JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer to complain about the Linnean Society, he describes it as having: 'no backbone, only an os sacrum that ought to be kicked'.
Transcript
Friday evening 1874*1a
Dear Dyer*1
Is this not provoking! It really seems to me of no use trying to help the Linnean Society -- It has no back bone, only an os sacrum that ought to be kicked & of which the 13 malcontents [word crossed out, illeg.] are the consolidated
Friday evening 1874*1a
Dear Dyer*1
Is this not provoking! It really seems to me of no use trying to help the Linnean Society -- It has no back bone, only an os sacrum that ought to be kicked & of which the 13 malcontents [word crossed out, illeg.] are the consolidated
vertebrae. I am quite put out.
Ever Y[our]s | Jos[eph] D Hooker [signature]
1a. The date '1874' has been added to the letter as a pencil annotation written in a hand not that of the original author, Joseph Dalton Hooker. This is the only date information supplied.
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. Previously held professorships at the Royal Agricultural College Cirencester, Royal College of Science for Ireland and Royal Horticultural Society. Married Hooker's eldest daughter Harriet in 1877.
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