From Emma Darwin to Horace Darwin [20 December 1873]

My dear Horace

I hope you feel satisfied about F. Balfour. I suppose you had not hopes he w^d be first— George came today & I trust he is taking a turn as he seems to be pretty comf. this evg. His new room is v. warm & comfortable. We have had Lady Lubbock calling in several times about the Reading Room— She has been very useful in canvassing. It will be settled on Tuesday, and F., as he does not attend the meeting, has written a nice letter to the Board to say why he wishes it & thinks it a good thing. Lady L. told to us that she had had a “paper chase” last week in which Philip Norman was the hare & H^t Lubbock, Amy, Elinor Akers, Miss Wells & several more were the hounds & went across the country with great spirit shouting & making a g^t noise. They are going to have another from the Normans to High Elms. She asked Bessy to join, or at any rate to see the end of the run— I don't think Bessy w^d succeed in going across country, besides it is an absurd thing for a sober girl of 26 to do—also she might lose her way. Frank came on Sat. & went on Sunday evening to have a talk with Mr Allen, & learnt from him all about his former trade of making oxalic acid—

I was disappointed to hear you had fallen a bit back again— How nice & warm it has been these 3 & 4 days. We like the Oliver biscuits very much Thank u for remembering— George complained how seldom I wrote, which makes me suspect that you sometimes forget to shew him my letters; but he says you do as far as he knows. I have got my shrubs planted, but they sent me a miserable set from the swell Rollissons—

I sent John to discover whether we c^d get across from the Fox to Fairchilds, but it was quite as steep as the other way, so I have declined as I c^d not stand so long a drive—

yours my dear old man— | I hope u are better again | E.D.