From Elizabeth Darwin to G. H. Darwin 15 March 1879

Dear George.

Frank has refused the examinership which most of us think a great pity. He does not feel as if he knew enough for it in which opinion father agrees, there have been very kind letters from both Dyer & Sir Joseph Hooker both regretting that he hasn’t taken it. I do think it is a great pity, he would have got a little outside interest in that way however it is too late it has been a tiresome sort of confusion altogether, his missing the letters, & then having his name put down & then after all his refusing it.

Have you heard that Father & Uncle Ras are going to have a little life of old Erasmus which came out in Kosmos translated & published as a little book with a title page containing a portrait of him autotyped from one of the portraits, most likely the one at Uncle Ras’s which is the most pleasing; & Father is rather thinking of writing a little preface to it partly to confute some lies which Miss Seward told about him. Father has borrowed the life of Miss Seward from Leith Hill & read out a few passages last night written in the most dreadfully bombastic style. The other latest piece of news is, which perhaps you have also heard, that it has at last been decided who is to paint Father, young Richmond is the man, they have decided on. Henrietta & William were both miserable when they heard it as they say he can neither draw nor paint. I wish they had settled on Dickinson whom I like very much. However all the art people such as Colvin etc admire Richmond very much Horace says. We have heard to day that the poor Thorleys have lost two thousand pounds their wretch of a brother has managed to get hold of it. Now it is to go into Chancery & after that there will be a criminal trial. Mr [Crowden] discovered it by looking into John’s account at Childs bank. He certainly is the greatest wretch in the world, I hope they wont discover other things & be quite ruined. What a pity it was that they did not go to a solicitor at once, they have been very foolish poor things. I think they will mind the disgrace of it more than anything almost. The Williams are having quite a season in London a week at Henrietta’s which is a long time for them. To day Frank has driven over to Beckenham to see the