From Emma Darwin to Leonard Darwin [c. 19 July 1880?]

My dear Leo

I quite forgot what book you were after on Sat. but Mrs Evans (who was having a brilliant visit w. 2 plays at Bry. St) saw you at No 6. F. & I are very studious & grateful for letters. Here is Bessy's acct. of her first day.

I have grudged our having some beaut. hot days & the hay-making w. no Bernard & nobody else to enjoy it. We have not been well off for books & have been reduced to Goodbye Sweetheart, which is very entertaining & might have been pretty if Miss B. had not made her heroine so entirely without modesty, that is difficult to sympathize with her.

We have finished the last vol. of P. Consort, & the publication of the Queen's journal of his last illness when every tender word in chronicled is the most extraordinary instance of bad taste—even if she were only Mrs— It is however very affecting & I dare say if his father had lived the P. of Wales wd not have been quite so rubbishy— To think of the whole nation caring so intensely whether he lived or died (as it certainly did)  I hope we are going to carry the last of the hay today—

There were the most extraordinary thunderclouds on Friday w. all dispersed. F. has no proof sheets & has taken to taming earth-worms but does not make much progress as they can neither see nor hear— They are however amusing & spend hours in seizing hold of the edge of a cabbage leaf & trying in vain to pull it into their holes— They give such tugs they shake the whole leaf—

A very good thought to ask the Abneys & the little girls & I will write to Mrs Abney— Of course you will be here—

I have written