Hooker, Sir Joseph Dalton
JHC153
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom
JDH/2/22/1/1 f.35
Gray, Asa
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
© Descendants of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
Asa Gray Correspondence
The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
English
Original MS
4 page letter over 1 folio
 

[Letter incomplete. This letter bears no salutation or date & begins mid sentence. The date & recipient of the letter have been surmised from adjacent letters in the series.] JDH writes of a speech given about the work of his father, Sir William Jackson Hooker. At this event JDH's health was given by Colvile, JDH in turn toasted Airys, of whom he has a low opinion. Mentions that he had previously been unaware of 'Park's obliquities'. Provides Asa Gray with references for Agarista from Don & De Candolle. Mentions Gray's feelings about his students passing & compares them to his lingering memories of his sea travels, including an apocryphal story about a retired boatswain. Penstemon palmeri is not featured in the BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. Backhouse is selfish about sharing the material Gray sends him. JDH is glad Gray will use Hillebrands seeds. JDH has finished part two of THE FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA with Amantiaceae[?] & Geraniaceae. He lists which orders different botanists will work on for part three. Bennett will do Sernambaceae[?], Ochna, Bursaria; Hiern Meliaceae; JDH Chaetost[oma] & Sabiaceae; Masters Olaceae, Thiselton-Dyer Anacard[iaceae] & Baker Leguminosae. He is also working on the GENERA PLANTARUM, for which George Bentham is doing the Mimoseae.

Transcript

coloring being too watery & flat, it is a glorious plant here.
Backhouse is the most selfish dog in the trade, & I can't go on reminding him that he should send us bits of what you send him boxes of -- he deserves no consideration & we are sick of hi. If he sends any thing it is a scrap with hardly a grain of life in it -- his greed is notorious.
I am glad you will use Hillebrands seeds[.]
I have just finished Amantiaceae[?] for Flor[a]. Brit[ish]. Ind[ia]. having concluded Geraniaceae which will

Page 1

*1 speech dwelling so much on old friendship of 40 years with my father, of his labors & our joint ones (Reports were excluded) [Sir James William] Colvile gave my health & I gave Airy[']s *2 (the worst President we ever had) I kept on this side [of] the truth however, by close shaving, for I was determined that the greatest cynic present should not catch me flattering.
After dinner we retired to the new Room for tea & coffee & meet a hundred or so more Fellows & friends who I invited -- and now what next? -- This is not the thing to last long, & I dread too good beginnings, & am always drumming into my ears my favorite motto "servate animam aquam" --

Page 2

I was quite unaware of Park's obliquities.
I think that I wrote to you about Agarista. *3 No, but I made a note for you that I do keep it up. Don's is 1834 D[e] C[andolle] 1836, if I mistake not.
I quite appreciate your comfort at seeing the student pass. So I chuckled when I heard gales blowing, for years after I got home -- you have heard of the Boatswain who after returned was called at 4am regularly by his servt wife -- who was ordered to say "8 bells Mr Pipes; the first Lieut[enant] wants you" -- that he might have the satisfaction of saying d[am]n the 1st lieutenant & then turn round for another snooze.!
Our Penstemon palmeri is not at all featured in Bot[anical] Mag[azine] curiously enough I complained of the

Page 3

coloring being too watery & flat, it is a glorious plant here.
Backhouse is the most selfish dog in the trade, & I can't go on reminding him that he should send us bits of what you send him boxes of -- he deserves no consideration & we are sick of hi. If he sends any thing it is a scrap with hardly a grain of life in it -- his greed is notorious.
I am glad you will use Hillebrands seeds[.]
I have just finished Amantiaceae[?] for Flor[a]. Brit[ish]. Ind[ia]. having concluded Geraniaceae which will

Page 4

close pt. ii.For Part III I have done Amantiaceae Rutaceae.
Bennett (a) = Sernamb.[?], Ochna, Bursaria
Hiern. Meliaceae. JDH. Chaetost.
Masters Olaceae. ? Ilicin[?]
Lawson Celastria[?] -- Ampelod ?Sapind JDH Sabiaceae
Dyer Anacard.
Baker Leguminosae
Now I am going to take a turn at Gen[era]. Plant[arum]. -- [George] Bentham is still at Mimoseae.
Ever your Affec[tionate | JD Hooker [signature]

ENDNOTES


1. The letter is incomplete. The beginning section, of unknown length, is not extant in the archive.
2. George Biddell Airy (1801--1892). Mathematician and Astronomer. Astronomer Royal from 1835 to 1881. President of the Royal Society from 1871 to 1873 succeeded by Joseph Dalton Hooker.
3. The remainder of the paragraph is written as an addendum at the top of page 3.

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