[1]

Mar 23 1881

Down Beckenham

My dear George

I will write just to tell you are all well tho' I don't expect you will get my letter ─

We have had a return of winter sharp frost & snow; but it is gone again ─

U. Harry & Arthur & Rowly are here. U. Harry is wonderfully well & thinks nothing of walking to

[2]

Cudham very slowly ─ Rowland has almost lost the use of one eye owing to a formation of liquid & there is the risk of the other going ─ He is q. cheerful & talks away & I think keeps his father more alive than Arthur does who is so m. nicer ─ At [Aunt] Fanny has had a sharp attack of asthma & bronchitis & was in gt danger; but her wonderful constitution has conquered;

[3]

& I hope they are at ease about her ─ Ernest was in the S. of France; but I hope the Tel. they sent to tell him of the favorable change wd be in time to stop his return.

We are reading Carlyle's Reminiscences ─ which lowers my opinion of him very much. He shews such low & disagreeable & cynical feelings at every turn, e.g. Jeffrey pressed him 3 times to accept 100 a year when he was poor

[4]

& he is not grateful for it but 1/2 attributes some poor motives for the offer ─ & such odious things he says about persons whose sons & ds may be still alive ─ Frank is hard at work observing the movements of mould which has got to grown 5 or 6 inches long ─

We have taken the house on Ulleswater [Ullswater] for the 1st June & I hope you will join us ─ Wm's head is not quite right & not fit for business ─ but he seems

[from p. 1:] pretty well & I think he will soon get over this unlucky fall ─ yours my dear G. E Darwin