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From J. D. Hooker   2 July 1866

Kew

July 2d. /66.

Dear Darwin

Many thanks for your note.1 I shall write to James for the map & take your advice about some sketches or diagrams of leading forms.2

With regard to the Gallegos fossils, could we not have a memorial drawn up by Huxley & other Geologists.3 The matter not being Botanical I would rather not myself bring it forward, though I would write to the Duke privately backing it, if brought forward by Geologists.4 Perhaps Murchison would take it up.5

I am extremely sorry for your account of poor Sullivan6—but do not wonder— I really think, his brain must be affected from what I saw of him last, some 5 months ago.

Spencer last number I hope to read soon7

F. & Brian enjoyed their stay at Down amazingly.8

I find the Beech twigs I spoke of to be deformed—9

Smith10 knows nothing of origin of cut-leaved.

Alkanna hispidifolia we never had—11

I cannot find the name of any Lamium campanulatum 12

The other questions will soon be answered.

Ever yrs affec | J D Hooker

Footnotes

2
See letter to J. D. Hooker, 30 June [1866] and nn. 5 and 6. CD had suggested that Hooker use a map designed by the director-general of the Ordnance Survey, Henry James, and some enlarged drawings of trees for his lecture on insular floras to be given at the 1866 meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (J. D. Hooker 1866a).
3
In his letter of 27 June 1866, Bartholomew James Sulivan had discussed the navy’s plan to return to the Río Gallegos in Patagonia, where he had discovered bones of fossil mammals in 1845. See also letter to J. D. Hooker, 30 June [1866]. Hooker refers to Thomas Henry Huxley.
4
In his letter of 30 June [1866], CD had suggested that Hooker contact the twelfth duke of Somerset, Edward Adolphus Seymour Seymour, first lord of the Admiralty.
5
Roderick Impey Murchison was director-general of the Geological Survey of Great Britain (DNB).
6
CD had informed Hooker of Sulivan’s poor health in his letter of 30 June [1866]; see also letter from B. J. Sulivan, 27 June 1866.
7
Hooker refers to the June 1866 instalment of Herbert Spencer’s Principles of biology (Spencer 1864–7, 2: 241–320). See letter to J. D. Hooker, 30 June [1866] and n. 8.
8
Hooker’s wife, Frances Harriet Hooker, had visited Down House from 23 to 29 June 1866 (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)). Brian Harvey Hodgson Hooker, the Hookers’ fifth child, was 6 years old.
9
Hooker may have spoken of the twigs during his visit to Down from 23 to 25 June (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)).
10
Hooker refers to John Smith (1821–88), curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
11
CD had requested Alkanna seed from Hooker in 1862 after having been informed by Alphonse de Candolle that A. hispidissima was ‘double-formed’ (see Correspondence vol. 10, letter from Alphonse de Candolle, 13 June 1862, and letter to J. D. Hooker, 3 November [1862]). For CD’s interest in the plant in connection with his research on heterostyly, see Correspondence vol. 10, letter to Alphonse de Candolle, 17 June [1862]. A. hispidifolia is not a recognised species name.
12
There is no such species.

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

DNB: Dictionary of national biography. Edited by Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee. 63 vols. and 2 supplements (6 vols.). London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1912. Dictionary of national biography 1912–90. Edited by H. W. C. Davis et al. 9 vols. London: Oxford University Press. 1927–96.

Spencer, Herbert. 1864–7. The principles of biology. 2 vols. London: Williams & Norgate.

Summary

Suggests a memorial from Huxley, Murchison, and other geologists on the Gallegos fossils. He will speak privately to Duke of Somerset.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-5139
From
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Kew
Source of text
DAR 102: 79–80
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5139,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5139.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 14

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