To J. D. Hooker 30 May [1864]

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

May 30

My dear Hooker

I send two characters just rec^d from Scott,¹ which I hope you will think sufficiently satisfactory to act on. He will get testimonials from clergymen & gent^m from the neighbourhood in which he lives²

I have told him I will give him money for outfit, voyage & enough to keep him some weeks in India.³ Do you intend to give Scott letters to take out with him or will you write to the three gentlemen you mentioned?⁴

I sh^d think it w^d be best for him to have a note to take to D^r Anderson,⁵ but you will know much the best what to do.

I really believe that you are aiding a worthy man & I am sure for my own part I cordially thank you.

Please return the enclosed letters & tell me what you decide to do, for I think Scott will start soon; for he seems heartily glad of this opening & I am sure will always feel grateful to you—

Ever yours | C Darwin

Footnotes

1

John Scott enclosed with his letter of 28 May [1864] testimonials from his previous supervisors, John Hutton Balfour and James McNab. The note from Balfour is included in this volume as an enclosure to Scott’s letter, but the note from McNab has not been found. In his letter of 19 May 1864, Hooker had offered to write to several people he knew in India as a means of introducing Scott.

2

Scott was then living in Denholm, Scotland (see letter from John Scott, 28 May [1864]).

3

See letter to John Scott, 21 May [1864] and n. 5.

4

See letter from J. D. Hooker, 19 May 1864 and nn. 2, 4, and 5.

5

CD refers to Thomas Anderson, superintendent of the Calcutta botanic garden (see letter from J. D. Hooker, 19 May 1864 and n. 2).