28 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, n 



father, will attend. They will go to Fenton in the evening 

 and Susan will go there on Monday, which I am as glad of 

 for Jos's sake (who seems to find her the greatest comfort) 

 as for C.'s. It will make him not so unwilling to go as usual 

 to his employment but what poor Caroline will find to do 

 I cannot think; for the last so many months the thoughts 

 of this precious child and the preparations for it have 

 occupied her in an intense way that I never saw in anyone 

 else. But I will write no more on this sad subject. 



We had such a happy and sweet little letter from Emma 

 to-day that neither my father nor mother could read it 

 without tears. . . . The ceremony was got through very 

 stout-heartedly, and then there was not much more time 

 but for Em. to change her clothes and pack her wedding 

 bonnet and sit a little by the dining-room fire with Char- 

 lotte and me before she set off, and I did not much mind 

 anything but just the last. It is no small happiness to 

 have had such a companion of my life for so long; since 

 the time she could speak, I have never had one moment's 

 pain [from] her, and a share of daily pleasure such as few 

 people have it in their power to shed around them. I am 

 more afraid of my father's missing her than my mother. 

 They had not to be sure a great deal of talk together, but 

 her sunny face will leave a vacancy. . . . 



Emma Darwin to her sister Elizabeth Wedgwood. 



GOWER STREET, Saturday [2 Feb., 1839]. 



MY DEAR ELIZABETH, 



Your letter was indeed a shock, and one quite un- 

 expected by me, though not so much so for Charles, as 

 Susan had told him how much alarmed she w r as at the 

 baby's looks. Poor dear Caroline what fortitude she has. 

 To-day they are returning home and a miserable return it 

 will be. I could not believe what was coming when I read 

 your letter. 



My dear sweet Elizabeth, how I do thank you for your 



