From H. E. Litchfield to Leonard Darwin 20 December 1874

Dear old Pouts—

I feel so much flattered & touched at receiving a letter from you all my own self that I am going to answer it right off. Though now I come to think of it I don't know that there is time to write again to New Zealand for I suppose you will hardly be two months after your work is done— No telegram yet to tell us whether you had a transit at all. I feel quite ignorant about what kind of a place Burnham is as the family letter hasn't reached Bry St indeed it hadn't reached Down yesterday at midday when Mother wrote to me.

I wrote you a little scrap whilst the parents were here—so you know about our doings up till just lately— I always feel a slight depression of spirits at Xmas. The autumn is over & gone & there is nothing to show for it— Every November I feel a certain hopefulness of some sort of steady work. Even if it is ever so mild, & I never quite realize that November has only 4 weeks like any other month— There is a kind of quietness & half-steamedness in London life wh. is very enjoyable—but frittering is still possible. This year Visitors have really been one stream since we came home & then in a little house where the wheels of life require personal supervision of the mistress that is a great absorber— However I am taking some Italian. lessons. It is hardly cultivation of the mind—for I only aim at as much Italian as will do for guides & hotels—but still she is off the scrattle.

Another lowering thing are the Xmas festivities—Our great party at the College & the Conversazione. They frighten me to look forward to— It would be such an awful thing to have 100 people on our hands for 4 hours all much bored. It really works itself a good deal so my fright is generally wasted & then there is making up my accounts for the year & perhaps R. may make unpleasant remarks as to where the money goes to co^s. he doesn't see the result— There are always so many exceptions. It has always hitherto been an exceptional year as to my dress & fam^e.- –-by which I mean there is a good [lumping] sum for something which is supposed not to be going to recur—& alas! my [sealskin] is getting to that state that it is all patches inside & rawness round cuffs & collars. I think economy is a v. difficult question. Luxury I quite grant is wrong—but what is luxury? Is it luxury not worrying the maids been they will use too much wood in lighting the fires, & having [Duyall] to do jobing cos he is handy & does it better than a cheaper man further off? So much of economy consists in bothering other people, & I think that is quite as horrid, really horrides—than one's personal economy– –

We were at such a funny party last night—at the Century Club wh. as you know is for advanced young men. Their see^g. Lionel Robinson is an enterprising man & he wants to organize ladies' nights & this was the first one. I think it wd be a good way to try mildly a mixed club to have a ladies' night once a month say—at the Century with members elected. This was like the best kind of evening party—only better because its such a thing for society to have 5 men to one woman. Usually strong minds run to [illeg] in the female sex—but these were only a very few of the regular set with short hair & studiously plain dresses & earnestness in their talk. You didn't hear "Woman" with a capital letter rattling about y^r. ears as you do at all of the real strong holds of strength of mind. The supper consisted of [strut] & raw oysters—& we ladies (or some of us) put our delicacy on one side & eat them I'm sorry to say I did— for I do like them, tho' I feel v. m. shocked with myself, for I call it quite a disgusting idea to eat little raw things only part dead— In fact I think it is for the last time as far as I am concerned—so you see it was a funny party. Sometimes I wonder why gng out is good fun. I didn't say or hear anything amusing or interesting & yet it did amuse me a good bit & I was quite sorry to come away at 12 o'clk & have a more slippery drive home. We've got a real proper Xmas this year; There are great snowballs in Hyde Park & a sharp stinging frost & a deadly still air which I am obliged to allow is pleasant. We've had it off & on for more than a week. Poor Hope has bought 3000 trees at a sale & has had to send & dig them up first or not & I shd think to receive them into the drawing room will be the only way to save their lives. I've just come back from a call on Uncle Ras who was very jolly & to whom I read yr letter. He says he has taken to eating tremendously—& finds beefsteaks necessary to quench his hunger. My people—R. & the little niece— went down to St Pauls to hear [Liddon]. I don't know whether it won't shock such an orthodox little person. I sh^d. like to have gone but prudence kept me at home. I heard the faithful whistle down in the hall which always tells me where he is—so Goodbye dear Leo. I wish I hadn't clean forgotten to write to you for two whole months & I wish it more now your letter comes heaping coals of fire in my fire—

your affect | H.S.L.