Transcript
Life*2 until it is published, -- there is so obvious a misapprehension there, that I do not like to face Mr Curt[?] with it or I would write to him. If Sir W[illiam]. Hunter*3 is to give you the mss for you to publish, it is obviously impossible that he can have [1 word crossed out, illeg.] more control over the proofs than you allow him to have.
Sir W. Hunter may notionally object to any one seeing any part of his mss till all is finished, just as many painters will not allow their portraits to be inspected till finished.
As far as I can see, the only point as to which any difficulty
Sept[ember] 9/[18]94
The Camp,
Sunningdale.
My dear Mrs Hodgson*1
I am indeed glad to hear the good news of your disposal of both Houses -- you are most fortunate. I can quite understand your reluctance at leaving Alderley & all its hallowed Associations -- & I assure you that I should feel it too -- it is another tie broken -- perhaps the longest & strongest link in the whole chain.
-- With regard to what Mr Curt[?] reports as to no one seeing the proofs of the
Life*2 until it is published, -- there is so obvious a misapprehension there, that I do not like to face Mr Curt[?] with it or I would write to him. If Sir W[illiam]. Hunter*3 is to give you the mss for you to publish, it is obviously impossible that he can have [1 word crossed out, illeg.] more control over the proofs than you allow him to have.
Sir W. Hunter may notionally object to any one seeing any part of his mss till all is finished, just as many painters will not allow their portraits to be inspected till finished.
As far as I can see, the only point as to which any difficulty
could be made, would be in the matter of you possibly disapproving of any thing he had written as part of the Life & his objecting to amend or alter it, to meet your views. -- He may stipulate that if you publish his Life -- it must be literative[?] as he has placed it in your hands. --
I cannot suppose that the Life should contain any thing to which you could object; but there is always the possibility of it.
I will gladly communicate with Mr Curt[?], when you give me the particular of your proposed conference with Sir W. Hunter.
We are all well -- We had a very
pleasant 10 days with our friends on the Clyde. & the weather was passable. It enabled me to enjoy revisiting some of the scenes of my early life & nothing could exceed the hospitality & attentions of our hosts. Tomorrow we go for a 2 days visit to some friends in Worcestershire.
E[ve]r affe[ctionatel]y y[our]s | J.D. Hooker [signature]
1. Susan (Susie) Hodgson née Townshend (1844--1912). Photographer and second wife of naturalist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801--1894), they married in 1869 or 1870.
2. Refers to the then unpublished manuscript of: Hunter, Sir William Wilson (1896). Life of Brian Houghton Hodgson, British resident at the court of Nepal, member of the Institute of France; fellow of the Royal society; a vice-president of the Royal Asiatic society, etc.
3. Sir William Wilson Hunter (1840--1900). Scottish historian, statitistician and member of the Indian Civil Service. Author of the biography Life of Brian Houghton Hodgson (1896).
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