My dear Mr Innes

It is some time since I have sent you any parish news; & as we hear a rumour of an important change, I will give you the first information of it; though I have not much hopes that it will prove true.

It is said that on the death of M^r Ffinden’s uncle M^r Sketchley, vicar of Deptford, which has just taken place, his son is to come here & M^r Ffinden to take the Deptford living.¹

This would certainly be a great blessing to this place, as M^r Ffinden has no influence here & has excited general dislike.² The chapel is so crowded that it has been enlarged. I do not mention this as an evil from my point of view, but only as a proof of M^r Ff’s unpopularity. You will not think me an impartial person perhaps as he cuts every member of our family when we meet; but as I said before the scheme of exchange sounds most improbable.

Frank & his wife are settled in your old house & like the place very much.³ They have bought up old carved chests & cabinets in Wales, (her native country) & have made the rooms look very well, & the garden is certainly beyond the average in prettiness & snugness. Frank helps his father & I hope will save him a good deal; but I am afraid it will always be against M^r Darwin’s nature to sit idle & rest himself. I am afraid Lady Lubbock’s health is failing in a way to cause great uneasiness, though we cannot hear of any specific disorder. Some people are afraid that the Railway accident some years ago has left some mischief which has been in abeyance hitherto.⁴

Pray give my kind love to Mrs Innes—⁵ I hope she & you will come & see us again, & with Charles’ very kind regards | yours very sincerely | Emma Darwin

P.S I obeyed your directions about Aquilegia, but it has not come up, neither your seed, nor some other of the same kind.⁶ The gardener however hopes still that it will appear in the spring.