From Emma Darwin to Leonard Darwin [15 April 1876]

My dear Leo.

Your weather sounds lovely, & we have had such a detestable week since our lovely one— Thursday was the most horrible N. E. storm so that I sent the fly for the poor old rheumatic William. Yesterday mg was a deep snow but it did not last all day, & today is nice—

George has a spanking horse from Thrale but as he will only trot 15 miles an hour he does not mean to keep him— Today we shall be a large party. D^r Hooker & Brian, Rose & F. Balfour Horace has brought home his spanner which has been much approved by Anderson & I suppose will be made use of, tho’ the head man of Horace’s department thinks no great things of it.

We had 2 comical visitors on Sunday about 6.30, 2 Scotch students who were seeing the sights in London & came here (via Greenwich & Beckenham) to see the great man’s house & place. When they got here they thought they w^d also try to see the great man himself & sent in their names— F. went to speak to them for a few minutes & Horace shewed them about & started them to London by a straighter route than their former one. They were very modest & well behaved & some thing like gentleman. Do you remember a working man from Australia who rushed in to shake hands with him a yar or 2 ago & was for going straight off again without another word— We have heard of him again from a Canadian who met him on the road to California on foot with nothing on but drawers & shirt, in the pocket of which he carried his pipe & a letter from F. of which he is proud & shews it to everybody.