278 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, xix 



it was not worth while Dicky liked it, however, and met 

 some pleasant dogs. 



I am reading Greville's last volume, it is too political 

 but curiously like the present time in so many things, 

 tho' I think the morality of politicians has improved (except 

 with the Irish). The contempt and bad opinion he has 

 of Dizzy is curious, when one considers how he has been 

 turned into a saint. 



Emma Darwin to her daughter Henrietta Litchfield. 



THE GROVE, May 1, 1887. 



To-morrow is my birthday, which is the one aniversary 

 that is solemn to me. ... I bought for 3s. a novel by 

 Mrs Oliphant, An English Squire, with the same irritable 

 young man one knows so well. A very clever description 

 of the feelings of a widow on losing a dull husband she did 

 not much care for, so shocked at herself for feeling so little, 

 and all her friends assuming that she will not be ' equal 

 to ' this or that, and her longing to go away and breathe 

 freely in a new life. The sort of cynical introspection she 

 does so well, but amplifies too much. . . . 



The nightingales are particularly jolly and loud this cold 

 spring. 



THE GROVE [May, 1887]. 



A nice calm day yesterday and such a Babel of singing 

 birds. All the little children assembled on the lawn, and 

 Gwen and Nora tottered about hand in hand, Nora often 

 tumbling over. Gwen was quite tipsy. She came again 

 yesterday and rushed about with her arms out, laughing 

 whenever she was caught. You must see the pretty sight. 



DOWN, Friday [June, 1887]. 



1 went along the lane towards Cudham, and just turned 

 into Hangrove which is grown into quite a fineish wood 

 since I saw it last. . . . Bernard reads a bit of French with 

 me, at 2d. a lesson. He rather likes it, and reads quick and 

 fluently, but very unclear. 



