From W. E. Darwin to Emma Darwin 19 October [1873]

My dear Mother

Thank you for your letter. I am very glad to hear the good account of Father.

I have got to run up to Lincolnshire at the end of the week for 3 days about this bothersome land, so that I cannot come home; I should have liked meeting the Huxleys.

I am rather hot on a site Hankinson & I have found in the direction of Chilworth, and I am going to get the 25 inch scale to see what amount of land I should want; it will probably come to nothing, anyhow I should first ask old Miss Lewis plump if she meant to sell. Hankinson has an eye for such matters, & think a pretty place might be made.

I have just undertaken a tiresome job the Hon. Secretaryship of a Committee of all the Educational Endowments of this Town, so as to try & make a connected system. and yesterday I had to make a long statement before the whole body as to the state of affairs, which I am glad is done.

I am not very sanguine of doing anything just yet; we have some umpracticable men to deal with.

I have been thinking that a good plan for Frank would be to begin him at £250 or £300 and rise £20 or £25 annually to £500—the commencing salary would represent his secretarial work, the rising portion his improving scientific value

your affect son | WED