WCP5543

[1]¹

Cloverdale, Victoria, B. C.²

20^th. Feby. 1872.³

My dear Hooker

Your most welcome letter of Nov^r. 24^th. '70 reached [me] on the 9^th. January 1871, and replying was postponed until I should have got some seeds for you — By that season I became engaged in the widespread correspondence involved in my having applied to the Dominion⁴ Government for the position of Indian Commissioner or Superintendent of Indian Affairs for British Columbia and of late[,] since that has been less urgent[,] your letter has been for a time mislaid. —

I noticed your departure for Morocco in Spring on a botanizing expedition, and also your safe return — Great was my surprise to observe in the papers much later that you had ^{on a second trip} ascended Mount Atlas⁵ — Truly [18]'71 will for you be an annus memorabilis [Latin: memorable year].

We have had here this season a M^r. Selwyn⁶ successor to Sir W[illia]m. Logan⁷ as head of the Geological surveys in the now far-reaching Canadian Dominion — D^r. Hector⁸ before going to New Zealand spent some months with Selwyn in Australia where he then tried a similar position and they have since been correspondents and friends — Selwyn, I think told me he had met you in England —

Of the three kinds of seed enclosed probably all and almost certainly two must already be growing at Kew — the evergreen Vaccinium⁹ [2]¹⁰ is a handsome shrub growing to a height of about three feet, and having black glossy berries clustered round the stem — The Indians about Nisqually¹¹ in the jargon or lingua franca thro'[ugh] which they communicated with the Whites, called them Shot oleilic[?] or Shotberries — If you wish more of our Seeds from these parts let me know what in particular, and they shall be sent you if possible[.] I gave Selwyn several other kinds and expected exchanges from the collections of his party on the mainland, but they made none else you would have had the benefit of them —

I am sorry to learn that Hewett Watson¹² has become a confirmed misanthrope but ^was much interested in knowing so much about his career subsequent to 1842. I had one or two letters from him after that year.

Your account of A. R. Wallace I have to thank you for — I feel much interest in the man, and admire his moral courage re Spiritualism — From what you write on that subject I gather that you have gone some way in its investigation, altho[ugh]' unwilling to allow it any status now — The frivolities, and above all the deceptions ^{not on the part of the sitters} that occur at seances [sic]¹³ are perplexing exceedingly — Yet I have witnessed and read enough to feel satisfied that the phenomena [(]of seances) which you write we agree in considering "surprising" [,] well deserve careful investigation of all — Man must do for this "superstition" as you call it what he has effected in developing Astronomy out of Astrology, and Chemistry out of Alchemy — The universality of the "superstition" is¹⁴ [3] by many considered as evidencing that under an immense ^over growth of absurdity and imposture there has everywhere been a substratum of truth, which man is now becoming enlightened enough to disencumber from errors of the past. The absolute reign of law in everything pertaining to our planet is becoming a settled belief with many and if every thing of the so called supernatural, that has really happened from the beginning, has occurred in obedience to a law or laws only now becoming very partially understood, how natural the past seems, regarded in this light, as compared with that which would ascribe everything strange now or formerly to superstition and imposture ^{or miraculous interruption of ways "without shadow of turning"15}[.] Remember evidence which would amply suffice in any court of justice civil or criminal abounds in proof of the occurrence of events now, such as are said to have happened in the days of Pythagoras, of Christ & the Apostles, of Apollonius of Tyana,¹⁶ and hundreds of others down to Prince Hohenloe [sic]¹⁷ and the American D^r. Newton¹⁸ who lately ^{(1869 or '70)} healed the sick in a Baptist Chapel in London — Remember too that a great many things must necessarily be accepted by us on the testimony of others[.]

I quite agree with you that the subject of Spiritualism attracts some minds and repels others¹⁹ [4] [I] hope dear friend that our difference of opinion on the subject may be amicable and may serve to give greater zest to our future correspondence.

I have lately been reading Theological Essays²⁰ by a M^r. Hutton²¹ at present Co- Editor and Proprietor of the London Spectator — In these he criticises the writings of W. J. Fox²² thirty years ago a bold and popular Unitarian preacher in Finsbury London, of Renan,²³ of F. ^D. Maurice²⁴ and others[,] he himself having come back from Unitarianism to such ^hazy views of the personality of Christ, as Maurice I think upholds — Miracles seem the great puzzle for such large minded Broad-Churchmen as Maurice and Hutton, yet if they could fully recognize the universal reign of law, and investigate for themselves the occurrences of today — they might reconcile the past with the present ^{and science with true religion} —

Have you seen in the Report on Spiritualism²⁵ of the London Dialectical Society?²⁶ I am very sorry that Huxley²⁷ declined investigating — Truth is ever worth seeking after — ^{in whatever grotesque form it may present.}

My copy of Huxley's lay sermons²⁸ and your address to the British Assoc[iatio]ⁿ. 1868²⁹ are now lent to the officers of a ship of war here, some of whom have been getting their philosophy heretofore from tawdry French novels. Musters³⁰ the Patagonian traveller is as a guest amongst them — Hope your boy³¹keeps well. Write me soon and believe me ever ardently[?] being

yours very Sincerely | W. F. Tolmie [signature]³²

[5] P. S.

Remember friend the obloquy and ridicule under which, in our own day almost, Phrenology and Animal Magnetism were ushered into the place they have made for themselves amongst existing subjects of inquiry — I need not say more, your own good memory will suggest other cases of earlier occurrence — It is perhaps all for the best.

Have you noticed that since his demise it has been made generally known that Robert Chambers³³ was a zealous investigator at home and in America of the phenomena known as Modern Spiritualism — ^{Would he not take rank as a scientific man? He has been one of the most useful of his day}.

Amongst the departed of last year was our old friend John Scouler³⁴ of Glasgow — He renewed correspondence with me a few years ago desiring to have from this quarter prehistoric remains for the Andersonian³⁵ —

One whom you may remember as a botanical student in the 'Sauchieha' Road'³⁶ in early days, D^r. George W. Campbell³⁷ of Montreal has in the matter of the Indian Commissionership espoused my cause in the most friendly way, and, being at the head of his profession and intimate with members of the Dominion Cabinet he gives me hopes of success through his own [6] efforts on my behalf. ^{The H[udson's]. B[ay]. Co[mpany].38 are giving me their support —}

Should I obtain the position I hope to make some contributions to ethnological science, having always had a wish for such investigations — I could also do something more in the collection of seeds. No appointment is to be made until after the meeting of parliament at Ottawa, a grant money is voted for the benefit of the Indians of this province —

I will gladly accept from you Tylor[']s³⁹ Early History of Mankind⁴⁰ which you have been so kind as to offer. It is mentioned as a work of value by Lubbock⁴¹ in his Origin of Civilization and Primitive Condition of Man.⁴² I think of, in a long letter, sending Lubbock a running commentary on this work and at same time asking about Morlot⁴³, the intended explorer had he lived, of the Thracian lake dwellings — Has anything been done yet as to further investigation of the druidical ceremonies and erections of your Indian friends the Santhals,⁴⁴ mentioned in your address of [18]'68?⁴⁵

Re Spiritualism let me strongly recommend to your perusal a recent publication⁴⁶ by Robert Dale Owen⁴⁷ — "The debatable land between the two worlds" [sic] — It contains an address to the Protestant clergy worthy of the perusal of every friend of progress, and enlightenment of the masses. T[olmie].