F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

Emma Darwin to her son Leonard. CAMBRIDGE, Friday [1884 ?]. Our garden party, thanks to the weather, looked very pretty, and there was plenty of talk. If it were not for the bother of talking, and still more of listening, I should like it very well, but my mind is not free enough. I pretended to know everyone, and only came to dire disgrace on one occasion by rashly mentioning a name. Emma Darwin to her daughter Henrietta Litchfield. DOWN, Tuesday [July, 1884]. To-day by my request Miss A. is

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

. I should like to know when they came to the age of 40 or so how much their feelings and opinions had approached each other. Emma Darwin to her daughter-in-law Sara. THE GROVE, May 3 [1895]. MY DEAR SARA, I cannot easily express the happiness your note gives me. To keep such warm affection as yours all these years, and also to know that you feel the same as ever to Charles fills me with gratitude. I think it is a surprising thing that at 871 I should feel stronger and better in every way than I

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

; tribute to Sismondi by, ii. 72; goes to live at Tenby, ii. 82; visits the Sydney Smiths, ii. 90-92; tour abroad with Elizabeth Wedgwood, ii. 150 n., 151; her description of Charlotte Langton, ii. 178; a description of (in old age), ii. 193, 194; her death and message, 220, 221 Letter to Emma Allen, ii. 160; letters to Emma Darwin, ii. 121, 211, 217, 220; letters to Mrs Litchfield, ii. 192, 194, 200; letter to Sir J. Mackintosh, i. 247; letter to Mrs Marsh (Anne Caldwell), ii. 36; letters to Madame

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

, who married Sismondi the historian, was, with the exception of Bessy, the most beloved by all her sisters. She was the favourite of her nephews and nieces, and had an especial love for Emma Wedgwood, the subject of this book. Jessie must have been a delightful companion, full of vivacity and gaiety, and with the power of intense devotion to those she loved. She was handsome, with brilliant colouring, large grey eyes, and dark hair. Her sister Bessy's letters to her dearest of the dear, as she

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

Jos's sister, was a long day's ride of some twenty miles, but the visits between the two houses were frequent. There was a warm friendship between Dr Darwin and his brother-in-law. Mrs Darwin died in 1817, and is seldom mentioned. Emma Allen wrote, Mrs Darwin remains here a few days longer. I like her exceedingly but not her children [aged 5 and 3], who are more rude and disagreeable than any I ever knew, and yet they are better here than they were at Shrewsbury. The Caldwells of Linley Wood

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

do so if he does not, and this from a man, too, who was driven half mad by the castigation of the Edinburgh Review. I received dear Emma [Allen]'s letter when I was at Parkfields, and I am charmed to hear she liked the black gown. I thought myself the chenille was a bright thought to enliven the insupportable monotony of my green leaves. As for the trimming of the body, it is in the hands of fate and Charlotte, so I have no responsibility about it. They have had a ball at Caroline [Drewe]'s

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

lover. Give my love to him and to my dear Jess and Emma. Farewell, my very dear Fanny, believe me Ever affectionately yours, E. W. Emma Allen to her niece Elizabeth Wedgwood. GENEVA, Jan. 14th [1816]. ... I congratulate you and all your party on the return of your blessed sun among you,1 tho there was no gloom in its absence I can fully feel the joy of its return, and rejoice with you in it with my whole heart. 1 Bessy's return from Bath and North Cerney. [page] 8

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

Emma Wedgwood to her brother Frank. MY DEAR FRANK, We have got such numbers of masters. Two belong to Charlotte and two to us. I like the Coloes very except the youngest Louis who bothers one very much. At the dancing school there is a little dance every Friday and we go and dance very often they are going this moment to put in the post-office yours Emma Wedgwood. This little letter is, I believe, the only scrap that has been preserved of Emma's writing when a child. The look of it is not at

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

long out of my mind. I think it is the happiest time I ever spent, and that is saying a great deal. I will enjoy it again some time. Good-bye, my own aunt Jessie, EMMA W. Jessie wrote to Bessy (13 Nov. 1825): I answered your last lovely letter to Emma because her postscript was irresistible. I love to encourage the tenderness of children I love as if they were my own, and who will, I hope, from time to time supply to me the place of them. It is a tie the tenderer between us if you will let me

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

than he does them. Conversation is an art learnt by foreigners from the moment they can speak, and to which I cannot as I have told him aspire, nor is it so much needed in our dear untalking land. There is a pretty gaiety about Emma, always ready to answer to any liveliness and sometimes to throw it out herself, that will cheer everybody that lives with or approaches her. There is some disposition to silence in Fanny, which I am glad to see Sismondi perseveringly combat, and I think no one can be

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

One word more of our clan my dear Emma, I would not upon any account press Jessie to return with John [Allen]. It would be very unfair to Sismondi, and the opportunity is not a reason strong enough to make him so unhappy as I think her coming would do.... Kitty [Mackintosh] is very busy about a number of good things, and she has been in correspondence with numbers of people. Mackintosh has had one or two fits of giddiness but they did not last a minute, but it has very much interrupted the

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

Catherine Darwin to her cousin Emma Wedgwood. SHREWSBURY, Saturday. MY DEAR EMMA, Susan and I are just returned from our rackety week, and my head is in a most rackety state. As my frank is for to-morrow,1 it will be very pleasant to send you a true and sober account of it all. Tuesday, I took Susan to Woodhouse and then went on to Tedesmere,2 where I found but a small party, as they had had various disappointments. I was so comfortably at my ease from being the only young lady, and it was so

