From Horace Darwin to Emma Darwin 22 February 1877

Dear Mother;

The goodies that I brought for the children were much appreciated I think. Baker told me when I came, that Mr Rich was coming down here on Monday or Tuesday to set the valves & take some diagrams from the new engine, both of which things I want to see done; taking diagrams & setting the valves I expect are rather dark phrases to you, it is in two words adjusting the slidevalves, & then seeing if they are right by a beautiful invention of Watt’s. As the new engine was not in a state to run, Baker had to work on Monday, so I stayed & worked too; we also had a good deal of work to do on Tuesday morning, so we were at it all morning when we got a telegram to say that Rich would not come before Friday; so we tried all Tuesday afternoon and all Wednesday morning, and did part (setting the valves) all right, but we got puzzled utterly over another part; they are rather a new sort of valve, & so Baker does not know much about them, & I ought to know how to do it but don’t. We did not like being beaten, so we set to work to make a model in wood, which we did but it has not helped us much; I had often wanted to make a model, as you cant see how it works well with out it, so I am very glad we have done it. We owned our selfes beaten just before dinner today, so after dinner I started off on the old job, & saw the traces of the water but everything was as dry as could be, but I got all that was wanted; as soon as thing engine job is done I shant be very long over the other. We shall be at the engine all tomorrow and Saturday and so get it done (I hope)   You see by this that I have been able to do a great deal of work; in fact, yesterday I did a very hard day, in fact all day long I was at work. I enclose Pouters & Billy’s letters. We have had no snow here only hail.

I was very glad to get your letter, with the good news of the club, I think that it is all right for the present, it is nice to hear that Lewis looked skomfished, I wish that they could kick him out of the secretaryship. I did not know that father had written a letter about it   I should like to see it when it is printed; I feel that I have a right to say, “I told you so”, about the club, but I really did say that they would be beaten.

Baker has just asked me about the receipt for the brawn, can you send it me   I forgot to ask you for it before I left home.

Your affec son | H Darwin