JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that he has asked [John] Smith to send William Govett Romaine some green house things, Romaine was helpful to RBG Kew as Secretary of the Admiralty. JDH mentions some correspondence with Sir Charles Wyville Thomson. Since last writing JDH & his wife [Hyacinth Hooker] have been to Amalfi, Sorrento, Paestum & up Vesuvius & have visited Anton Dohrn's aquarium & museum in Naples. Next they will go to Rome & Florence. JDH has also written to Reverend William Samuel Symonds & his son 'Willy' [William Henslow Hooker]. Letters can be addressed to JDH as follows: Maquai, Hooker &c Care of Bankers.
Transcript
it for me or leaving it till I return. Your diplomacy has evidently subdued him!
We are having a change of weather with the Equinoctials, which manifest themselves in slight showers, winds, & a warmer temperature in fits and starts.
Since writing last we have been to Amalfi, Sorrento, Paestum & up Vesuvius, besides paying more visits to [Anton] Dohrn's*5 Aquarium & the Museum here. I shall write to Mr. Symonds next and ask him to forward the letter to you. Neither the general features of the country nor the climate improve on acquaintance but the extraordinary interest of the localities never fails, & is inde[e]d rather fatiguing from its abundance & variety I quite dread Rome
Naples
March 30/[18]81
My dear Dyer*1
I am writing to Mr. Smith asking him to send Mr. [William Govett] Romaine*2 a nice set of Green house &c things & have given him the address. As Mr. R[omaine] was of very good service to us as Secr[etary] of the Admiralty. Mr. Smith*3 will I am sure treat him as well as we can afford -- as he always does in short. Willy [William Henslow Hooker] has forwarded me the enclosed from Sir Wyville Thomson*4. He does not say whether he informed Sir W[yville] of my absence[?], or whether you have seen it. I should not like to answer it without a reference to former correspondence. -- pray use you judgement in respect of acknowledging, or answering
it for me or leaving it till I return. Your diplomacy has evidently subdued him!
We are having a change of weather with the Equinoctials, which manifest themselves in slight showers, winds, & a warmer temperature in fits and starts.
Since writing last we have been to Amalfi, Sorrento, Paestum & up Vesuvius, besides paying more visits to [Anton] Dohrn's*5 Aquarium & the Museum here. I shall write to Mr. Symonds next and ask him to forward the letter to you. Neither the general features of the country nor the climate improve on acquaintance but the extraordinary interest of the localities never fails, & is inde[e]d rather fatiguing from its abundance & variety I quite dread Rome
when we go tomorrow for a week or 10 days. Address Maquai, Hooker &c C[are] of Bankers.
I wrote to you last from Castellammare on or about the 23rd & to Willy on the 28th.
From Rome we go to Florence when again Maquai Hooker & C[are] of on the Bankers who honor my bills on Barrings.
I hope that all goes well at Kew, excuse more at present, as I have lots of small, letters to write & with love to Harriet & the children.
La ever affe[ctionate]ly yours J. D. Hooker [Signature]
1. Sir William 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. William Govett Romaine (1815--1893) Second Secretary of the Admiralty 1857 --1869. Judge-Advocate-General in India 1869--1873. Finally Egyptian Conseil du Tesor member, president, and English Comptroller-General of Finance, retiring to Old Windsor in 1879.
3. John Smith (1821--1888). Curator or 'head gardener' of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1864--1886. His predecessor as Curator was also named John Smith.
4. Sir Charles Wyville Thomson (baptised Wyville Thomas Charles), Scottish natural historian and marine biologist, from 1870 Professor of Natural History, University of Edinburgh.
5. Anton Dohrn founded Stazione Zoologica in Naples in 1872.
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