390 
He was capable of enduring great physical fatigue. ‘‘I hope 
you will inherit my powers of walking,’ he once wrote to his 
son: “when I was a youth of 20 I thought nothing of 30 miles 
and have done 60 in the day.’”. He was also endowed with 
indomitable industry and perseverance, and could work with but 
short intervals for sleep. He disliked public functions, and 
above all public speeches and lecturing, but when occasion de- 
manded he showed that he was by no means deficient in these 
respects. 
With Government officials his method was to persevere till he 
got his way. ese pages disclose once more the details of his 
unfortunate quarrel with the redoubtable Mr. Ayrton, which 
disturbed many years of his life. 
Mr. Ayrton, oddly enough, was born at Kew, and had had a 
long experience in India, but this did not prevent an acrid ani- 
mosity towards Hooker. Mr. yrton was once described by 
bad blood existed between the two men until, some years later, 
yrton was removed to another office. No wonder Hooker wel. 
comed Mr. Mitford at the Office of Works; a man so much after 
his own heart was naturally drawn into a warm friendship, which 
was kept up with increasing intimacy long after both had retired 
from official life. 
A word may here be said as to Hooker's political views. He 
an, _ 2 strong Unionist, but not a Tory.” ‘He dis- 
me a er of Government Departments was not more severe 
than one might expect from one who had endured Ayrton. ‘‘ My 
res) Sale ay of Public Departments is,’’ he te-to Darwin, 
Hig further evidence of the shrewd view he took of public 
= e. - . sible, at the present juncture, to refrain from 
“en in what he wrote to Mr. E. Darwin in 1893:—‘* EF am 
