Hooker, Sir Joseph Dalton
JHC360
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom
JDH/2/16 f.8
Thiselton-Dyer, Sir William Turner
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
© Descendants of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
Letters to Thiselton-Dyer
The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
English
Original MS
3 page letter over 1 folio
 

JDH writes to Thiselton-Dyer regarding Norman Lockyer & Alexander MacMillan, respectively editor & Scottish publisher of NATURE; to which JDH has lent his name. Lockyer has not sent JDH a copy of William Carruthers' letter, JDH considers Carruthers' intellect muddled by a 'fear of extinction'. JDH is going to the funeral of an old friend, Archibald Smith of Jordanhill, in Kensal Green the following day. JDH invites Thiselton-Dyer to dine with him & his cousin Francis 'Frank' Palgrave.

Transcript

Carruthers'*4 letter, in type or otherwise -- I am writing to tell him so.
I quite think with you that Carruthers' fear of extinction has helped to muddle his intellect.
I heard only yesterday of the death of one of my very oldest & dearest friends, Mr. Archibald Smith*5 of Jordanhill. I go to his funeral tomorrow at Kensal Green, but should probably see you before

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Royal Gardens Kew
Kew
Monday 1872
Dear Dyer*1
I am indeed obliged to you for your kind offices, & am much relieved to hear of your success with Lockyer*2.
I fully explained to him why I had in the first instance communicated with MacMillan*3, & gave my view, which was that it was through MacMillan's solicitation & his only that I lent my name to Nature.
Lockyer has not sent me

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Carruthers'*4 letter, in type or otherwise -- I am writing to tell him so.
I quite think with you that Carruthers' fear of extinction has helped to muddle his intellect.
I heard only yesterday of the death of one of my very oldest & dearest friends, Mr. Archibald Smith*5 of Jordanhill. I go to his funeral tomorrow at Kensal Green, but should probably see you before

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that.
Tomorrow my cousin Frank Palgrave*6 dines with us at 7. If you would like to meet him I hope you will stop -- it will gratify us too.
You might bring my books over from Herb[ariu]m & work here till 7.
V[er]y tr[ul]y y[our]s | J D Hooker [signature]

ENDNOTES


1. Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer (1843--1928). British botanist and third Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1885--1905). He succeeded Joseph Hooker in the role after serving as his Assistant Director for ten years. He also married Hooker's eldest daughter Harriet in 1877.
2. Norman Lockyer (1836--1920). English astronomer, and first Editor if Nature.
3. Alexander MacMillan (1818--1896). Scottish publisher of Nature.
4. William Carruthers (1830--1922). Scottish botanist. Keeper of the Botanical Department at the Natural History Museum (1871--1895)
5. Archibald Smith (1813--1872). Scottish mathematician and lawyer.
6. Francis (Frank) Turner Palgrave (1824--1897). English poet and critic.

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