32 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, n 



Gower Street, to which Charles shouted to know whether it 

 was coming to No. 12, and learnt to our great satisfaction 

 that it was. Besides its own merits, it makes the room 

 look so much more comfortable, and we expect Hensleigh 

 and Fanny to be struck dumb to-day at our beautiful 

 appearance. I have given Charles a large dose of music 

 every evening. 



To-day we feel much excited with the thoughts of our 

 first dinner-party, turkey and " vitings " if you wish to know. 

 The blue wall looks much better now we have a few prints 

 and drawings hung up. ... 



I long for some news of poor Caroline. Write quite 

 openly, for I shall keep your letters to myself, and only 

 read aloud parts. I hope Charlotte will write to me one of 

 these days. Give my best love to my dear Mamma and 

 Papa. I hope some of you have complimented Allen on 



the way he did the service. 



Good-bye, my dear Eliz. 



Emma Darwin to her mother. 



GOWER STREET, Thursday [8th Feb., 1839]. 



MY DEAREST MAMMA, 



I cannot tell you how pleased I was to see your dear 

 handwriting and how much I thank you for writing me 

 such a nice long letter. I shall always preserve it with 

 great care. I was very glad to find you have had such 

 comfortable nights. I will now go back to my annals. On 

 Tuesday . . . Hensleigh came in, quite agitated with happi- 

 ness at having obtained this registrar ship. 1 It is such a 

 wonderful piece of good fortune I could hardly believe it; 

 and it is given him in such a gratifying way, without any 

 testimonials or bothering of anybody. I should like to 

 know whether it is all Lord John Russell's doing, or whether 

 Lady Holland has had any hand in it. She has been very 

 civil lately and sent them 2 dozen apples, &c. Hensleigh 



1 Registration of cabs, an office of less emolument and importance 

 than the magistracy he had given up. 



