JDH thanks his Uncle, Reverend John Gunn, for a copy of his work: GEOLOGY OF NORFOLK. JDH sends Gunn Sir Edward Frankland's hypothesis on the glacial epoch. [Leonard] Horner is 80 & dying. JDH saw [Charles] Lyell, who was in shock about the bone caves in Borneo. Mentions subscriptions in support of Bishop [John William] Colenso. JDH's Father William Jackson Hooker is well. JDH is going to [Sir Joseph] Prestwitch's lecture on flint implements. Asks when Gunn is coming to London, suggests he attends upcoming Royal Society parties. Discusses: latest additions to his own & Francis 'Frank' Darwin's collections of Wedgewood pottery; a medallion of William Gifford 'Giffy' Palgrave made by [Thomas] Woolner; & [Sir Roderick Impey] Murchison's butter boats.
Transcript
Murchison's *11 whole "Butter boats" poured over him.
With best love to Aunt | Ever your affec[tionate] | J D Hooker
ROYAL GARDENS KEW
Kew
Feb[ruary] 20th [18]64
Dear Uncle *1
Many thanks for your capital Geology of Norfolk, which is much the best & clearest account which I have seen.
I send you Franklands *2 hypothesis to explain the Glacial Epoch, of which you might have heard -- pray keep it.
Poor old Horner *3 is dying, he is in his 80th year.
I saw Lyell *4 yesterday looking well & all agog about bone --
caves in Borneo.
There is a great subscription raising for Bishop Colenso *5, with lots of clergymens['] names down!
My father is wonderfully well, in spite of the bad weather. I am going tonight to hear Prestwich's *6 lecture on Flint implements &c.
When are you coming to London? You must let me know & we will have some fun.
There will be R[oyal] S[ociety] Soirées on the 12th ApMarch & 30th April.
I am going ahead still with Wedgwoods, & got the most beautiful cameo head (of L[or]d Keppell *7) that Woolner *8 or Frank *9 ever saw for 5/- it is about as large as your finger nail & worked like an ancient gem. Frank has bought a Jardinière like yours, but of the most lovely green for £6. A very good bargain.
Woolner has made a capital medallion of Giffy *10 -- who has been talking these over at the Geograph[ical] Soc[iety] & getting
Murchison's *11 whole "Butter boats" poured over him.
With best love to Aunt | Ever your affec[tionate] | J D Hooker
1. Reverend John Gunn (1801--1890). Amateur naturalist especially interested in geology with great knowledge of the geology of East Anglia. Founder and first President of the Norwich Geological Society. Joseph Hooker's Uncle: husband of Harriet Gunn née Turner, Joseph Hooker's maternal aunt.
2. Sir Edward Frankland KCB, FRS (1895 --1899). British chemist and an expert in water quality and analysis. He was one of the originators of organometallic chemistry and discovered the existence of Helium. He was a keen mountaineer which led to his glacial observations.
3. Leonard Horner FRSE FRS FGS (1785 --1864). Scottish merchant, geologist and educational reformer. He was a co--founder of the School of Arts of Edinburgh, now Heriot--Watt University, and President of the Geographical Society in 1846 and 1860.
4. Sir Charles Lyell (1797-- 1875). British lawyer and the foremost geologist of his day. He is best known as the author of Principles of Geology.
5. John William Colenso (1814-- 1883). Mathematician, theologian, Biblical scholar and social activist. The first Church of England Bishop of Natal, he was a controversial liberal. He made numerous converts among the Zulus, who caused him to abandon certain religious tenets and thus be subject to trial for heresy.
6. Sir Joseph Prestwich FRS (1812--1896). British geologist and businessman, known as an expert on the Tertiary Period and for having confirmed the findings of Boucher de Perthes of ancient flint tools in the Somme valley gravel beds. It is claimed by some authorities that his reports published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society for 1859 -- 1860 mark the birth of modern scientific archaeology.
7. William Coutts Keppell, 7th Earl of Albermarle (1832--1894). A British soldier and politician.
8. Thomas Woolner (1848--1925). An English sculptor, poet and Art dealer. He was a founder member of the Pre--Raphaelite Society and the only sculptor.
9. Sir Francis Darwin FRS (1848--1925).Son of Charles Darwin, followed his father into botany. He was closely related to the Wedgwood family.
10. William Gifford "Giffy" Palgrave (1826--1888), was a traveller and Arabic scholar. He was the son of English archivist and historian Sir Francis Palgrave and was Joseph Hooker's maternal cousin.
11. Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, Bt. KCB DCL FRS FRSE FLS PBA MRIA (1792--1871). Scottish geologist who first described and investigated the Silurian System.
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