From G. H. Darwin to Emma Darwin [1860–62]

Clapham

Sunday

My dear Mama

I've got to tell you about our Supper on Tuesday. There were 4 fellows going to Cambridge & Oxford this Michaelmas and so as the custom was they gave a parting supper. There were 7 of us. It began at 8 & went on till quarter to 11. There was hare ducks goose fowl pheasants &.c & wine almost ad lib:; nevertheless the was no one the least top heavy. After the eating was over we began with a Dutch Chorus, in which every one sings a verse of a song in turn, & between these verses comes Rule Britannia, as loud as possible; afterwards there were songs & very nearly every body sung; When a song failed, they struck up Rule Britannia & the song was done.

I sang quite at the end so they wern't very particular my song was "Bobbing around" & I got on very well till the 4th verse but then suddenly I utterly forgot the tune, so Rule Britannia, & all over.

I tried to get some things to take up to Frank, but as every body was doing the same & I did not lay in stores soon enough I'm sorry to say he got very little.

Please send William's letters for us to read. I believe Effie &c. came to chapel last Sunday, but I could'nt see them, though I daresay they were there. I've utterly forgotten to tell you something very interesting in my last two letters. One of the boys got Papa's book & was reading it & so accordingly I was chaffed about it all day long & I never had any peace for a long time, the bears & the whales was one great source of it. Send Marguerite de Valois pretty soon

Tell Etty that I began so high on the page at the beginning for her sake. I got a new necktie yesterday, but I don't know whether you would approve of it.—

Good bye | I remain your affec son | G. H. Darwin

Please cite as “FL-1252,” in Ɛpsilon: The Darwin Family Letters Collection accessed on 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/darwin-family-letters/letters/FL-1252