Gladstone’s private secretary [West] has written that the Government plans to alter JDH’s position with regard to the First Commissioner of Works [Ayrton].
Huxley is not better after his Brighton trip.
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Gladstone’s private secretary [West] has written that the Government plans to alter JDH’s position with regard to the First Commissioner of Works [Ayrton].
Huxley is not better after his Brighton trip.
Heartily glad about the news of the Ayrton affair development.
Huxley looks very unwell from too much miscellaneous work; CD wishes he could be made a Director General for transference of British Museum and for other scientific work, as JDH suggests.
William [Hooker] is in first division of matriculation list of London University.
Other family news.
No news on Ayrton affair. Ayrton has taken staff appointments out of JDH’s hands.
Asks whether CD knows about Zizania aquatica – can hardly believe it is an annual.
Heartily glad about Willy.
Has never had Zizania.
Still has Leersia. He cannot make the beast produce.
What slow coaches the Ministers are about the Ayrton affair.
No summary available.
[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.
No summary available.
JDH writes to Thiselton-Dyer regarding Norman Lockyer & Alexander MacMillan, respectively editor & Scottish publisher of NATURE; to which JDH has lent his name. Lockyer has not sent JDH a copy of William Carruthers' letter, JDH considers Carruthers' intellect muddled by a 'fear of extinction'. JDH is going to the funeral of an old friend, Archibald Smith of Jordanhill, in Kensal Green the following day. JDH invites Thiselton-Dyer to dine with him & his cousin Francis 'Frank' Palgrave.