Hooker, Sir Joseph Dalton
JHC426
Hotel Romain, Rue Saint Roch, Paris, [France]
JDH/2/16 f.70
Thiselton-Dyer, Sir William Turner
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
6-3-1881
© 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 that he is sending Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] the list of herbarium visitors for the RBG Kew annual report, he was not sure whether to include [George] Bentham's name. He notes that the list shows a 'wonderful amount of botanical query & activity'. JDH is now preparing the list of additions to the herbarium, including the extensive list of [Georg Wilhelm Heinrich] Schimper & General William Munro's donated herbaria. JDH discusses the benefits of WTTD going to Court, both for him personally & for the office of Assistant Director of RBG Kew. JDH mentions that he likes the hotel Romain, where he is staying in Paris. He & his party plan to dine at Lavalier's & Capones[?] in Paris before travelling south.

Transcript

paid -- & not the less honorable[sic] on that account -- It now strikes me that you [3 words crossed out, illeg.] it would be well not to delay to show you some of the office as such, quite independent of personal consideration, or the good of the Establishment.
This is a delightful little hotel. We dine tomorrow at Lavelier's & Tuesday at Capones[?]. -- On Wednesday we start for the South.
I am Aff[ectionatel]y Y[our]s | J D Hooker[signature]

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March 6 / [18]81
Hotel Romain
Rue S[ain]t. Roch
Paris
Sunday
My dear Dyer*1
I send the list of visitors to Herbarium. If you approve, please look to the few blanks. The list shows a wonderful amount of Botanical Query & Activity on the systematic & descriptive lines. Should not Bentham's*2 name be mentioned, I forget whether we have done so in some cases & I stupidly forgot to bring a copy of the Report with me.
I am now doing the additions to Herbarium & have made a screed apropos of the Schimper*3, & Munro*4 herb[arium]s with a little eloge of the latter -- which I hope you will approve; you may word it better I think here & there.

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I have thought a good deal over your going to Court. & am convinced that your prime motive, the establishment, is the best, & to this I ought to contribute especially considering that I got my swell suit for nothing.
I think however that there is another motive, for that though not compulsory, &[?] yes it is due to yourself & to your position -- In respect of the latter it is an Official recognition of it that would not be due if you had entered the service at the bottom & by competition -- but you obtained it by honor[sic] as it were & it is a very honorable[sic] & dignified post, that of Ass[istan]t Director -- it is removed from & high above any Clerkship -- it is a thing apart -- though poorly

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paid -- & not the less honorable[sic] on that account -- It now strikes me that you [3 words crossed out, illeg.] it would be well not to delay to show you some of the office as such, quite independent of personal consideration, or the good of the Establishment.
This is a delightful little hotel. We dine tomorrow at Lavelier's & Tuesday at Capones[?]. -- On Wednesday we start for the South.
I am Aff[ectionatel]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. 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.
2. George Bentham (1800--1884). British botanist who donated his herbarium of more than 100,000 specimens to Kew. He spent 27 years with Joseph Hooker in research and examination of specimens for the work Genera Plantarum, an influential work on plant taxonomy which is the foundation of many modern systems of classification.
3. Georg Wilhelm Heinrich Schimper (1804--1878). German botanist & plant collector in Ethiopia. Schimper's herbarium specimens were presented to Kew in 1880.
4. General William Munro (1818--1880). British soldier & plant collector in India. herbarium specimens were presented to Kew in 1880.

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