From Lord Monteagle to Horace Darwin   10 April 1873

My dear H

My dinner “remained” as the Frenchman said, even though the ship “jomped hard” but I regret I did not stay for I find that my sister w^d.n’t have minded staying & we both went on account of the other, which is rather folly.

How are you? I hope you’ll soon be out of London. I wish you’d try some sharp short physical excitement which w^d.n’t require much muscular effort   I sh^d. suggest 5^s.—but of course this is a most ignorant random shot of mine.

Shall you discard my acquaintance if I tell you that my friends & relations ask me to besiege you for the paternal autograph? If so I won’t tell you. But if you don’t resent the “intrusion” & if you like to beg steal or forge “Charles Darwin” my fair friend will treasure it as Dizzy says “in the archives of her house.

That however is of little consequence as it does not concern ME

But I really do wish to know what is the best kind of mowing machine & if you have made up your mechanical mind on the subject the name of it on a postcard would be a greater benefit even than “C.D” to | M—E