[1]

Down, May 1882

My dear G,

I have been making a scheme that some or all of us shd give mother a nice bath chair with good spring & india rubber tires – price about £30. I think it wd be a good thing for her & I think she wd like a little present from

[1v]

us. Shd you like to join?

Horace has made enquiries abt bath chairs & has decided where we are to go & I have also had the same place recommended from another quarter. I am sure it is good for her spirits not to be kept to

[2]

quite her walking limits.

I think F. Galtons suggestions about getting reminiscences from any early friends of Father are very good & shd be acted on – Herbert & Sullivan are the only two I can think of & Aunt Caroline if she would.

Herbert especially I think,

[2v]

I wonder if there is any picture of the Beagle extant. I shd doubt it.

I suppose some wd have no impressions to give of their walking tour in Wales?

I don't know what F. Galton means by collecting memorials for the R.S. as was done in the case of Priestly.

I am glad to think I have one of the original sheets of the Origin. the bit about the

[3]

bear swimming like a whale.

I have also found more letters than I fancied I had ever had – about a dozen or 15 in all.

I feel now that the great blank is beginning to make itself felt.

I shall be here for the next fortnight or three weeks with occasional nights

[3v]

in London when R. has evening engagement.

I suppose you are going to try & do some work if you can get a little better.

Leo comes today for 4 or 5 days & Leonora on Sat.

These are the family movements.

What do you think of Arthur Balfour's speech? I quite agree but I think

[4]

Gibsin's way of putting it was more severe & less compromising – Won't it make the relations between Balfours & Gladstones rather strained?

Goodbye dear G.

Your affect

H.E.L.