From H. E. Darwin to G. H. Darwin 2 April [1868]

Dear George,

Father's tender heart is thawed by hearing that you can't afford to ride in cabs. he hears that there are nice busses in paris & he is going to tip you £20 to go into them occasionally. Shall he send it where & how? He doesn't want u to take any more trouble, about Revues des D. M. for Quatrefages is going ot send them all to him. He is désolé at not having found you at home. 3^rdly he w^d like to know St H's opinion of the leforets. I am sorry to say I feel v. empty of write & my pen is unsatisfac but I believe in my heart you'll be very glad at seeing these beautiful gaps of yellow paper—words inches apart. We are getting full of taking houses. There is a lakes house—Ambleside wh. w^d be nice, but not rapturous. Two Montgomeryshire houses—20 miles about from Machynlleth. Tenr [Penel] is hopeless they say. The Rucks are coming on Tuesday for one night. Frank is coming tomorrow. The idiot went & walked 18 miles the day before his exam—which seems to me pretty silly. It will be very interesting to hear how he has fared, but he must write to u himself.

We are very snug here with At Fanny & Sno. I am glad rather Sno goes today so whe won't make Frank squeak & gibber in the streets of Down. Isn't it fine that our post is going to change really. Mind u put Beckenham in future. Really when we've got a parsonage & a clergyman who is not a rascal & 2 posts & our Times the same day & the loose stones raked off the road in summer we shall be qu. within the pale of civilization.

Talking of civilization we've been reading such a wonderfully interesting book "Realities of Irish Life" by Trench & such a picture of the Savagery of life 10 years ago as it gives. The cool way they looked at agrarian murder—one man actually abused another for being a public robber in that he hadn't paid what he promised to get the bailiff put out of the way, & the other defended himself by saying that as they hadn't succeeded he saw no reason why he sh^d have to pay. & thi all in the presence of the Master.

Lenny finished his holydays down at Sthampton. You seem to be qu. as badly off for weather as we are. The Daily N. wh. is getting qu. playful says march is going out like a 100 of lions. What a day Easter Monday was. I felt deeply for all Marshall's young men on the heights of Dover instead of being warm & comf behind their counters.

W^m John said the D. of Cam. swore from one end of Dover to theother at finding the volunteers had got under shelter.

I didn't go to the High Elms ball, but praps if tis decent I shall go over to Rbourne & hear if it was a spirited one.

I hope you are all right again by this time. I am getting better slowly.

Ever yours | H.E.D.

I hope you went to some of the Easter music. I am afraid I shall be reduced to despise you if u didn't.