From Emma Darwin to Horace Darwin 2 September 1880

My dear Horace

We were v. glad to get yr pleasant letter today giving an acct of yr great exped. at Zermatt. It is amusing your meeting so many people— I think you paid v. dear for your ices that day. Godfrey & Hope were v. pleasant. They dined here & came up at odd times w. the mag. baby who might win a prize. Cecil looks shy & uncomf but then he is so enormous & was burnt very red.

Every thing sounded q— prosperous about Effie— I can't believe that any thing can have gone wrong. I think it is more likely that she is up to the eyes w. company & fine weather & At F. & now Hope & the baby again— Godfrey is gone home & Hope & baby are gone for another week to Abinger & then she leaves the nurse & baby for a fortnight, w. I call folly, & if I were Effie I w^d not take charge of another person’s baby even for a fortnight, without a good reason.

You heard I dare say that Mrs Correy’s nurse & elder baby came from Dorking to be out of the way of the new one, w. I saw in the Times & I hope every thing is q. prosperous. Leo. will appear at Zermatt but too late & only for a day or so, as he must be home on the 9^th   He wrote from Wish. They had been photoing all the time at Chamounix & he has got some good ones.

Norman Lockyer is with them; but had left them for a day w. he says they spent v. pleasantly in abusing him; but in spite of that I believe they find him pleasant enough, only he bothers about plans. Leo. will be home on the 9^th he has quite enjoyed it & settles nothing & pays nothing. I will save his letters for you.

Frank’s 2 days at Radnor were pleasant. He went to Broom Hall for lawn T. & to the Wells & admired the Miss W’s in their loose flannels. He likes Mr—but can’t abide Godfrey—w. I believe is fastidious nonsense. Bessy took his place there on Monday & it was a pity they did not put her off as Marg^t was bad again w. her teeth & obliged to go to London & did not return till Tuesday—when I dare say she w^d be q. poorly—so I hope B. will come home— Godfrey is away however & Lily friendly & chatty. Mr Shaen read a service on Sunday & gave them a sermon of Martineau’s w. Frank found r. severe. Now I must go & write my last letter to Leo—so Good bye my dears. The weather is blazing & charming–-but r. too hot for me. Bernard is going to ride on Daisy to R—bourne today. He is getting q. tame w. those nice boys—

I have a new Photographic pen (sogenannt) & you see it behaves in a v. ugly fashion. I am so glad you did not take your wedding tour sooner—

yours E. Darwin

We were expecting Camilla but she has just lost her mother, w. will be a gt grief to her—