From Emma Darwin to Leonard Darwin 6 December 1875

My dear Leo.

I have just got y^r pleasant letter & I should like to see you as ""heavy father"" for I suppose by being gouty you are not a ""père noble"".

Just after shutting up my letter to you last Monday we heard of poor Edmund's death rather sooner than we are expected. He had become worse on the Friday & died on Sat. night. Nothing could be so peaceful as his last 4 hours, tho' his breath was so short his poor father could not hear what he said. He kept pressing his father's hand to the last. He was full of thought & care for them all—desiring that the funeral service sh^d be short for his father's sake, knowing Lena's taste for ceremonies. He sent messages to every body. He said he hoped his children wd see much of our set ""as it w^d be so good for them."" And begged his father w^d be with them as much as she could. Lena has asked C. L. Warmly to live with them; but I believe he had better live close by. She once told At Eliz. She did not believe she could be unhappy & so it has proved, as by the tone of her letters it is evident that all the accessories of death, which are so revolting to many, give her a good deal of pleasure— Ornamenting the poor body w. flowers—lighting candles & the beauty of the pall. She has been very kind & thoughtful to At Eliz. writing her a most minute account of the last hours— But one can imagine how all that goes against poor broken down Ch. Langton. Clement very kindly went to the funeral, & Lena pressed him to stay till Monday & I have no doubt he was a real benefit as drawing him a little out of himself. Wm was regretting he had not gone; but I do not so much care as Clement was there; & most likely he wd talk more openly to one nephew than to two.

Poor Aunt Eliz. is beginning to recover. She felt most bitterly not having seen him

We have had frost for 10 days & a deep snow for 3—so that for the Litches did not venture to come on Saturday; & it was very well, as today is a high N.E. & the snow drifting— If it keeps so horrid we shall put off going to Bry. St for a day or 2. Frank. is at Pant. & has some skating.

One can hardly believe in the real winter beginning at the end of November.

George keeps very unwell. Horace was with him last week & they talked axles as you may imagine. He saw all his friends especially Bradshaw.

Only of the Pope's feelings. They have chosen F. a foreign associate of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Rome under his very nose. He is one of only ten so it is a compliment worth having.

William has been going 2 weeks running to Broadlands which has so turned his head that he can't condescend to tell us any thing about it. He is also up to the eyes in charity organization.

It was Euphrates & not the Europa Jenny was in—& I dare say you forgot her married name too Carr.

yours my dear Old Man. | E. D—

What a heaven for young ladies at balls Malta must be— Don't you let yourself be shoved out—