From G. H. Darwin to Emma Darwin [12 April 1863]

My dear Mama

I hope I'am not turning into a M.^lle De Sevigné, as when I hear Etty read her letters aloud & I don't understand a single word of them I somehow don't find them very amusing. I left off work really on Friday in the middle of the day, tho' I was supposed to work till Evening.

I then asked Wrigley to go London; & he let me go, but at the same time he advised me very strongly not to sit up late or go to any place of amusement, as that would unsettle me for Tuesday. So I was persuaded by him & didn't go to the theatre last night. Yesterday afternoon I went to Lambeth baths & had a swim & then walked all up to Uncle Ras'es looking at all the photog.^s on the way up. Uncle Ras wasn't in so I left my bag & coat there & went & had my hair cut., at a Shop near Regent's Circus. I dawdled awfully in walking up here, as I thought it would be rather a bore for Aunt Eliz: & Uncle Charles if I came up here long before dinner. However I came just in time for dinner at 5.30 & Alfred came over from the other house. Edmund has gone to Cambridge & I had a letter from him on Saturday. I, foolishly enough, took that cheque to the bank to get it changed, which of course I couldn't get done as it was crossed, & I had forgotten the meaning of the crosses,: however Aunt Fanny has changed it for me now.—

After dinner A. & I went over to the other house & found "the family" there & Henrietta Synot, who had come up from Clapham. By the bye I then for the first time discovered that Aunt Cath: & Hope have been at Down. Aunt Eliz: came over for part of the evening.

Alfred told me that on the boat race day after I had seen & spoken to Arthur for a minute or two & when I had gone that he had asked him who on earth I was; certainly I didn't recognise Arthur until I had looked at him for a minute or so, but it isn't such a very long time since he was at Down.

We start for Cambridge at about ten tomorrow so I'm going back this evening. By the time you get this I suppose the wretched boys will be back at Clapham. I should rather come in for the Hartfield lark than the L. H. P. one; besides I might do a powerful stroke of business in the orchis watching at Harfield, I showed that part of Papa's letter about my stopping in Cambridge to W. & he's quite agreeable.

It is a blessing to leave off work for a day or two; for about the last week or so, we've been having papers to write out, as hard, as we can without stopping for 3 hours & one feels rather stuffed up or [illeg] at the end of it.

I've got a cat biting at my pen, so | Goodbye | I remain | Your affec Son | G H D We're going to do the Zoolog^s. for an enormous time this afternoon.— I'll write from Cambridge in a day or so.