Hooker, Sir Joseph Dalton
JHC233
Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom
JDH/2/22/2 f.62
"Hooker (nee Symonds, ,Lady then Jardine)"
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
© Descendants of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
Asa Gray Correspondence
The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
English
Original MS
3 page letter over 1 folio
 

JDH discusses his travel plans with his wife Lady Hyacinth Hooker. He no longer plans to go to Cornwall but may join Hyacinth & 'the children' in Hythe after going to the Royal Geographic Society on Mon. He would take the train from C[haring] C[ross]. He gives his opinion on the musical & artistic studies of his daughter Grace Ellen Hooker. He approves of these activities but does not think she is reaching her potential, particularly regarding the application of perspective in her drawing. JDH draws the letter to a close as [Daniel] Oliver, Keeper of the RBG Kew herbarium, has brought his a new genus from China to study. He adds that he stayed with his daughter Harriet Anne Thiselton-Dyer & her husband Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer after attending the Philosophical Club. He has heard his son William Henslow Hooker is not taking care of his health. Thanks his son 'little lion' [Joseph Symonds Hooker] for his letter.

Transcript

doubt if it would occur to her to apply the rules of perspective -- & I do not think that Miss Hodge has ever even told her to look at the corner of her bed room, & draw it as an exercise of perspective -- or a table, or a chair.
Now I must stop. [Daniel] Oliver *4 has just brought me a most wonderful new genus from China to ponder over & find its Nat[ural]. ord[er]..
I even went home from the Phil[osophical]. Club with Dyer, & slept at Harriett[']s *5 but it was not like the old home -- I heard that Willy [William Henslow Hooker] *6 is poorly again with headaches & sickness, but will take no care of himself. I am very sorry.
Ever with love to the children, & thanks to little Lion*7 for his nice letter, & kindest regards to the Hookers.
Your ever aff[ectionate] husband | J.D. Hooker [signature]

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Herbarium
Saturday [c.1890] *1
Dearest H[yacinth]. *2
My writing to you from here is a signal proof of devotion, for every moment is of untold worth, -- botanically!
I have given up all thoughts of Cornwall, -- for the moment at any rate. As to going down to Hythe on Monday it must depend on weather; if it is really mild -- but as you do not come back till Saturday I could not afford the week away. The going is no fatigue, & the pleasure of being with you & the children is very great. I will see about it, & telegraph on Monday -- as I shall be at R[oyal]. G[eographic].S[ociety]. I could get away by the 4.30 train from C[haring.C[ross].
I am glad you have written as you have to Grace *3. My objections to

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her music are not only so much the want of airs (I do not care only for airs), but of feeling, & that I get the same old piece over & over again -- I have [1 word crossed out, illeg.] known it for 40 years I should think. If Mozart[']s, Handel[']s & Rossini's airs are not good music for practice, it is a pity. We are however in perfect [2 words crossed out, illeg.] accord that she must keep up that kind of music in which she excels at all hazards & an hour a day is all too little for that. I cannot understand her drawing for me interfering with that. though I shall be glad when her perspective is over -- I had hoped that with her mathematical ability she would have felt it to be more of a mental exercise; as it is it is mere copying. I do not complain -- far from it -- I am very pleased indeed with Gracie all round, but if if I were to ask her now to draw an "interior" I

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doubt if it would occur to her to apply the rules of perspective -- & I do not think that Miss Hodge has ever even told her to look at the corner of her bed room, & draw it as an exercise of perspective -- or a table, or a chair.
Now I must stop. [Daniel] Oliver *4 has just brought me a most wonderful new genus from China to ponder over & find its Nat[ural]. ord[er]..
I even went home from the Phil[osophical]. Club with Dyer, & slept at Harriett[']s *5 but it was not like the old home -- I heard that Willy [William Henslow Hooker] *6 is poorly again with headaches & sickness, but will take no care of himself. I am very sorry.
Ever with love to the children, & thanks to little Lion*7 for his nice letter, & kindest regards to the Hookers.
Your ever aff[ectionate] husband | J.D. Hooker [signature]

ENDNOTES


1. Approximate year: 1890, inferred from date of preceding letter in the volume (16 Apr 1890).
2. Lady Hyacinth Hooker née Symonds later Jardine (1843--1921). Joseph Hooker's second wife, they married in 1876.
3. Grace Ellen Hooker (1886--1953). Joseph Hooker's daughter by his first wife: Frances Hooker née Henslow.
4. Daniel Oliver (1830--1916). Botanist. Keeper of the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1864--1890.
5. Sir Willliam Turner Thiselton--Dyer (1843--1928) and Lady Harriet Anne Thiselton--Dyer née Hooker (1854--1945). Sir William married Joseph Hooker's daughter in 1877. He was assistant Director to Joseph Hooker at Kew from 1875--1885 and succeeded him as Director from 1885--1905.
6. William Henslow Hooker (1853--1942). Jopseph Hooker's eldest child by his first wife: Frances Hooker née Henslow.
7. Little lion (and later young lion) was the nickname Joseph Dalton Hooker gave his son Joseph Symonds Hooker (1877--1940), in their correspondence Joseph Hooker senior calls himself 'old lion'.

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