From Emma Darwin to Horace Darwin [27 November 1869]

My dear Horace—

You seem quite dissipated in those parts with your dinings out. We are dissipated too as the Vernon Lushingtons & young Mr & Mrs Agassiz from America are coming today to stay over Sunday also W^m, George & Ernest (who will have to sleep at Aunt Eliz). I wish it was over, I feel it too gt a job.

We all like Pauline Kilian & I think Bessy will be quite sorry when she goes next week as she takes long walks w. her & reads German & is companionable & pleasant. We have done pretty well in point of amuten^t for her, viz the Crystal P, & an Opera yesterday (a mg. performance) at w. W^m met them in London, not to mention a Penny reading on Tuesday at which Pauline & Dulini performed & both covered themselves with glory. I am glad to see Dalini is so m. improved I think she will get her living at last. Mr. Powell had a friend to read, who did it capitally both pathetic & comic. I like Mr Powell in spite of his sermons. I think he is resolved to do his best in the parish in every way. Lenny came last Sat as usual & said he had had the foolishest letter he supposed Frank had ever written. He did not bring it wickedly as I think it ought to be framed & kept as a curiosity.

Poor Pixy at L.H P. is dead & is a gt loss to Uncle Jos who was v. fond of him   They are setting up another. F. gets more weak-minded about Polly every day & sometimes pities her so m. she is ready to weep— I don’t know what he w^d do w. out her.

We have changed horses again & at last we seem to have got an excellent one only rather too fast for Shamrock— Mr Short only asks £5 for the change w. is reasonable enough & we can’t get ruined. You were ill-used about W^ms lameness it was an internal corn under the foot w. he had doctored at S.ampton for 2 months & only got more lame. At last he went up to an old Jew chiropodist who cut out a lump & has cured him—

Good bye my dear | old man | yours | E.D.

Papa says à propos to yr name being entered at Trinity, whether you have considered whether a fellowship w^d not be much more probable at one of the smaller colleges as he thinks he has heard they are more scientific than Trinity. Let us hear from you about it once before you decide.

He thinks it w^d be a pity to sacrifice too much to be at the pleasantest college—