From Emma Darwin to Leonard Darwin [c. 4 February 1878]

Dear Leo

I suppose you really went to Col. Lewin's by not appearing. Dr Moore's lecture on Friday went off capitally. It was on the history of St Barth. Hospital w. gave him an opp. of bringing in extraneous people connected with it, ending with Wilberforce & the seat in Holwood Park & the abolition of slavery  his manner & language were excellent— Mr Teesdale is most useful on these occasions in giving the vote of thanks, w. he does well & manages to introduce a joke generally. Yesterday (Sunday) Dr Moore & Fr Polly & Bran started at 10 to walk to Westerham to visit the birth place of Wolfe & after doing the Church & tombstones & the Quebec House thoroughly, they walked on to Limpsfield & back by Titsey & arrived famished at home by 5 o'clock— They ate a loaf or 2 at 5 o'clock tea, but it did not in the least interfere w. Dr Moore's usual style of dinner. He has been very pleasant. He seems pretty well satisfied w. Richard's progress; but I don't feel so much so, as he has no appetite & keeps languid & much as he was soon after he came from Switzerland.

Horace goes today to sleep at Mr Easton's & goes down to Brighton with him tomorrow, to set about this job at the water works for which he is to have a guinea a day instead of 9/ a week w. I think used to be his pay-out  Then he is paid by Brighton & not by the firm. He has a wonderful self-registering therm. in his head, w. he explained to Fr Galton, who thought there was something in it. Bessy went to Basset on Sat— I think Theo's good spirits make B. enjoy her company, having no spontaneous spirits of her own—

yours my dear L. | E.D