MAERJ Emma Wedgwood 61 



Emma was pretty, with abundant rich brown hair, grey 

 eyes and a fresh complexion, a firm chin, a high forehead 

 and straight nose. She was of medium height, with well- 

 formed shoulders and pretty hands and arms. She had 

 a graceful and dignified carriage. The only picture of her 

 till old age is the water-colour drawing by Richmond (of 

 which a reproduction is given), painted soon after her 

 marriage, but it was not considered to be a good likeness. 



Fanny was short and not pretty, though with bright 

 colouring. She was gentle, orderly and industrious. Emma 

 had initiative, high spirits, and more ability than her 

 sister. Her mother's nickname for Fanny, ' Mrs Pedi- 

 gree," no doubt alludes to her curious tastes, of which there 

 are many evidences lists of temperatures, lists of words 

 in different languages, housekeeping memoranda, etc. These 

 lists were found after my mother's death amongst her 

 treasures. They had been kept by her ever since her sister's 

 death more than sixty years ago. 



Emma's nickname at the same time was " Little Miss 

 Slip-Slop," and that also is revealing as to her character. 

 She was never tidy or orderly as to little things. But, on 

 the other hand, she had a large-minded, unfussy way of 

 taking life which is more common amongst men than 

 amongst women. My father said that after he married he 

 made up his mind to give up all his natural taste for tidiness, 

 and that he would not allow himself to feel annoyed by her 

 calm disregard for such details. He would say the only sure 

 place to find a pin or a pair of scissors was his study. 



I remember one little anecdote told me by my mother 

 about her sister Fanny. When their cousin, Mrs Swinton 

 Holland, gave three little brooches to Fanny, Emma, and 

 their cousin Jessie Wedgwood, Fanny had first choice, and 

 Emma saw distinctly that Fanny was choosing the least 

 pretty one, but she herself had not unselfishness enough to 

 act in the same way, and her turn coming next, she chose 

 the prettiest. 



Emma's childhood must have been a most happy one 

 under the gentle, wise rule of her mother. Elizabeth and 

 Charlotte taught Fanny and Emma their lessons. My 

 mother told me they had a long morning's work, nine till 

 one I think, and then nothing else at all to do for the rest 

 of the day, no preparations or work of any kind. 1 I often 

 think how different this training is from that of the modern 



This does not quite agree with their aunt Emma Allen's account 

 in 1819, but it is my distinct memory of what my mother said. 



