WCP6709

[1]

Keota, Keokuk County Iowa, U.S.A.

Wednesday March 11th 1914.

The Director of The Royal Botanic Gardens

Kew, England!

Dear Sir —

Have you as yet, had published the Life and Letters of the late Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker¹? I would like very much to know? — A good many years ago, Dr Hooker and I had held some short correspondance[sic], in regard to Darwins[sic] "Origin of Species", but so far I am unable to find any traces of this correspondance[sic], and fear that they, like some of my letters to the late Alfred Russel Wallace, have become lost or destroyed, and in consequence or this, I have lost some of my most priceless corespondance[sic], not only between Hooker and Wallace but from some ^other great masters of science. And fear that

But what prompted me in writing to Dr Hooker, was, that I noticed a fine article in regard to the doctor, and a fine description of the gardens of which he was the head! and that Darwin had derived so much valuable information from Hooker, which is noticed in (Darwins[sic]) Life and Letters. — The reason that I am so much to know as to whether his Life and Letters have been published is that I have the Life and Letters of Darwin, of Agassiz², Wallace as well as some others in My Library, all of which I mentioned to Mr. Alfred Russell[sic] Wallace a few years ago, and that I take such an interest, in that they have and do, give me some ideas in which they done[sic] their work and attained to such high rank in the Scientific world! And it is this history that I am after, so I, myself shall be able to work and study throught of these illustrous[sic] men, and I think that this is the only correct and sure way in one in studing[sic] any branch of the natural sciences.

I have always been an ardent lover in the study of Nature, and that especially of botany and entomology, as these branches are so interlinked with one another, that to study the one with out[sic] the other would be the wast[sic] of time, and in this light I have been studing[sic] the great works of nature for a great many years.

I would indeed be pleased to hear from you at an early date.

I remain | Yours Very truly | A.S.Van Winkle³ [signature] | Keota Keokuk Co Iowa U.S.A.