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

enough in this world of chance and change. Meanwhile let those that remain in it try to like and cherish one another, and write soon. Direct to Perristone near Ross, where we mean to return, slowly, slowly. I have given all my hurry to my nephew, which he calls dispatch, and will run as unmercifully as you would have done poor Lady Davy's pair of horses. And do tell me a great deal of news I won't begin again, so good-bye. Madame Sismondi to her niece Emma Wedgwood. CH NE, July 29, 1834

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

been preserved. They remind me of her later letters; they are written in the same casual, careless style, often giving a picture of the family life in a few words with a happy touch, but are intermixed with little details which would now be of no interest. Emma went to the Manchester Festival this year and heard Malibran, who made an undying impression on her. She often spoke of her charm as quite unequalled, and especially of her possessing the full beauty of a soprano and contralto voice. She

F1553.1    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1792-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 1   Text   Image   PDF

her sister Charlotte took so little interest in making herself look nice; in 1883 she wrote: The two B.s are gone to church, one of them what Bernard thinks quite too swell; and I think her hat too much so. But a person is much happier in my opinion for being fond of dress. In the following letter Emma alludes to a rumour of Charles Darwin becoming engaged to a Miss . There used also to be jokes about Erasmus and Miss Martineau, against whom his father had a great prejudice. Emma Wedgwood to

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

to myself is having you so much more completely that I am not to be trusted. Like a child that has something it loves beyond measure, I long to dwell on the words my own dear Emma. As I am writing just as things come uppermost in my mind, I beg of you not to read my letters to anyone, for then I can fancy I am sitting by the side of my own dear future wife, and to her own self I do not care what nonsense I talk so let me have my way, and scribble, without caring whether it be sense or nonsense

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

again for the fifth time. My own dear Emma, I feel as if I had been guilty of some very selfish action in obtaining such a good dear wife with no sacrifice at all on my part. Charles Darwin to Emma Wedgwood. [30 November, 1838], Friday Evening. [After many details on house hunting and domestic affairs.] Powers of sentimentality forgive me for sending such a letter: it surely ought to have been written on foolscap paper, and closed with a wafer. I told you I should write to you as if you really

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

house, 12, Upper Gower Street (afterwards 110, Gower Street), is now part of Shoolbred's premises. I well remember how my father often laughed over the ugliness of the furniture with which they began life. Macaw Cottage he christened the house in allusion to the gaudy colours of the walls and furniture. Charles Darwin to Emma Wedgwood. Saturday Afternoon [29 December, 1838]. MY DEAR EMMA, I am tired with having been all day at business work, but I cannot let a post go by without writing to tell

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

very pale drab, slate, or grey colour: Now will you send me word by return of post whether you would like me to do so and choose to trust to my taste and that of the Dyers, or whether you choose to wait till after our marriage. The marriage was fixed for January 29th, 1839, at Maer Charles made one hurried visit there in the middle of January, and on his return to Gower Street, wrote: Charles Darwin to Emma Wedgwood. Sunday Night, ATHEN UM [20 Jan., 1839]. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

is only to be 500 a year, so we shall not be extremely rich, and my year's practice in economy will be very useful. You will hear from Mr Marsh that Emma is established in her new home; and most comfortable and snug they looked the only day we have as yet broke in on them. Yesterday they dined here for the first time. Emma is looking very pretty and unanxious, and I suppose there are not many two people happier than she and Charles. I want to know and hear what effect she makes in the London

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

divide any of it amongst them away from Maer, and that they would all come and see her here, so that we had the whole of her visit. It was rather spoilt by Charles being so unwell almost the whole time of his stay in the country, and Emma not very well herself. Charles got some of his father's good doctoring and is much better again, but I suppose he is feeling the effect of too much exertion in every way during his voyage and must be careful not to work his head too hard now. His journal is come out

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

Charles Darwin to Emma Darwin. Sunday, SHREWSBURY [5 April, 1840]. MY DEAR EMMA, You are a good old soul for having written to me so soon. I, like another good old soul, will give you an account of my proceedings from the beginning. At the station I met Sir F. Knowles, but was fortunate enough to get into a separate carriage from that chatterbox. In my carriage there was rather an elegant female, like a thin Lady Alderson, but so virtuous that I did not venture to open my mouth to her. She

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

[second] Nelson. That notwithstanding the great successes with which he [Palmerston] will meet Parliament, anxiety has aged him ten years in these last ten months1. Give our united love to your husband and a kiss to your child. Remember me kindly to Parslow. God bless you, my dear little Emma. It may be mentioned that the epithet little which Jessie Sismondi often uses in writing to my mother does not seem to me characteristic. My mother was not little physically, nor had she the kind of playful or

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

well to him in old days, so that it is fair to show that after his death she came to a juster estimate of his character. Madame Sismondi to her niece Emma Darwin. CH NE, Sept. 10 [1842]. Nothing you could say would give me pain, dearest Emma. You have no allayed feeling to awaken up; my sorrow never slumbers but when I sleep myself. I am astonished I can, but I do, and eat and am well, and he gone whom I thought I never could survive. He so filled every instant of my life, that now my feeling of

F1553.2    Book:     Litchfield, H. E. ed. 1915. Emma Darwin, A century of family letters, 1702-1896. London: John Murray. Volume 2   Text   Image   PDF

, Hensleigh Wedgwood had a long illness. Emma, to relieve the strain, took care of three of his children, Snow aged nine, Bro eight, and Erny five. These children with her own two, Doddy aged three, and Annie two, were sent out walking, under the care of a nursery maid, almost a child herself. The result was they all got lost in what we called the Big Woods a mass of hazel-copse with occasional oaks, and traversed by narrow footpaths. It was wintry weather and snow was lying on the ground. Emma Darwin