From J. D. Hooker [3 December 1874?]1
like Fanny2 ⟨2 or 3 words ⟩ the ⟨wrea⟩th there in her hair ⟨ ⟩ ⟨ ⟩liffe 13 years ago— wh⟨at⟩ sweet ⟨ ⟩ ⟨b⟩eamed on me every where ⟨ ⟩ ⟨lov⟩eliest arched brows that ever ⟨ ⟩ God how passionately I loved ⟨ ⟩ as I lay dosing & hear the ⟨ ⟩ chimes ring music to my ⟨ ⟩ sadly I miss her, but I don’t, ⟨ ⟩re & scoff away sleep that I may ⟨w⟩ake in those old times recalled. ⟨ ⟩ heart & soul my dear old Darwin ⟨ ⟩ ⟨ ⟩fully & wonderfully made— in ⟨ ⟩ did I then exist, & how soon is ⟨ ⟩ ⟨rekin⟩dled by the senseless fuel of sight ⟨ ⟩ ⟨ ⟩er ashes that have been to all ⟨ ⟩ & cold for 13 years! I then scarce ⟨ ⟩ ⟨k⟩now the most vehement ⟨ ⟩ ⟨ ⟩ised in a public assembly ⟨ ⟩ brightness of the memories ⟨ ⟩ ⟨ ⟩t love.— It strikes 2 ⟨ ⟩ ⟨ ⟩-bell— that ‘matter of fact’ ⟨ ⟩ sensible man—Henslow ⟨ ⟩ ⟨ ⟩t room like ⟨ ⟩ [illeg] a deuced ⟨2 or 3 words⟩ s⟨ ⟩ father-in-law.— ⟨ ⟩ the roses come from by ⟨ ⟩ genetic resemblance?. not ⟨ ⟩ however & there they now are; ⟨ ⟩ to a little girl 5 years old!3 ⟨ ⟩ leaves are faded I have th⟨ ⟩ will be fresh & sweet in ⟨ ⟩ roses will return to it in the next.
I go to Town tomorrow & to Kew ⟨ ⟩ write & tell me at what time I can ⟨ ⟩ you (if at all) at the Establish⟨ment⟩4
Ever yrs affec | Jos. ⟨D. Hooker⟩
I shall be at home all F⟨ ⟩
Footnotes
Bibliography
Allan, Mea. 1967. The Hookers of Kew, 1785–1911. London: Michael Joseph.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Summary
Probably a discussiion of J. D. Hooker’s feelings after death of his wife, Frances Harriet, on 13 November 1874: the letter is badly damaged.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9719F
- From
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Source of text
- DAR 166: 263
- Physical description
- ALS inc
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9719F,” accessed on 26 November 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9719F.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22
