From Ida Darwin and Horace Darwin to Emma Darwin [1881 or later]

My dear Aunt Emma,

It was v. pleasant to get yr letter. I do so miss yr visits to the nursery & yr counsels. However babs has given us no trouble whatever since we came up here & has qu. got over the obstinate fit he had at Down. Hen. will have told you of Mary’s neuralgia, almost incessant for 2 days & nights. Aunt Pearson the maid was most helpful & fortunately loves babies; & when I apologised to her for taking so much of her time, only said “Bless you child, I'm not busy just now.”

7.20. Ida has handed this letter over to me to finish. Things are very prosperous in head quarters here I think, & Mary is very nearly all right again now. I saw William this morning & we were comparing notes about what an awful place London was, we have both been nearly killed will doing things. I’m much better tonight, as I have been taken it rather easily the last day or two, but life is made too full, & we thank our stars that we do not live in town although of course this is not a fair test. No more time

Your affec son | H D