172 SIR GEORGE DARWIN 



that she had worn it, so we asked her to come 

 down and show it to us. She came down with 

 great simplicity and quietness... only really 

 pleased at its being admired and at looking 

 pretty herself, which was strikingly the case. 

 She was a little shy at coming in, and sent in 

 Mrs. Jebb to ask George to come out and see 

 it first and bring her in. It was handsome 

 and simple. I like seeing George so frivolous, 

 so deeply interested in which diamond trinket 

 should be my present, and in her new Paris 

 morning dress, in which he felt quite unfit 

 to walk with her. 



Later, probably in June, George's mother wrote^ 

 to Miss Du Puy, "Your visit here was a great happi- 

 ness to me, as something in you (I don't know what) 

 made me feel sure you would always be sweet and 

 kind to George when he is ill and uncomfortable." 

 These simple and touching words may be taken as 

 a true forecast of his happy married life. 



In March 1885 George acquired by purchase 

 the house Newnham Grange, ^ which remained his 

 home to the end of his life. It stands at the 

 southern end of the 'Backs,' within a few yards of the 

 river where it bends eastward in flowing from the 

 upper to the lower of the two Newnham water- 

 mills. I remember forebodings as to dampness, 



1 Emma Darwin, A Century of Family Letters, 1915, Vol. 11., 

 p. 266. 



'^ At that time it was known simply as Newnham, but as this 

 is the name of the College, and was also in use for a growing region 

 of houses, the Darwins christened it Newnham Grange. The name 

 Newnham is now officially appUed to the region extending from 

 Silver Street Bridge to the Barton Road. 



