From H. E. Litchfield to Emma Darwin   [22 February 1874?]

Dearest Mother

Many thanks for yr letter. I’m v. sorry to hear about mad dogs becos when there is one there are generally more. I’m sorry abt Reeve’s nice little yellow cur. I always thght I shd have rather liked to buy it. The boys will have told you of our fruitless séance & our concert at C. Pal. which was most delicious. I feel I can never stand the tedium of another 2 hours with M^r Williams—indeed I now feel hopeless abt anything being found out   I don’t thk I shall care to go to any more. I am, however, for Uncle Hensleigh called here on Sat Morn^g & asked me to go to a séance with a M^rs Somebody who did slate writing in the light & as he asked me I said I w^d. go. Uncle H. is a thorough going believer. He really thinks that why we saw nothing was becos we had blacked the handle of the bell & John King doesn’t think it “all right” as he told Uncle H. I was perfectly astounded when I found Uncle H. calmly stating this. He felt it so strongly that he told Uncle Ras to tell W^m. not to blk any thing. I think in fact spiritualism has such an unhinging effect on the mind we had better keep out of it.

M^r. W. thought it very devilish but Lowie, the unbeliever, thought it deeply interesting & staid I believe 2 hours with her ear glued to the key hole.

You ask abt our concert—I suppose you mean our party. It is to be on Wednesday week. I am afraid we shan’t get Lazarus, but we must try & make M^r V. play something & if Effie comes make her sing. M^r. Gardiner a most delicious barytone is coming & a M^r Pollock who plays very well so that we shall have enough music anyway I daresay. M^rs. V. is acting godmother or else I sh^d. be rather frightened. I can’t make up my mind whether to ask the Cl. Hawks but I think not. They are perfectly satisfied not to see us & I don’t think we’ve me mutal acquantaince, & then her gown—or rather absence of it— Do you think I’d better? If Rose was there we w^d. But M^r Cl might hear we’d had a party & think we ought to have asked her.

We’ve had a v. quiet Sunday a long constitu^l. this a.m. in park, which looked so pretty & more like April than Feb. What a blessed change it is in the weather!

Then after lunch Sno came & paid us a long call & then we went up to the Zoologs. Jemmy is quite unwell & was very unwilling to be taken out & shown to people   I sh^d. think Sutton oughtn’t to do it under those circs. There is another Singing Monkey at the Zoos from Jamrachs & it sings at 9 o’clk, so we are going up to see it, perhaps tomorrow

Now goodnight dear Mother   I must finish & send off our letter to Laura— Yours H. E. L.