1851] Hope and Despair 133 



may injure Charles's health, which is always affected by his 

 mind, that she has desired Fanny Hensleigh to go down to 

 Malvern. She depends also on her eye for illness. Pray 

 Heaven their child may be preserved to them ! I was full 

 of hope till I saw Charles's postscript. Adieu. I came 

 here yesterday. Emma looks well as to health. She is of 

 course very much overcome at times, but she has no fear 

 that her anxiety should bring on her confinement. The 

 post is going, so God bless you. 



Affectionately yours, 



F. ALLEN. 



The following letters tell of the bitter sorrow of the father 

 and mother, in her case terribly aggravated by the anguish 

 of not being able to go to her child's death-bed. The first 

 is evidently written in great haste on his arrival. 



Charles Darwin to Emma Darwin. 



[MALVERN] Thursday 17 'th [April]. 



. . . Dr. Gully is most confident there is strong hope. . . . 

 My own dearest, support yourself on no account, for the 

 sake of our other children, / implore you do not think of 

 coming here. 



MALVERN, 18th April [1851]. 



. . . Sometimes Dr G. exclaims she will get through the 

 struggle, then, I see, he doubts. Oh my own, it is very 

 bitter indeed. God preserve and cherish you. We must 

 hope against hope, my own poor dear unhappy wife. 



C. D. 



MALVERN, Saturday 11 o'clock [13th April, 1851]. 



My own dear, You will have received before this the electric 

 telegraph message which I despatched at 9 this morning; 

 and it will have much comforted you. . . . You would 

 not in the least recognize her with her poor hard sharp 

 pinched features; I could only bear to look at her by for- 



