Dear Darwin

I got home at 1.30 this morning from the R.S. Soirée¹ with a crick in my shoulder & “phalangitis” from pumphandling some 500 people, to find a telegram from “my friend” the Emperor of Brazil,² saying that he would be out at 6 this morning; & sure enough here he has been, with his heart-set on seeing you— I pleaded your illness &c &c. but it was no good. First he suggested that I should write to Owen³ & offer himself you & me to dejeuner!!! Of course I would have none of that; then he wanted me to ask himself & you to dejeuner at Kew with me, to which I could only express myself proud & pleased if you were well enough to come.—an alternative which he met by suggesting that if so He & I, should go to Down & dejeuner with you!— he made me promise to write at once, to you to this effect.— Pray my dear fellow do not suppose that I in any way ever countenanced all this— I can wriggle out of a bad hypothesis, but not out of such a pertinacious old bird as this Emperor— What is to be done? I will do anything you like that I can.

He is coming to my wife’s⁴ “At Home” here on Wednesday 4–7 PM. to which we had asked a whole lot of R.S. friends, but did not go through the form of sending you & Mrs Darwin cards.— Or shall I bring him down to Down. We might drive, or go by train—on Sunday, or will you meet him at a quiet dejeuner here? on Monday or Tuesday?

I think the best way would be for you Mrs Darwin & Frank⁵ to come here on Wednesday—early if you like or at 4–7.

I am off to town for R.S. Council 1–6.—& then to the evening meeting, so I shall be pretty well used up by bed-time.

Ever yr affec friend | J D Hooker

Telegraph if you can make up your mind what is best done.