My dear Aunt Emma

Will you please to tell Uncle Charles, that I have been making enquiries in my nursery about the tears. but I can only give him hearsay evidence as I cannot see so small a thing as a tear   My nurse says that tears begin to stand in a baby’s eyes when they are a few weeks old, & that they begin to run down the cheeks at about six weeks. my baby is just 4 months & the tears run down her cheeks in a piteous manner when she crys, which I am happy to say is very seldom   of course I need not say that there never was such a baby since the world began!¹ but I have never seen such a happy good tempered little soul— the whole house is ⁠⟨⁠2? pages missing⁠⟩⁠

My private secretary is gone out boating so Amy fills his place.²