From J. D. Hooker 11 May 1872
Royal Gardens Kew
May 11 / 72.
Dear old Darwin
The die is cast, Lord Derby calls for my correspondence with the First Lord of the Treasy in the Upper House without delay.1
I cannot tell you how I hate & loathe the process. The responsibility of the act rests with my “friends” Tyndall, Huxley, Bentham & Lubbock2—but it is adopted with my entire concurrence—asked & given unhesitatingly.
As to the upshot, I am confoundedly indifferent. I know that a subordinate can have no chance in fighting against his own Superior, himself a Minister of the Crown, & backed by the P. M & whole Cabinet. It is the operation I so dislike—having Kew’s dirty linen washed in public.
I have a most charming letter from Lord Russell, just so, promising to go to the House & support Lord Derby when the discussion comes on.3
Now that my part in the fight is over,—with my stomach still full of fight, I feel as if I should burst & disintegrate, by turns. You may not understand this, no more do I, but it is so all the same.
Now for the silver edging— Harriette4 came home yesterday, so well & happy
I should like much to go to Down soon for a few days if you are going to be at home—& bring some writing with me for Gen. Plant, which I shall never get through here.5 Would Mrs Darwin let me bring Harriete for a couple of days?—
Ever yours affec | J D Hooker
I have just had a splendid Greenland collection, which supports my views altogether, & I am ready to do fight for these with you.6
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Hansard parliamentary debates: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com
ODNB: Oxford dictionary of national biography: from the earliest times to the year 2000. (Revised edition.) Edited by H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. 60 vols. and index. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2004.
Summary
The die is cast on Ayrton affair. Lord Derby has called for all of the correspondence, as a result of pressure by men of science on JDH’s behalf.
Has just had a Greenland collection, which supports his views altogether; "I am ready to do fight for these with you."
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8317
- From
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Kew
- Source of text
- DAR 103: 109–10
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8317,” accessed on 18 May 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8317.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 20