Text Online
From:
Darwin, Emma
To:
Darwin, G. H.
Date:
[c. 20 December 1887]
Source of text:
DAR 210.3: 143
Summary:
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Contributor:
Darwin Family Letters
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JDH confides to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that he is worried Asa Gray is travelling more than is wise given his health & age, Mrs Gray has informed JDH that Gray has gone to Washington for a Smithsonian meeting. Gray & [Miles Joseph] Berkeley are the last surviving old friends of JDH's father Sir Willliam Jackson Hooker, JDH has known Gray since 1838. JDH has just heard of the death of his brother in law Henry Francis 'Frank' Symonds. JDH thanks WTTD for his & [George] King's honoraria payment for the Straits' Flora. JDH reports that he has had many letters regarding his speech & will send WTTD a copy; he never writes down his speeches beforehand but can recall what he said & record it for WTTD. He also thanks WTTD for his personal & professional sympathy regarding the Copley [medal] affair. JDH asks WTTD to second Sir Edmund Giles Loder's candidature for the Athenaeum Society.
JDH mentions a document concerning his portrait at the Linnean Society. He approves of Mr Harting as Assistant Secretary but suggests it might be better to have paid secretaries rather than a fellow in the position. They also need a bona fide botanical replacement for [Richard] Kippist. JDH suggests that £100 be added to Mr Foster's salary so he can pay for an assistant himself as the Society is unlikely to fund a third one. JDH is wary of the interference of 'the Astronomer' with Rayleigh's work. He will forward Mr Hamilton's letter to Francis 'Frank' Darwin, though there is nothing in it. He adds in a post script that he has received £50 from the Royal Society.
JDH hopes to see Mr Foster at the upcoming Challenger Committee[?]. JDH discusses the importance of the post of Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society, the need to fill the position suitably & the duties attendant upon it. Williamson has not been fulfilling these duties vis à vis writing up obituaries & summary of scientific proceedings abroad & JDH has encouraged his successors as President of the Royal Society, Sottiswoode & Huxley, to dismiss Williamson. JDH has received a good account of Mr Harting: gentleman & ornithologist. JDH speculates on the value of the Royal Horticultural Society keeping up its experimental garden at Chiswick & wonders, as [Charles Wentworth] Dilke did previously, if it could be moved to a piece of the palace grounds at 'a really scientific establishment' [possibly implying the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]. JDH doubts the success of the society because of the diversity of its members: Gentlemen, Tradesmen & Gardeners. He asks if there is any precedent for a successful society that consists of 2 classes of paying fellows.
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