1885-1888] My Father s Statue 271 



I saw Parslow 1 on Saturday and he was still full of the 

 day at South Kensington. He said he should never forget 

 the scene as long as he lived, and he was grateful to William 

 for having planned it all. Being recognized (as he thought) 

 by Admiral Sulivan gratified him too, and the reception 

 at Leonard's, down to the " Port and Sherry," was all 

 delightful. . . . 



Emma Darwin to her daughter Henrietta Litch field. 



DOWN {Summer, 1885]. 



On Tuesday we had the S.'s for tea. She is pleasant 

 and with some fun in her. I am sure he is a very good step- 

 father, but what a bore it would be to marry four little boys. 



I am reading a short Btude of Scherer on Goethe, in which 

 I so heartily agree that I enjoy it. He [Goethe] had the 

 aim of avoiding all agitations or sorrow, which was deeply 

 selfish. 



Dicky, mentioned below, was her little fox terrier. He 

 was very disobedient, and my mother, true to her plans of 

 education by bribery, has been known to take out a packet 

 of partridge bones when she was going in the bath-chair to 

 tempt him not to roam. He was, however, the greatest 

 possible pleasure to her. She described how ' he snuggles 

 up to me in the bath-chair and gets up quite close to my 

 face." 



The following letter tells of a visit of her two brothers 

 Frank and Hensleigh, aged 84 and 82. 



DOWN, Saturday, Sept. [1885]. 



We have had two charming warm days which I hope you 

 have enjoyed. Our two old gents are very placid and com- 

 fortable. Dicky thinks them very nice and is always in- 

 sisting upon being on their knees. Hensleigh resists feebly; 

 but Frank gave up the point and went to sleep nursing him. 



1 The old butler, then retired and living at Down, who had been 

 to London for the unveiling of the statue 



