Annual Report of the Council. xlvii 



Hooker, who was privileged to read the proof sheets of Darwin's 

 Journal before he set out in the " Erebus," relates with the 

 modesty of a truly great man how they impressed him pro- 

 foundly, and even despairingly, with the variety of acquirements, 

 mental and physical, required in a naturalist who should follow 

 in Darwin's footsteps, while they inspired him to enthusiasm in 

 the desire to travel and observe. No one could have made 

 belter use of his opportunities, as the six volumes of his Flora 

 Antarctica sufificiently testify. But the publication (>f this 

 monumental work was interrupted by an eventful journey to 

 India in 1847 to study the sub-tropical vegetation of the 

 Himalayas. The story of this expedition, lastmg for three 

 years, is told in the Hinialayati Journals, published in 1854. 

 From 1855 to 1865, Joseph Hooker was Assistant Director of 

 the Royal Gardens at Kew, and after his father's death, in 1865, 

 he held the post of Director for twenty years. But though his 

 time was greatly engrossed by official duties, this period of his 

 life was marked by the publication of many volumes of classic 

 importance, such as the Genera Plantarum, compiled in 

 conjunction with Mr. Benthara, and The Flora of British 

 India in conjunction with Mr. Thompson, the seventh and 

 last volume of which was not completed until 1897, so that 

 Sir Joseph Hooker, though relinquishing the office of Director 

 of Kew in 1883, continued his heavy labours unflinchingly in 

 his retirement. He similarly continued to edit the Icones 

 Plantarum until 1889, and The Botanical AFai^azi?ie until 

 1902. 



Though it was only for a short time that he held the post 

 of Botanist to the Geological Survey, Sir Joseph Hooker con- 

 tinued throughout his life to take an active interest in the study 

 of fossil plants and he published many papers on palaeobotanical 

 subjects. 



One of the most memorable features of Sir Joseph Hooker's 

 life was his close and friendly intercourse, extending over forty 

 years, with Charles Darwin, who cordially welcomed Hooker's 



