1846] Emma at Tenby 103 



" The time I remember my mother with most affection 

 was about the time we came from school, and she and my 

 father came to meet us at Stone and gave us such a recep- 

 tion. I shall never forget her warm glow as she embraced 

 us again and again. Soon after she left us at school again, 

 after the midsummer holiday, she went to Shrewsbury, and 

 was very ill there for some time. When I think of the grief 

 I felt then at hearing of her illness, I often wonder at my 

 apathy now, but in fact the first fit she had was almost 

 a greater grief than any I have felt since with respect to 

 her. ..." 



In the summer Emma Darwin went to Tenby, taking her 

 two eldest children, Willy and Annie. This long journey 

 was a most unusual event in her quiet life. 



Charles Darwin to Emma Darwin, at Tenby. 



DOWN, Wednesday [June, 1846]. 



I was exceedingly glad to get your letter with so wonder- 

 fully good an account of your voyage and of the dear little 

 souls' happiness; I am glad you took them. Do you not 

 think you had better come back by land ? and had you 

 better not stay more than a fortnight ? I propose it to 

 you in bond fide and wish you to do so, though I do long to 

 have mine own wife back again. . . . 



At last the flower-garden is looking very gay. I have 

 been getting on very badly with my work as it has been ex- 

 tremely difficult, and I have had so many letters to write. 

 Etty was very charming, though I did not see much of her 

 yesterday; she is very affectionate to her dolls, but at last 

 got tired of them, and declared with great emphasis that 

 " she would have a real live Baby," and " Mama shall buy 

 one for me." 



Charles Darwin to Emma Darwin at Tenby. 



MY DEAR WIPE, Thursday afternoon [June, 1846]. 



To-day has been stormy and gloomy, but rather 

 pleasant in the intervals, only I have been sick again but 

 not very uncomfortable. A proof has come from the 



