From L. M. Forster to H. E. Litchfield [11 June 1881]1
vainly begged.
My Milne2 vist did v. well in spite of rainy Sundy & Mondy. We made the most of our fine Sat. luckily & went to L.H.P. & saw the splendid azalias, & called at the Bosanquets & had a lovely tho’ cool drive back thro’ the long shadows & gleams of a 7 o’clock sun; they v. enjoyg. & admiring.3 I’m sorry to find gog. up hill still does for me, & unless I’ve a man well under control, an arm makes me worse! At least Mr. Milne’s help at L.H.P. proved the last feathers, for his idea of helpg me was to stride away with me till I cd. hardly gasp “stop”—& I felt pretty bad all the way home, wh. was tiresome because evident, & I had to take a v. easy Sunday. But out of doors fatigue nev. hurts me long, & I feel my life v. wholesome j. now. Today I mean to go to the Clays4 & look at their tennis as there’s a nice sheltered place to sit in, & have to call on a Mrs. Streatfeild5 on the way— I am glad my daisies amused Mr. Darwin—6 they struck me so much that I made a note of them wh. I’ll copy—
1st day, 10 were put into the vase, one placed with it’s face to the glass & 9 drooping into the room towards the window, but all hanging down to begin with.
2nd day (abt. 30 hours later) four distinctly turned their faces to the lookg glass (including one arranged so) 4 were so upright I could not tell which way they inclined, tho’ I got on a chair to be level with them, and two only were still turned to the window. I remember one of the latter was low down in the vase & well backed with green, so the lookg. glass cd. have no temptation for it. The effect was so completely spoiled by their contrariness that as I’d visitors coming I refilled the vase with other flowers as soon as I’d made my note. I have long thot the daisy tribe looked too m. at the ceiling to be becoming to my mantlepiece, but I never blamed the looking glass before—
I am going on Tuesd. for 2 nights to C.E.S. Holly Lodge, Long Cross, Chertsey.7 It’s rar an effort but I want v. m. to see her, & shd. like to know how m. v. short visits under v. favorable circs. answers health ways.
The Farrers have been down here, Effie evidently much enjoyed her Southn. vist. & was full of Sara’s goodness as a hostess.8 She flew off to Caverll Cas. yest.9 & is to return to town Mondy., go an expedn. with O Mondy. after., marry the Northe. nephew Tuesy. morng.,10 & Tuesd. aftern. escort her mother11 to
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Movement in plants: The power of movement in plants. By Charles Darwin. Assisted by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. 1880.
Post Office London directory: Post-Office annual directory. … A list of the principal merchants, traders of eminence, &c. in the cities of London and Westminster, the borough of Southwark, and parts adjacent … general and special information relating to the Post Office. Post Office London directory. London: His Majesty’s Postmaster-General [and others]. 1802–1967.
Wedgwood, Barbara and Wedgwood, Hensleigh. 1980. The Wedgwood circle, 1730–1897: four generations of a family and their friends. London: Studio Vista.
Summary
On flowers bending towards light reflected in a mirror.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-12960
- From
- Laura Mary Forster
- To
- Henrietta Emma Darwin/Henrietta Emma Litchfield
- Sent from
- unstated
- Source of text
- DAR 164: 158
- Physical description
- inc sketch † (by CD)
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12960,” accessed on 1 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12960.xml