From: Darwin, Desmond & Moore 1991
From: Charles Darwin, Bowlby, 1990
Apart from Darwin's bad health it was a very happy family. Emma played the piano. Darwin and Emma played games together like backgammon and they were extremely stay-at-home.
Darwin got sick at the mere thought that he should have to go somewhere. Yet there were times in which he felt better.
Often the children helped him in his research. For example they ran after bees to find out which route they were flying. Or they counted worm holes in the garden early in the morning.
When the (little) children felt ill, they came lying in father's study. In short, everything indicates that there was a great ambiance in the Darwin house.