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Sunday

[Feb 22-63]

Dear William

Are you never a goin' to write again? I should say it was about 3 weeks since we had the honour of a letter from you. Mama says you haven't been written to very lately but I suppose you know we

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are come back from London. Papa has kept much better, & I think it has does him real good. He is reading Sir Charles Lyell & is rather indignant that he does not say clearer that he believes in Papa. Yesterday Papa gave himself a headach with agitation.

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about orchids & the heat of the hothouse. Dr Hooker sent us no end of things so that the hothouse looks quite pretty already. A great many of the things were sent out of pots & so when Papa went out he found Lettington had potted them all in common earth, the orchids I means, & we had to send off instantly for

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Mr Horwood to undo them & pot them as they like with their particular kind of moss & peat & the exact sized of bits of charcoal.

Did you see in Friday's Times what a nice sort of a man has come to live in Mr Ainlies house?

I haven't read it but he seems to be a most awful

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blackguard─ smoking in a first class carriage & then slanging the man who told to stop him.

We hear he is going to build Villas in the field opposite the old Villas which is a great bore. J. Lubbock is coming today & the Lyells next week

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The boys come on the 7th or 6th it would be very jolly if you can meet them─ George won't be here at Easter you know.

Hoping we shall hear soon

your ever

H. E. D