From J. D. Hooker 12 February 1867
Royal Gardens Kew
Feby 12/67
Dear Darwin
Your approval of my declining Brit. Ass Presidency was an immense relief—as really I was feeling rather a guilty being.—1 Since I wrote I had a joint attack at the X club, from Huxley, Frankland, Spottiswood, Spencer & Hirst. & had much difficulty in beating off, which I did with a heavy heart, as I would fain have obliged them—2 Besides the personal objections, I know so well, that it would altogether interrupt, for months, both “Genera Plantarum” & my “Insular work” & it would not be fair to Bentham—3 Do my dear friend, if the subject is called up by Huxley or Tyndall, &c, your presence, back my resolution.4 They dwelt strongly on the scientific need of it—but really I do not recognize the British Assn needs in a scientific point of view, & though I think the D. of Buccleugh a disgraceful appointment,5 I am not sure that it is a post for the most scientific men of the day to aspire to; still less should it be dependent on their support
I hope to be in town on Thursday forenoon, & shall run my chance of seeing you before noon if you do not object.—6
Ever yours | J D Hooker
Footnotes
Bibliography
Bellon, Richard. 2001. Joseph Hooker’s ideals for a professional man of science. Journal of the History of Biology 34: 51–82.
Brock, William Hodson. 1981. Advancing science: the British Association and the professional practice of science. In The parliament of science; the British Association for the Advancement of science, 1831–1981, edited by Roy MacLeod and Peter Collins. Northwood, Middlesex: Science Reviews.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Wallace, Alfred Russel. 1905. My life: a record of events and opinions. 2 vols. London: Chapman & Hall.
Summary
Relieved that CD approves his declining the Presidency of BAAS. The BAAS and the role of scientific men in it.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5399
- From
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Kew
- Source of text
- DAR 102: 143–4
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5399,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5399.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 15