From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Miles Joseph Berkeley
Date:
?-1?-1854?
Source of text:
JDH/2/3/2 f.202, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Miles Joseph Berkeley
Date:
-1?-1854
Source of text:
JDH/2/3/2 f.208, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Miles Joseph Berkeley
Date:
?-?-1854
Source of text:
JDH/2/3/2 f.209, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
A one page letter from Joseph Hooker to Miles Berkeley.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Miles Joseph Berkeley
Date:
[]-[]-[1854]
Source of text:
JDH/2/3/2 f.210-211, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
Joseph Hooker writes to Miles Berkeley congratulating Berkeley on his son, Emeric Berkeley, passing his exams. Also mentions attending a Microscopical Society event and how Hugh Falconer is hoping to return from India next year and will recommend Thomas Thomson to replace him at the Calcutta Botanic Garden.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Professor Charles Cardale Babington
Date:
?-?-1854?
Source of text:
JDH/2/3/1 f.132, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Miles Joseph Berkeley
Date:
7 January 1854
Source of text:
JDH/2/3/2 f.206, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
26 January 1854
Source of text:
JDH/2/22/1/1 f.2-3, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
JDH thanks Asa Gray for his opinion on an unspecified essay by JDH, letter includes discussion of species & specific centres suggesting the subject of the essay is geographical plant distribution, the definition of a species & whether they are created entities or varieties evolve with environmental influences. JDH refers Gray to his comments in the FLORA ANTARCTICA. He argues against Gray & Agassiz's belief in multiple centres. Discusses the relative importance of genetic resemblance as opposed to habitat, referring to the Dorking Fowl, Manx Cats & Falkland Island rabbits. He favours theories based on observable evidence of geography, physiology etc. Dismisses Agassiz's work, incl on glaciers such as Aletsch, as prejudice not based in fact but on a desire for notoriety. JDH & Lyell like Agassiz personally. JDH looks to Americans for future discoveries in science as he considers them more practical. Bentham has decided to give his herbarium to RBG Kew. Thomas Thomson [TT] wants to be botanist on an expedition to North West Australia, if the East India Company will give him leave. Hurt approves of TT, who was imprisoned with his brother during the Afghanistan campaign. William Jackson Hooker has applied to The Duke of Newcastle on TT's behalf. Writes of progress with FLORA INDICA & distribution of plant sets to Gray, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, St Petersburg, Brown at the British Museum, Lowell & Torrey. Asks Gray about North American Larch, Yew, Junipers & Coniferae incl. Scotch Pine. Uses Yews from Pontrilas as an example of the difficulty of using habitat vs character in determining species. The Deodar Avenue at Kew is another example of how plants may not always have the ideal characteristics of their species. Agrees that species cannot be pronounced the same because they are united by certain forms, gives Mt Lebanon & Himalayan Cedars as example of extreme forms. Argues the difficulty is with local botanists wanting to give local varieties a distinct classification.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
George Bentham
Date:
-2?-1854
Source of text:
JDH/2/3/2 f.98-99, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
Text Online
From:
Michael Faraday
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
7 February 1854
Source of text:
HL UG MS 2153/5/58
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Faraday Project
Text Online
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Michael Faraday
Date:
8 February 1854
Source of text:
RI MS Conybeare Album, f.23
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Faraday Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
[9 or 16] Feb 1854
Source of text:
Oliver N. Hooker (private collection)
Summary:
Has received JDH’s book [Himalayan journals (1854)]. Is very gratified by the dedication to him.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[26 Feb 1854]
Source of text:
DAR 100: 86–9
Summary:
Is relieved his book [Himalayan journals] has been well received and glad he has successfully completed it.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
1 Mar [1854]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 118
Summary:
Thanks JDH for dedication of Himalayan journals. CD praises the work and suggests stylistic revisions.
Lyell’s remarks on lava beds in letter from Madeira are not original – they refer exclusively to Élie de Beaumont’s data.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
10 Mar [1854]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 119
Summary:
More praise for Himalayan journals.
How remote was glacial action in Himalayas?
Implies Himalayas were birthplace of many plants.
Final volume of Cirripedia to be printed in two or three months.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Asa Gray
Date:
24 March 1854
Source of text:
JDH/2/22/1/1 f.4-5, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
JDH thanks Gray for his critique of one of JDH's papers. JDH knows he is a difficult person when it comes to criticism. He mentions the issue of defining species & the significance of genetic resemblance & explains that he & Thomas Thomson have touched on the subject in the introduction to the FLORA INDICA. This long introduction will also include an account of the history of Indian botany, an essay on the climate & geographical account of the provinces. JDH is distributing & naming his Indian plants & laments the lack of standard nomenclature. He is currently working on Antidesmas with reference to Tulasne's paper, which is imperfect because of the shortcomings in the French collections he consulted. He mentions the difficulty in pinning down the characteristics of wild & cultivated Yew. JDH has taken a house on Kew Green for George Bentham, near William Jackson Hooker's herbarium in Hanover House. The herbarium now has a curator. Sometimes JDH thinks of abandoning Kew to write for the press in London, he finds it hard to support his growing family on a government salary whilst living in expensive Kew. JDH's father WJH is trying to secure JDH's continued employment for the Office of Woods & Forests but JDH is not optimistic. JDH stays at Kew to please his father & to have access to his herbarium & library. Nathaniel Wallich is very ill, Brown better at present. The Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania] Government have purchased 6 copies of JDH's forthcoming FLORA TASMANIAE & the income is welcome as he made no money from his Antarctic expedition southern floras. JDH describes his recent work on fossil plants, especially Trigonocarpi from coal formations, they resemble Salisburia. JDH outlines his responsibilities regarding scientific societies, he is on the council of the Royal, Linnean & Geographical societies. He has managed to secure a review of the state of the Linnean Society botanical collections. Mentions Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt is dead at Leyden [Leiden].
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[c. 25 Mar 1854]
Source of text:
DAR 205.9: 382
Summary:
JDH summarises letter from Humboldt.
JDH answers CD’s questions on glacial action in Himalayas.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
Text Online
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
26 March [1854]
Source of text:
Cambridge University Library: DAR 114: 120
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Alfred Russel Wallace Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
26 Mar [1854]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 120
Summary:
CD welcomes the prospect of the Philosophical Club of the Royal Society as means for seeing old acquaintances and making new ones. Will try to go up to London regularly.
Admits that the warning from JDH and Asa Gray (that more harm than good will come from combat over the species issue) makes him feel "deuced uncomfortable".
Reflects upon the complexity of Agassiz; how singular that a man of his eminence and immense knowledge "should write such wonderful stuff & bosh".
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
29 [May 1854]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 122
Summary:
CD "lectures" JDH on taking care of his health.
CD’s pleasure in London trip.
CD and Emma have taken season tickets to Crystal Palace.
Edward Forbes’s "Introductory Lecture" is the best CD ever read.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[24 June 1854]
Source of text:
DAR 104: 202–4
Summary:
Birth of JDH’s second child.
Asks CD’s view of "highness" and "lowness" in animals. Gives his own for plants; extent of deviation from type, e.g., floral parts deviating from leaf.
Reading B. C. Brodie’s Psychological inquiries [1854].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
