322 BOTANY [CHAP. X 



Letter 645 Hibiscus seems a very curious case, and I agree with your 

 remarks. You say that you are glad of criticisms (by the 

 way avoid (( former and latter," the reader is always forced to 

 go back to look). I think you would have made the case 

 more striking if you had first showed that the pollen of 

 Oncidium spJiacelatum was good ; secondly, that the ovule was 

 capable of fertilisation ; and lastly, shown that the plant was 

 impotent with its own pollen. " Impotence of organs capable 

 of elimination " capable here strictly refers to organs ; you 

 mean to impotence. To eliminate impotence is a curious 

 expression ; it is removing a non-existent quality. But style 

 is a trifle compared with facts, and you are capable of writing 

 well. I find it a good rule to imagine that I want to explain 

 the case in as few and simple words as possible to one who 

 knows nothing of the subject. 1 I am tired. In my opinion 

 you are an excellent observer. 



Letter 646 To J- Scott 



Down, June 6th, 1863. 



I fear that you think that I have done more than I have 

 with respect to Dr. Hooker. I did not feel that I had any 

 right to ask him to remember you for a colonial appointment : 

 all that I have done is to speak most highly of your scientific 

 merits. Of course this may hereafter fructify. I really think 

 you cannot go on better, for educational purposes, than you 

 are now doing, observing, thinking, and some reading beat, 

 in my opinion, all systematic education. Do not despair 

 about your style ; your letters are excellently written, your 

 scientific style is a little too ambitious. I never study style ; 

 all that I do is to try to get the subject as clear as I can 

 in my own head, and express it in the commonest language 

 which occurs to me. But I generally have to think a good 

 deal before the simplest arrangement and words occur to me. 

 Even with most of our best English writers, writing is slow 

 work ; it is a great evil, but there is no help for it. I am sure 

 you have no cause to despair. I hope and suppose your 

 sending a paper to the Linnean Society will not offend your 

 Edinburgh friends ; you might truly say that you sent the 

 paper to me, and that (if it turns out so) I thought it worth 

 communicating to the Linnean Society. I shall feel great 



1 See Letter 151, Vol. I., p. 220. 



