Hooker, Sir Joseph Dalton
JHC441
Ridgemount, Basset, Southampton, [England, United Kingdom]
JDH/2/16 f.85
Thiselton-Dyer, Sir William Turner
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
26-8-1882
© Descendants of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
Letters to Thiselton-Dyer
The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
English
Original MS
8 page letter over 2 folios
 
Transcript

have some responsible duty.
Abel was her & at once telegraphed to Smith & to Woolwich: so I hope that Smith found no difficulty. I sincerely hope that we shall have the offices arranged for.
Lawson's address came off yesterday, it won't do him any discredit & I can say no more: -- it was of course very weak. I still hope & expect that he will do for Madras. The young Swede shall be welcome, his discovery of the rosette in Cycads is very interesting -- where did he find it? -- If I remember right it

Page 1


RIDGEMOUNT,
BASSET,
SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday
Aug 26 [18]92*1
Dear Dyer*2
Many thanks for your letter. I am quite satisfied with the result of the Fitzgerald "trial", our men must see that they have been fully supported by us & by the Board.
I enclose the Pembyne[?] answer & shall write to Lord Lovelace. --
I will see to a better arrangement in respect of the letters -- probably they had better as before all go to you. I am sure that Willy will not mind -- I was rather anxious that he should

Page 2

have some responsible duty.
Abel was her & at once telegraphed to Smith & to Woolwich: so I hope that Smith found no difficulty. I sincerely hope that we shall have the offices arranged for.
Lawson's address came off yesterday, it won't do him any discredit & I can say no more: -- it was of course very weak. I still hope & expect that he will do for Madras. The young Swede shall be welcome, his discovery of the rosette in Cycads is very interesting -- where did he find it? -- If I remember right it

Page 3

has been found: Stigmana pisttils[?].
Thomson gave a most absurd paper to the Geograph. section on the "Evolution of the Lake Tanghynika[sic] " founded more on the supposed disposition & structure of the rocks than on any real data, after his paper was read T. Saunders got up & denounced the paper as only fit for the Geological section -- In the interests of geography & especially of the coming expedition to Kilimanjaro I got up & combated Saunders, pointing out that such a paper was eminently suited to the geograph[ica]l section though I could not pretend to entertain the bold guesses on which the result was founded. I spoke much of the imperfections[?] of the Geology Record over

Page 4

the whole Lakes district -- which forced Thomson to have regard primarily (or totally) to the physical characters of the rocks -- & wound up with urging the necessity of supplying him with a collecting naturalist who might be the means of throwing as much light on the laster geological movements over central Africa as the study of the American Flora & Fauna had on that continent & be the means of comenting connecting those of South Africa with those of the N. hemisphere.
At section D Sclater & I took up the Kilimanjaro grant, & the section voted £1000; at the general committee we had a great struggle over it & got £500 agreed to -- i.e.[1 struck through word, illeg] it was voted provisionally -- Bramwell asked

Page 5

across the table if what I intended to do myself, answered to get it supplemented by private & public means -- he asked if I would aid it myself, I said said yes -- when he immediately wrote £10 on a slip of paper & handed it to me as his contribution i.e. private subscription. This I shall follow up, though I look to the R[oyal]. S[ociety]. for more substantial help. I made much of Aitchison being a volunteer. I cannot must go to Strachey about that. I think that the naturalist & staff must be quite independent of the Geograph. staff & sec[retar]y[?] supporting

Page 6

& not push on beyond the first good high collecting ground that commands the mountain & establish himself there, to begin with at any rate. -- Is it in Zanzibar domains, if so would Sultan help?
I hardly know what to say about the Fibre case: I doubt the Council advocating two expeditions -- I suppose however that Sclater will manage that:-- if any body[sic] can he will.
I was much taken with Garrigue[?] he is full go & very sensible: he strongly supported me both in D & General Committee. I have now to see Sciences about it -- of 25 men on committee of D. I knew only 3 at table!

Page 7

Biology is literally no-where at this meeting -- I hope that Moselys lecture may redeem it -- he has not turned up yet. Ball is here.
We go to Nettey this afternoon & then to Parkstone. The weather has been brutal, but is better today. Brian is gone with Keeping on the geology excursion to Alum bay & will stay over the whole time here & then go to his friends in Worcestershire for a few days. Smith has the key of the House -- which is shut up for the day -- Mrs Yeomans[?] the coachman's wife sleeps in it &

Page 8

attends to Willy. I have told the latter if he goes away for a day not to fail to have the letters sent to Smith's office for you to open.
I have another worrying letter from Monier Williams to subscribe to his Oxfird India Institute, really I think India has cost me enough out of pocket, & I shall send him a rebuff.
I shall set to work at the Report without delay.
Lady H's kind regards & love to Harriet & the children from us both
Ever aff[ectionatel]y y[ou]rs | JDHooker[signature]

ENDNOTES


1. The date has been added in pencil in hand not that of the original author, Joseph Hooker.
2. 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.

Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study electronic image(s) of this document where possible.

Powered by Aetopia