Edinburgh
June 26, 1845

My dear Father*1
Enclosed are some flowers of Mirodendron for Planchon, if he likes to defer his examination till I return I can let him have flowers of 2 species in spirits. As regards the M. punctulatum & some others, my own opinion used to be is that the so called stamen or anther case is a true perianthium, containing a solitary anther, but I have not investigated the subject fully, but & shall be very glad of his help as I intend illustrating the genus very fully for my book.
Reeves*2 is a fool & does not know it, he does himself much more harm by his shabby proposals than he could do himself good even were they acceded to, he is the most extraordinary combination of a narrow-minded [1 word crossed out, illeg.] & spirited publisher that can be conceived. His proposal to

you was certainly a very cool one.
I have heard all about Balfours*3 soirees & his character as a lecturer & teacher is very high, otherwise he is not liked at all here, & many in Glasgow are said to consider him an impudent fellow. Of course he knows his own position with some parties here, who have influence, into which I have neither means or inclination for enquiring. My prospects of success appear to myself very good, but I shall not break my heart if otherwise. My not taking the medical duties is in my favor[sic] most decidedly, nor could I take them, as they only devolve on the senior Professors, & I think & is considered a great catch now, Graham*4 considers that I need not reside here but 3 months of the year, without the College insisted upon a [1 word crossed out, illeg.] winter's course, but all this is rather problematical. You are very kind to interest yourself about young McNab*5, whose father is very grateful for all your goodness in his

behalf. I had not heard that the concern was in a bad way, but we know nothing about it here.
I am very glad that Miguel has returned the Peppers so nicely done, it quite confirms me in the very high opinion I formed of him in Rotterdam. They went by Steam to Rotterdam, De Vriese's things I sent (I think), before leaving, by steam to Amsterdam. Blume*6 ought to have written & his silence is not very gratifying, after all the trouble & expense we have been at, perhaps Heward will know whether things are forwarded from Amsterdam or from Rotterdam to Leyden. The shawl had, as you suggest, better be left out for the present. At any rate I think Blume might have thanked me for the little presents I sent his children by Gray: but I would not like to blame him too soon. When I go to Leyden again I shall make a better sweep of the herbarium there. If you write to Miguel will you ask him if he really intends coming this summer to England, if he will that he

ought to come in time I go my excursion in the last week of August, for I have thought of going with the "boys" to Clova & then visiting Lyell & perhaps then Ramsays afterwards if I hear anything more or from them.
Many thanks for the Tussac, which looks very good, I am so glad that some of the old pots is looking satisfactory. The little plant that I named Corokia is no doubt a Cassinas as you say, it is described I think in a paper on New Zeal[an]d plants in a number of Ann. Sc. Nat. that I left to go [to] the binding, its leaf is [e]xactly that of the new Corokia also there described. What terrible news in New Zealand, my opinion is still that the original root of the discontent lies in the fact that the soil &c did not answer their expectations, I think that were it otherwise the settlers would not be so readily discouraged.
Graham is very badly, then two or three days, but still there is no saying how long he may last. Charles sails for Sydney on the 7th, I shall probably go to Glasgow on Sunday week to

see him comfortably on board as he & [1 word crossed out, illeg.] his Parents would like I should. he sails on that the following day & so I have no choice about it, he of course not leaving this till the last moment. I am still slaving away at Physiology, Graham has not been able to speak to me for two days, but is rather better today. I get very tired of it towards the end of the week, Wednesday is my favourite day as three lectures or the half is over, Thursday I get weary in, but the knowledge of Friday being the last lifts me through that hour, I cannot write the lectures during the day & I do not get home from dinner very early. I must do something to them today as I have to go from the Gibson Craigs, where I dine, to an evening party at Lady Murray's & it will be bad enough to get up at 6 without sitting up after that. Tomorrow I got to Mrs McKenzie's, the wife widow of Grandpapa's old friend, where I ought to have gone long ago. but she lives out of Town; as the Mrs Henderson offered to take me in her carriage it will be less trouble. I shall not be at all sorry to get out of this place, for there is far too

many calls upon ones time to work. I have done a great deal to Grahams Herbarium but not come across any thing very remarkable amongst the plants, if I do I shall let you know, the best are poor Carron's things, but the specimens are not better than yours. I have not heard from Dayman, which I rather wonder at, but he must be rather uncertain in his movements at present.
Will you tell Fitch*8 that the drawings he seeks must be in a portfolio near Roscoe's plants or along that lower line of folios opposite the fireplace in the study, or it is possible that M[aria?].& E[lizabeth?] may know something about them, I have only two here, of Cape Hooker & Cape Horn. What is Ross about with his book.
Ever your most affectionate Son | Jos. D. Hooker[signature]