortons more entertaining than Dr Asa Gray, but you must also embrace him whatever you do.

F. is very tired of finishing off his Carnivorous plants; but I hope we shall get off to London by April 10. We have secured the Ridge for July & pt of Aug—when I hope we shall have u to join us.

P.S. We saw Cap. Palmer's (I suppose it was his) capital account in the Times— It was even more aggravating than yours as the sun ran it so v. fine as if on purpose to tantalize you. Horace is pretty well at work— He enjoyed Frank Balfour here on Sat & Sunday. He is just home from S. America where he went on business w. Pryor & he is now gone to Naples to work there till it is too hot. He is v. taking & charming—