From J. D. Hooker 6 April 1864
Kew
April 6/64
Dr old Darwin
The enclosed is pretty much what was to be expected, & though Balfour would be vehemently prejudiced in regard to a point of character directly bearing on Darwinism & Scott’s researches, he is too honest & kind-hearted a man to allow his feelings to run away with him in answering such questions as I put regarding Scott—1 It is very awkward, for one really sees no avenue for the poor fellow he clearly cannot be suited to a Colonial appointment: as a gardener, in short, he never can get on—where subordination & supervision are equally essential. He has in fact mistaken his calling.
I send a note from the Chief Baron in the ghost of a chance of the last paragraph being useful.2
F. Wedgwood has most kindly asked me & my wife to stay a night with him & look over his molds of portraits &c.—which we hope to do when the weather is a little better— he has also promised to come to Kew & see us, as has he for Godfrey when he comes to Town.3
Herbert Spencer I suppose wrote the Review of Schleiden in N. H. Rev.;4 it is very interesting, & I have a pamphlet from him somewhat apropos of the subject “on the classification of the Sciences”— have you it?—5
I shall read the “Heat” article in Reader.—6
I shall see to Nepenthes.7
Ever yrs aff | J D Hooker
P.S. I have mislaid the Chief Barons note—8 he recommends a few grains of Epsom salts on the tongue to allay sickness9—& says he has often tried it with himself & family— he is a wonderfully sagacious old fellow 80 years old & as active & full of interest in science & you as a young man. In every letter he asks how you are.
[Enclosure]
Royal Botanic Garden | Edinburgh 5 April 1864 Dear Hooker
John Scott concerning whom you make enquiry, was for a considerable time in the Botanic Garden. He was sober and industrious, & most zealous in the prosecution of Botany. He took a particular interest in the subject of Embryology & he made many experiments in regard to the development of the Embryo in Lycopods, & the fertilisation of orchids.10 He became latterly so absorbed in his researches that Mr McNab complained of him neglecting his work in the garden.11 On that account he left us. His manner is not good & he was not a favorite with the men. From all I heard, he appeared to have a bad temper & to be rather sullen. I offered him a situation in a Cinchona plantation in India but he declined to accept it.12
I should doubt his capability of acting as a superintendent of others,—chiefly on account of his disposition & temper. At the same time he is a most deserving man & ought to be encouraged. He would do well in a situation where he was allowed to carry on his observations on plants in the way he chose & without control. He is a very careful & accurate observer. I believe that he is a good propagator also. He is not very robust but he enjoyed good health when he was in the garden.
I shall be glad if he can get appointment which will suit him, & which will enable him to prosecute botanical science, in which he has already shown great capabilities.
Sir | yours sincerely | J. H. Balfour
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Butterworths medical dictionary. 2d edition. Edited by Macdonald Critchley et al. London and Boston, Mass.: Butterworths. 1978.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Freeman, Richard Broke. 1978. Charles Darwin: a companion. Folkestone, Kent: William Dawson & Sons. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, Shoe String Press.
Ringer, Sydney. 1869. A handbook of therapeutics. London: H. K. Lewis.
[Rolleston, George.] 1864. Schleiden’s essays. [Review of Schleiden 1863a and 1863b.] Natural History Review n.s. 4: 187–99.
Summary
J. H. Balfour gives Scott excellent character reference, but says he is unfit either to superintend or be subordinate.
Herbert Spencer’s review of J. M. Schleiden is interesting [see 4457].
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4452
- From
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Kew
- Source of text
- DAR 101: 204–5; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Directors’ Correspondence English letters Balfour 1866–1900 vol. 78: 311)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4452,” accessed on 18 May 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4452.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 12