From J. D. Hooker   [4 April 1864]1

[Royal Gardens Kew]

Monday Mg

Dear Darwin

I have written to Balfour to ask Scotts character,2 making no allusion to you or himself, simply saying that I have been asked to look out for a foreign appt. for him & asking Balfours opinion of his character for skill, strength, activity & obliging disposition—3 I have no post in view & we have one of our own men who it is our duty to serve first—so please say nothing to Scott about it. I shall let you know what Balfour says.

Ever yrs affec | J D Hooker

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to J. D. Hooker, 5 April [1864]. In 1864, 4 April was a Monday
2
John Hutton Balfour was professor of botany and keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. John Scott had been the foreman of the propagating department at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, until his resignation in March (see letter from John Scott, 10 March 1864).
3
For Balfour’s reply, see the enclosure to the letter from J. D. Hooker, 6 April 1864.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4448,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4448