TALBOT5361

Royal Botanic Gardens.
Thus. [sic] August 23^rd 1845.

My dear Sir

My Son, D^r Joseph Dalton Hooker, ¹ is a Candidate for the Bot^l Chair of Edinburgh Univ^y, vacant by the death of D^r Graham. The presentation is with the Lord Provost & Town Council of Edinburgh, & aware of their inability to judge for themselves, they very wisely require testimonials from the most distinguished Scientific men. On this account I take the liberty of asking you for one. I am not sure if you know D^r Hooker personally. He is not however unknown to the public. I may be allowed to say perhaps that he was educated for a Botanist. As soon as he took his M.D. degree he accompanied Captⁿ Ross, ² as Gov^t Botanist, to the Antarctic region; – during that voyage, of 4½ years duration, so great & important were his collections, & such the confidence in his competency that the Lords of the Admiralty obtained a grant from the Treasury & required my Son to publish the “Botany of the Antarctic Voyage” ³ in 5 vols 4^to with 3 500 plates. The first volume is completed.

In the Spring he was invited to lecture for D^r Graham in the Univ^y, Ed^gh (D^r Graham being too ill himself) – & his lectures gave the greatest satisfaction to the Professors & to the students. No one of name has come forward to oppose him. The only Candidates are D^r Balfour ⁴ (my successor in the Glasgow Chair) a D^r Sellar of Ed^gh & a M^r Richie[?] of Aberdeen.

Ever Faithfully Yours,
W. J. Hooker.