From J. D. Hooker 6 July 1871
Royal Gardens Kew
July 6 /71
Dear Darwin
It is Zizania aquatica—(Canadian Rice)1 I thought that you grew it.
I did observe that Ophrys apifera fertilized itself—as you describe—& I think also O. lutea.2
I tried for expression, but the people are too civilized—& so taciturn & unpleasant with Christians, that their features were too constrained to make anything out of.— I really believe that the Moraines are the only points in my journey worth much.; except the negative results of no Alpines on the Atlas!3
I hardly like Lyell’s travelling about & feel very anxious & dissatisfied about him. Murchison’s condition shows how much may be accomplished by real Medical skill, & I do fear that the “sisterhood” will sacrifice our dear dear friend to their bigotry— I assume that he is in the talons of the Homeopathists—4
Rosamund Lyell5 comes here on Saturday, & I will make out & let you know.
Yours | J D Hooker
Footnotes
Bibliography
Hooker, Joseph Dalton and Ball, John. 1878. Journal of a tour in Marocco and the Great Atlas. London: Macmillan and Co.
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
He did observe that Ophrys apifera fertilised itself as CD described and O. lutea as well.
Moroccans are too civilised, taciturn, and unfriendly to make anything of them for expressions of emotions.
Moraines and negative results on Atlas alpine flora are the only points of the journey worth much.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7851
- From
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Kew
- Source of text
- DAR 103: 71–2
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7851,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7851.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19