From H. E. Litchfield to Leonard Darwin [1876]

wh B seemed to have liked. Poor Amy turned too poorly to go, & went to bed instead. Bessy seems to have quite got over her unwelness wh. spoilt her London visit. I have not been so very enormously well for the last 3 week but I feel on the mend now. I find it makes a great difference in my strength of will to get up to [illeg] if I have a lit of fire to get up by in the morn^g & I mean to [hang] the luxury & do it till it is warmer. I suppose by the time you get this you will be expecting Geo in a week or so. I'm sadly afraid this cold will have caught him up at Marseilles & give him a cold sea—voyage, wh will be very unlucky If you can remember I wish you'd ask him to draw a picture of a fauteuil lit. I can't conceive what kind of a thing it is—& I take the deepest interest in all contrivances for making travelling less hateful. It will be awfully jolly for you having him—& I feel it is quite waste to write to you when you'll so soon get all home news quite [hot].

[Jemmy] seems to have behaved quite well at his Abinger ball— danced quite as much as cd be expected & v. [attentionate] to Lily Whichelo. Hope said Lily was so happy, it was quite disgraceful to be so happy—but that you'll thk the view of a stern & sour old maid. I partly agree. cos she doesn't intensely enjoy all life