From Emma Darwin to Leonard Darwin 17 August [1876]

My dear Leo—

I have opened yr rather weak minded letter to Horace as he has left Brighton & not given us any address (as they say in the papers when a youth has absconded) however we believe he is gone to Leamington; & if we send an advert. to the 2^nd column of the Times saying that every thing will be forgiven we may hear of him—

The Litches got to Edin. on Tuesday mg. so comfortably that a stoppage of 3 hours in the night failed to rouse them till just at the last. They had a Pullman’s saloon to themselves & regularly undressed.

The weather keeps blazing away & I guess they are gone to Braemar which sounds very charming. but too hot for W^m— A little thing serves to interest and amuse the ladies. One of them under took to teach W^m a new stich in knitting & they all assembled round to watch the instructress encouraging him & calling him a clever creature. Here is a letter of his, a g^t improvement on his notes of business which were such hard work. I went yesterday to an afternoon party at Mrs Whitmore’s to hear some v. good recitations of Shakespear by a M^r [Brandam]  I admired it v. m. but he jumped about too much to different plays. All the world was there. I learnt from M^rs Reed about [Laugham’s] last accident out hunting in which he dislocated his thigh & elbow joint & had them badly set & had to have them smashed & set again, a horrid job.

He is going on well & soon to be married to a Miss Henley daughter of Lord Henley— F. is beginning to mind the heat a good deal, tho’ it has never been above 82. You seem to have plenty to do—

Talking of driving, Flyer has taken the opp. of falling down. Jack is lame & the mare turned out so we live entirely on Galumpus

yours my dear old man | E.D.